I'm not familiar with the Madison covered parking desires, but maybe BFW could partner with some bike shops or other groups or the tech school or a high school bike group to find one parking garage in the area of most need and design a one car-space plan (or whatever a survey would indicate the need would be) for bike parking. There are some racks that lock a bike without the users lock (like those lockers where a key is released when a quarter is inserted) or there are some racks that hang the bikes from the ceiling or on a wall. Maybe there could be a couple of plans presented - one self-serve, one staffed.
For example, what if you could put eight paid parked bikes where one car would go. What if a shop sponsorship would get the equipment for cost. What if enough bike advocates would agree to purchase a bike park card which would allow them to use available spaces for a six month trial period. What if the garage would realize a slight increase in revenue whenever it sold a full 8 (or 12)-bike "slot." What if volunteers agreed to check the racks weekly (or however often needed.) What if a shop would offer reduced price work or merchandise discount to people who bought bike park cards. What if a whole parking garage could be taken over by bike parking and it would make the city (or owner) more money. What if all future parking facilities were required to also include x% bike parking. What if a secured bike park facility could also include bike repair, rentals and sales (I stole that idea from train stations in the Netherlands) What if in 2004 the person who was duly elected to be president actually becomes president????
ok, i'm getting carried away. But it seems a fun, creative thing could happen as a well-publicized trial that might convince the university or city or whoever, that including some covered bike parking is a good thing to do, financially and for future generations.
- cathy, la crosse
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