Parking Poles: Easy Bike Rack Conversions?

Parking Poles: Easy Bike Rack Conversions?

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Dec 14th 2007, 5:33pm By queenseyes

This past August I wrote a post stating that it was an opportune time to install bike racks on streets such as Court. The post was written due to missing parking meters that had been replaced by the parking ticket vending machines. With the meters missing, it was almost impossible to find a place to lock up a bike. With cities around the country promoting urban biking, there was a chance to leave the parking meter posts in place, while just removing the meter heads. Of course there would need to be some sort of hook-up added to each post so that the locks could not be lifted up and over.

While visiting Toronto, it was easy to see that these types of bike racks are everywhere. These are not parking meter conversions... they are simply poles with metal circles welded onto the side. I'm sure that anchoring the poles into the cement is the hard part... that's why Buffalo should look into keeping the parking meter poles, capping them off, and adding the bike-friendly mechanisms. And just think about Buffalo's bike messengers who would be so happy to have more places to add to their delivery routes. I bet that Blue Bikes riders would also appreciate the added bike racks. The idea would probably be a lot cheaper than installing brand new racks around town.

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digulios

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  1. Lorne

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 14th 2007, 17:56

    As a Torontonian currently living (and cycling) in Buffalo, I can attest to the value and benefit of these "post and ring" bike hitches. I've only seen a few of them in the city, right next to the Lexington Co-op, and there are a couple of artisically enhanced ones on Elmwood south of North in Allentown. Buffalo seriously needs more bike racks. I'm pleasantly surprised by the number of cyclists I see along Elmwood. If they are riding there, most likely they are shopping there too. If the city would realize how valuable cyclists are to the economy of EV, they might be willing to sink some post and rings into the sidewalks.

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  2. LivingForge

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 14th 2007, 19:10

    Given the general lack of direction and uptake of new ideas, especially ones that save money and enhance the city by repurposing something (ie not tearing it down), someone needs to make a lot of noise to bring attention to this. Best thing might be a citizen coalition between reps of EVA and Blue Bikes.

    Or, there's guerilla gardeners, there could be guerilla welders. Kinda hard to hide that bright blue flash in the middle of the night though.

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  3. Hoss

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 14th 2007, 21:30

    This whole city needs more bike racks. It's not just an Elmwood Village thing.

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  4. knock_knock

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 15th 2007, 10:20

    Great Idea can always have more bicycle parking. Toronto is having a big problem with style rack. The rings are made of a cast metal and can easily be broken off with a board or a pipe.

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  5. TownLine

    0 ratings12345
    Dec 15th 2007, 10:25

    There are some rumblings out there of a few groups currently working towards cycling improvements in the Elmwood Village.

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