Posted by marilynch
Bike Parking, Security, Storage
The Best: Where have you found the most convenient and secure bicycle parking or storage in Monterey County? Express your gratitude with a shout-out at the end of this post.
The Rest: Where do you see a need for better bicycle parking and storage in the county? Point out locations where racks/storage lockers are needed.
These four women from Toronto were looking for bike parking at a popular location in downtown Monterey: next to HHT spots r.g. Burgers and Erik’s DeliCafe, by Trader Joe’s. So were touring cyclist Daniel Hopp of Germany (at right) and an Austrian bike-touring couple. However, about six other cyclists had already parked their bicycles, using up the one rack . Hmm….where to lock up these seven additional bikes while their owners dine out and do some shopping?
Who to contact
In addition to commenting on this post, you are encouraged to also contact the following leaders directly to request bike racks or lockers, as funds allow.
- Transportation Agency of Monterey County (TAMC) – Contact Kaki Cheung, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator at TAMC or use the online Bicycle Protection Program form.
- In the City of Salinas, visit the City of Salinas Bicycle Committee webpage and fill out a Bicycle Protection Program application. You may note “Attention: James Serrano, City Traffic Planner.”
- In the City of Monterey, you may use this general Service Request Form and note “Attention: Rich Deal, City Traffic Engineer.” Or contact Rich directly: 831.646.3470
deal@ci.monterey.ca.us.
Below is a sampling of existing Monterey County bicycle parking. You’re invited to provide a photo of additional bike parking, anywhere in the county (contact me). Feel free to include a link to a nearby business or organization, to encourage biking there!
Alongside Wharf II, Monterey
At a church in Salinas: priority parking for bicycles at main entrance
On Cannery Row, Monterey: free close-up parking at hot spots
At CSUMB, Marina
At NPS, Monterey: weather-protection–best bike parking in the county
At a Seaside youth club
At City of Monterey Sports Center: Don’t even think about messing with bikes here!
At beachfront hotel, Seaside
Above Wharf I, Monterey
Overflow parking for Wharf I, Monterey
At a Sand City business
Bicycle Security is addressed in the Tips for Bicycling Monterey County guide. There is, of course, much more that can be learned about this topic….
National webinar on bicycle parking, security, storage
The national Safe Routes to School program provided a very informative one-hour webinar July 14, 2011 on Bicycle Parking, Security, and Storage. This webinar is part of a Safe Routes bicycling webinar series, presentations that are open and available to the public.
I participated in this webinar, and you can get the same info now:
- Watch a recording of the webinar
- Download the webinar’s tip sheet (hi-res 11MB)
- Download the webinar’s chat report
- Download the webinar’s PowerPoint slides
- COMING SOON: Download the webinar’s Q&A sheet; visit this page of the Safe Routes site: http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/mediacenter/SRAM-Bicycling-Webinars/SRAM-Bicycling-Webinar3
Mini-report on 7/14 webinar
The webinar included some surprises: In Monterey County, as pointed out in “Personal Safety” section of this site, we strive to be mindful about sharing the multi-use trail, and other travel routes, with all types of users. Emphasized in the Safe Routes webinar was that not only bicycle racks but also skateboard racks make a big difference for youth on school campuses. Ceiba College Prep in Watsonville, CA (Santa Cruz County/Monterey Bay region) has cool skateboard racks, as Santa Cruz Sentinel staff writer Donna Jones reported to me.
In Ashland, OR, school principals found a tremendous improvement in behavior and cooperation with skateboarding rules after skateboard racks were installed on campus.
Just a few of many ideas shared: (1) some schools have a “bike cage” that is locked by personnel at beginning and end of the day, which has the advantage of accommodating kids whose families cannot afford bicycle locks–in Monterey County, you can see one at Pacific Grove Middle School and La Paz Middle School in Salinas; (2) number of racks should exceed demand; (3) engineers planning new developments can install bike racks first to show you mean business about creating a bike-friendly community; (4) cable locks work with all styles of bike racks; and (5) importance of the convenience of close-up bike racks, and where that isn’t possible, then signage pointing out location of bike racks.
Excerpts from 7/14 webinar chat….
Below are links to some resources shared by chat participants during today’s webinar. Be aware these are shared out of context; they connect with various topics covered during the webinar. (For the complete chat report, use link provided above.) The comments below are unedited and unconfirmed as to degree of value; they are simply provided here for your consideration. Thank you to the contributors for speaking up with their ideas.
john cinatl from clovis: HI Folks – As a member of APBP I recommend everyone download a copy of the APBP bike parking guideline – about 80 pages of excellent information regarding bike parking & racks. Check out http://www.apbp.org
Liz McNett Crowl from Mount Vernon WA: New APBP Bicycle Parking Guidelines is $20 for download. Old guidelines are free on website.
