David, When the Hilldale plans came to PBMVC, racks were placed all around not just in the ramps. I don't recall the exact number of racks but I think it was greater than 150 spaces. I also asked about the type of racks, specifically, that the racks were compatible with U-locks. They had not selected the racks at that time but assured PBMVC that they would be of the proper design. We will have to be vigilant to make sure that they are of a proper design.
I too was upset at Ace for putting in a fence row rack. I need to complain to building inspection because this rack does not meet city code. This type of rack should not have been allowed since this was new construction. I would urge others to do the same. However, I love the duck bill racks that you disparaged in another e-mail. I find the duck bill racks among the easiest to which to lock my bike with a U-lock with the front wheel removed. I have trouble with the inverted U racks because my seat is at a height that prevents me from getting the bike close enough to the rack to make it easy to get the removed front wheel and rear fork all locked to the rack. Mark Shahan > From: David Bogen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 2005/06/20 Mon AM 09:39:12 CDT > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > CC: [email protected] > Subject: [Bikies] Re: Hilldale Mall Redevelopment > > Alder Gruber: > > As a resident of your district, the author of the original query, a > frequent Hilldale shopper, and an inveterate year-round bicyclist, it is > critical to me that you understand my concerns with not only the > *amount* of bicycle parking at the Hilldale Mall, but also the *type* > and *location* of the bicycle parking at the Hilldale Mall. > > The Hilldale Mall currently has a reasonably poor track record of > providing adequate bicycle parking. For instance, one of the most > laughable bike racks in the City of Madison currently can be found > outside the US Bank building at the Hilldale Mall. Not only is the rack > one of the notorious 'wheel bender' varieties, a tree with branches just > three or four feet off the ground blocks access to most of the rack, > some of the rack spaces are blocked by landscaping timbers, and to top > it all off, the rack appears to be installed backwards. > > The largest rack at Hilldale is the 'fence' style of rack found on the > front side of the Mall near the UW Pharmacy entrance. This rack is > widely derided by bicyclists as being the next best thing to useless for > providing adequate security and support for bicycles. > > When the new Ace Hardware opened at the Hilldale Mall recently, my hopes > for a modern, useful bicycle rack at that location were quickly > squelched by the placement of yet another 'fence' rack outside that > building. Note that I wrote the word 'placement' and not > 'installation.' That particular rack merely sits on the sidewalk > instead of being secured to the ground in some way. > > There used to be something like four or five 'wave' style racks > scattered around the Hilldale Mall grounds. Now there are just two left > of which I'm aware: one outside Sentry Foods (which often fills up as > bicycle commuters stop to shop on their way home after work and forces > some bicycles to lock up to trees and signs) and one near the food court > entrance on the back side of the mall. Each of those racks can park, > maybe, four bicycles. > > If there is an extraordinary amount of bicycle parking that is of the > wrong type and in the wrong place, very few bicyclists will use it and > the owners and operators of the mall might as well not bother installing > it at all. > > Bicycle racks should be scattered around the Mall grounds near the > various Mall entrances. They should be either the 'inverted U' style of > rack or the 'post and ring' style of rack to accommodate the largest > variety of bicycles sizes and shapes. > > By placing bicycle racks of the proper type in the proper locations, > bicyclists will use the racks provided instead of locking up to signs, > trees, and other generally inappropriate objects. > > The time to ensure that Hilldale Mall has not only the proper volume of > bicycle parking, but also the proper type and placement, is now. It > will be much easier to ensure that Hilldale gets it right the first time > than it will to coerce or cajole them into fixing it years down the road. > > Sincerely, > > David Bogen > > Gruber, Bonnie J. wrote: > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Timothy Gruber [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Friday, June 17, 2005 9:33 PM > > To: Gruber, Bonnie J. > > Subject: Re: FW: [Bikies] Hilldale Mall Redevelopment > > > > One of the things that was looked at in the Hilldale plans was bike > > parking, and my understanding is there will be plenty of it. > > Tim > > > > > > Tim Gruber, District 11 Alder > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 608-663-5264 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
