Automated Bicycle Garages in Downtown?
On this green day as we talk about why we did or didn’t ride the bus, walk to breakfast, buy a CF lightbulb, or bicycle to work, we thought it would be good to throw a dream into the wind and see where it landed.
We keep talking about parking garages… And this is about parking garages. At the same time, we really wish that we a city that was friendly to bicyclists. Yet, that doesn’t stop us from riding our bikes.
Maybe some day we’ll have enough urban residents and bicyclists for one of these:
How about in the new Russell headquarters? The basement of the Luzon… six floors below the Suite133 penthouses? Marcato phase 14?
Or more bike racks would be a start.
8 comments
M Marty April 22, 2008
My web skills fail me again,
check out this site:
www.katopark.com/automated.htm
A Andrew April 22, 2008
sweet…although a decent network of bike lanes might be a good first step.
A altered chords April 22, 2008
I did not ride a bike. 12 miles office to home over waller road = tired, smelly and possible injured salesman = very low success rate. Also – I have 5 appointments scheduled for today. That’s another 25 miles. I love riding and running but there is no practical way to work it into my job.
I did spy the element in front of 21 Commerce. That would be cool. I have never looked into the purchase price. Is it truly green? How much electricity on the grid in Washington is produced by hydro, wind, solar, coal, nuke? Anyone have real statistics?
D David Boe April 22, 2008
Having just come from the City of Tacoma Council Study Session Urban Space Presentation (sales pitch) by Lars Gemzoe – who is big on bicycles and was using Copenhagen as a reference example where something like 35% of the city commute by bicycle. It occured to me. Copehnagen is FLAT – extraordinarily flat. As one who attemps to bike in to the office once a week (fair weather pending), it takes me 10 minutes longer to get home than to work – as the extra time is blowing snot getting out of downtown. I know – I should be in better shape. But come-on, lets not look at cities that don’t share our geography when looking at bicycle issues. Did like his overall ‘vision’ pitch though. We just need to see real examples of how to deal with our hills – other than ‘training’ like Lance Armstrong (cause we all can’t date Sheryl Crow). Also, I would not leave my bike out on a rack – it comes into the office with me – which I guess is the point of this whole discussion. Sorry about that.
B beerandhotdogs April 22, 2008
I like the Bikestation example as well, but agree that more bicycle amenities are needed…racks being the most basic necessity. More racks, closer to businesses. When trying to open my business, I got many a weird stare when I said the space I was to lease must have, at minimum, a bike rack capable of handling 2 bicycles. Most weekends, our basic rack (more like a big ol’ pipe rack) out front is in use, and we’ve had up to four bicycles using it at once.
I’d like to have another larger rack installed. Anyone know who I should talk to at the City to find out to make that happen?
C@TRH
M michael g. April 23, 2008
Altered Chords @ 5
2003 WA energy mix was:
Hydro: 66%
Coal: 18%
Nat’l Gas: 10%
Nukes: 5%
Other: 1%
Wind has grown quite a bit since then — I think it now provides 4% or so of the state’s energy.
D DavidS April 24, 2008
Jamie @ 8:
That would work great if there was a no-fare zone in downtown, even on just a couple of the vertical routes. I’ll bet you’d just get more downtowners on the bus by letting people ride up a few of the hills.
H Heather April 24, 2008
Ditto, David.
Also, I have decided that I don’t care if people see me get off my bike and push it up the hill, stopping every few feet to hack up a lung. I will not be ashamed. Nor will I be ashamed of my helmet hair and sweaty scalp. And I will learn to change my clothes like superman in a phone booth. Scratch that, we don’t have public phone booths anymore. Make that a public restroom. Oh wait. Do we have public restrooms?