Jenifer Joy Madden from Vienna, VA: Another great example of well-placed racks is in suburban Washington DC and is described here – http://lastgenerationbc.com/2011/06/administrator-racks-up-a-healthier-school/
Dan Sahli from Dayton, OH: http://scottandmartynis.com/product/6/11/Saris-6802-Wave-5-Bike-Rack.html wave rack use link
Darell Dickey from Davis, CA: I don’t understand why the staple is the “ultimate” solution. How about something good???? http://www.creativepipe.com/lightning_bolt_LR_series_racks.htm
Shelley Aschenbrenner from Loveland, CO: http://www.skateboardlockers.com/
Kristen Wilson from Kingston: http://lockitt.com/onguardlocks/onguardcablesarmored.htm
Derek Fretheim from BikeConnect: http://www.metro.net/around/bikes/bikes-metro/
Steve Arnold from Fitchburg WI: Univ Wisconsin unique, high-volume racks: http://admissions.wisc.edu/ublogs/instill/2010/11/10/warm-nov/ (this one is slightly bent. They work great except for bikes with front paniers.
Other Safe Routes webinars
Webinar #1:
Getting Bike Shops and Advocates to Collaborate
on Safe Routes to School
Webinar #2:
Organizing Successful Bike Trains
Related info at Bicycling Monterey
Besides the Bicycle Security and Personal Safety sections referenced above, here are some posts on this site you may also find of interest:
- City of Monterey Transportation and Parking Charrette
- Monterey County Bikeways Plan
- Safe Routes to School – Monterey County info
- Safe Routes to School resources in Spanish
- Children and Teens section of this site
- Shopping by Bike, which includes a link to Commerce and Bicycles that may also be of interest
- Signs of a Bicycling Friendly Monterey County (add comments here about where “One-Way, Bikes Excepted” signs are needed)
- Learn more about how municipal leaders help make this a more bike-friendly county: Bikes at Traffic Signals–How does it work?
More bike parking images from Monterey County
At a Marina shopping center
At a Carmel shopping center
In downtown Monterey
At a Salinas medical office
At a Monterey church
At a Carmel bus stop
At a Seaside public school
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Where is more bike parking needed in Monterey County?
Comments made via Twitter:
8/3/11
7/14/11
BikeMontereyMari Lynch to @InfluenceGuy Thanks, so noted! 
bit.ly/r6gqdH Even w/ 20 racks, @VisitCanneryRow is hot spot where more bike racks are needed.
steinbeck.org/pages/directio…Special note for schools, and regarding skateboards
Bicycle Parking, Security, and Storage at Schools: Tips and resources.
Whether bicycling, walking, or skateboarding, most of us want to encourage children and teens to enjoy the physical health and multitude of other benefits that these active transportation methods provide. What about safety? See personal safety tips for bicyclists, as well as other Safe Routes to School info on this site.
Do you have students who use a skateboard as alternative transportation for getting to school? Do they resist campus helmet laws or having to store their skateboard in the office?
Skateboard racks make a big difference for youth on school campuses. In Ashland, OR, school principals found a tremendous improvement in behavior and cooperation with skateboarding rules after skateboard racks were installed on campus.
While the TAMC funds mentioned below are not available for skateboard racks, schools needing skateboard racks might wish to apply in 2012 for AB 2766 funds from the Monterey Air Pollution Control District for this purpose. Applications are generally taken beginning in March or April and usually due in June; click here for info from the last grant cycle.
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The info above was previously published 7/14/11.
The info below is archived for informational purposes; deadline for free racks and lockers was 9/16/11.
Free bicycle racks and lockers for Monterey County private businesses, school districts, public agencies, and non-profit organizations. Applications are due to TAMC by Friday, September 16, 2011.
As subscribers to Bicycling Monterey were notified August 10, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County is accepting applications for racks and lockers, through the TAMC Bicycle Protection Program. At this time, $18,208 is available for this purpose. An amount like this may not be available in the next grant cycle, so act now!
1. Recipients must provide a before and after count of bikes parked within 200 feet during a two-hour period.
- Count must be taken between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on a “sunny” Tues, Wed, or Thurs during school year. (Monterey County residents know that overcast/foggy days are normal for us. For this ap’s purpose, it is reasonable to consider our normal overcast/foggy days are “sunny” enough–just so it’s not a rainy day when the count is taken.)
- Why morning hours? Because the grant is to encourage bike commuting to work, school, etc. However, rack/locker applicants can also be places that encourage biking for any reason. Applicants may be businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues; or public agencies, such as health clinics; or non-profits, such as libraries or museums.
The grant program guidelines and application are also available for download on the TAMC website: Click here.
Yes, that’s right! These free bike racks and lockers are available to private businesses as well as to school districts, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Exception: Will not be provided to applicants whose permit conditions require these facilities, e.g., land developers.
Questions? Please contact Kaki Cheung, the TAMC project manager, at (831) 775-4413, or via email at kaki@tamcmonterey.org.
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I’d love to see a bike rack at Home Depot in Seaside/Sand City. I’ve already talked to them, but if someone were to offer them a rack, perhaps it could actually happen!
Wonderful to have your input, Katie. Retail stores are among the private businesses welcome to apply. With chain stores, there’s a lot of variation in the ability of a local manager to make decisions/make things happen, and the time frame it takes. Provide the manager a link to the TAMC site [ http://www.tamcmonterey.org/programs/bikeped/protection.html ] and/or this post [ http://marilynch.com/blog/bicycle-parking-security-storage.html ], along with more of your personal encouragement. Your taking time to pass along this opportunity might be just the catalyst that’s needed to get bike parking there.