More Bike Parking on Elizabeth Street
Bike parking is on a roll. (Sorry if that sounds too much like the opening of a Brooklyn Paper
story.)
During my commute across Prince Street this morning, I spotted this DOT crew installing the city’s latest bike corral in front of Cafe Habana on Elizabeth Street. Jennifer Harris-Hernandez from the DOT Bicycle Program, who you can see waving in the picture below, informed me that this is the same crew that installed the bike corral on Court Street last week.
The corral will provide parking for ten bicycles parked at an angle. As is the case with other bike corrals in the city, the space will be protected by two large planters on either end. Cafe Habana is the bike corral’s maintenance partner and will be responsible for sweeping up litter, clearing snow, and caring for the planters.
The project also includes daylighting at the corner to make it easier for trucks and large vehicles to turn off of Prince onto Elizabeth.
It only takes DOT crews a short amount of time to install a bike corral, and I would imagine that it’s already being used. So now that there’s bike parking right in front of Cafe Habana, who wants to meet there for breakfast before work next week?
Trackbacks
- New post: More Bike Parking on Elizabeth Street. It’s been a good couple of weeks for bike corrals. http://t.co/kmD4E16q … #bikenyc | NYMetroWorkout.com - Exercising for fun and fitness in the New York City area by Anthony Olszewski
- RT @BrooklynSpoke: More Bike Parking on Elizabeth Street. It’s been a good couple of weeks for bike corrals. http://t.co/mYHempVA … #bikenyc | NYMetroWorkout.com - Exercising for fun and fitness in the New York City area by Anthony Olszewski
Comments are closed.
Brooklyn Spoke 
Its great to have the bike parking areas but becomes wasted and annoying when junked bikes become permanently stored there so that people who want access to these spots are unable. How long do zombie bikes with no seats, wheels, bars clog up the parking before being removed?
I haven’t noticed this being a big problem yet at on-street corrals, although of course it’s an issue at sidewalk racks.
Transportation Nation did a great series of stories on abandoned bikes and how difficult it is to get the city to remove them.
http://transportationnation.org/2012/06/11/most-abandoned-bikes-wont-be-removed/
Related to Mike’s observation, does anyone know about the legality of private sidewalk bike racks? I tried to park at a restaurant once and the owner said I couldn’t lock up on the rack outside because it was his and it was for the employees. The idea that you were allowed to hog sidewalk space* with your own private bike rack without offering it to the general public seemed strange so I called 311. I was told that only residences could have private bike racks and that businesses with sidewalk racks were required to open them to the public but I honestly don’t know if that’s true or what statute or ordinance dictates it. I also don’t know how to go about making a complaint if someone is in violation (311 can only get you so far). I don’t even know if a complaint would do any good.
*Then again, in most parts of the city you’re allowed to hog public curbside space with your parked car.