The local bike advocacy group, ClevelandBikes, is promoting the idea of a bike station for Cleveland. Such a station could offer secure bicycle parking, shower/locker facilities for men and women, repair services, and convenient access to public transportation or parks. Expansion plans could include retail space or additional office space to support additional partners.
When cities expand the cycling infrastructure, like a bike station or bike lanes, they experience growth in cycling. A bike station would be an important step for Cleveland, attracting and servicing young, energetic residents and encourage healthy activities. Combining with the parks and trails currently under consideration, cyclists could travel from throughout the state and region, using the bike station prior to enjoying all that the city has to offer.
Resources
Developing a Cleveland Bike Station here
Image gallery of bike stations around the U.S.
Updates
January, 2010 "Art will brighten Cleveland's bike station" (GCBL blog)
August, 2008—Cleveland has staff working on a design and budget for the bike station in the groundfloor space of a parking garage near E. 4th Street in the Gateway District, says Eric Wobser, a special assistant to Ken Silliman, Mayor Frank Jackson's chief of staff. Wobser is working on a business plan that may include a private operator and selling naming rights to subsidize the cost of bike parking to the public. Bike rental, a small repair shop, valet service and locker space inside are being considered.
“The city’s architects are getting approval for engineering work—figuring out, are there any issues to get utilities to the space?” Wobser says. “As soon as we get that in hand, the city will design the space, in house, this fall and bid it out for construction in the spring of 2009.”
California Begins Construction on Major Bike Parking Facility
Kevin Cronin Says:I want to elaborate on the earlier post about the bike station and point out opportunities taking place in other cities. Currently, there are bike stations operating in a number of major cities, up and down the west coast, as well as Chicago and Washington, DC (see www.bikestation.org for facilities in other cities). Bike parking facilities, like the ClevelandBikes bike station proposal, have generated support from major government, private sector and nonprofit organizations that understand that promoting cycling transportation is a critical idea for the transportation, health and redevelopment challenges in cities across the country.
A recent indicator is a California transit project, with Caltrain kicking off construction of a major bike depot at their San Francisco Station. The new 1,600 sq. ft. bicycle parking facility (located at the train station at Fourth and King streets) is near Willie Mays Plaza and the baseball field on the San Francisco Bay and is expected to be completed in mid-summer. Funded with federal, regional and local grants, the new bike depot will have space to park at least 100 bicycles, with secure, free storage. The facility will allow people to ride their bikes to the station and park it at no cost, as they take the train to their destination, while lessening the impact of overcrowding of bike cars on trains. On average, more than 300 bicycle riders board at the San Francisco Caltrain station each day. Here's the full story:
http://www.caltrain.com/news_2006_02_24_SF_bike_depot_kickoff.html