safe routes to schools respecting the road - Marin County Bicycle ...

County Bicycle Parking Program Wraps up with Notable Success
The County of Marin Bicycle Parking Program
officially expired in August 2012, but not without
great achievement. The Program resulted in the
installation of 1702 bicycle-rack parking spaces and
16 bicycle-locker parking spaces countywide. The box
below shows their distribution. Forty-six bicycle parking
spaces had previously been installed through the
Non-motorized Transportation Pilot Program, bringing
us a total of 1764 new bicycle parking spaces since
2008. Racks were installed in downtown commercial
areas and at private businesses, schools, public agencies
and non-profit organizations throughout Marin.
MCBC worked closely with the County of Marin to
help facilitate the parking program, which was funded
by a Transportation Fund for Clean Air grant from the
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
and the Transportation Authority of Marin. MCBC
staff helped to identify areas in need of bike parking,
coordinated with Departments of Public Works and
private property and business owners, assisted with
citing and installation of racks, and helped oversee
administrative processes.
So, what’s so special about having plentiful bicycle
parking? Bicycle parking benefits individuals, the transportation
system, and the community. Bicycle infrastructure—including
parking—is helping to improve
air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and minimize
wear and tear on Marin County roads by encouraging
bicycle use. Bicycle parking creates destinations and
transfer points for cyclists and increases total (auto
plus bike) parking capacity.
A bicycle-parking network enhances the transportation
system as a whole by adding viability to an
underused mode. Without bike parking, a network of
bikeways will mainly be viable for circulation (much of
it recreation); bike parking allows for utilitarian uses
that can replace more auto trips. A bicycle transportation
system with adequate parking provides door-todoor
options comparable to those of an automobile.
In a society in which convenience often drives our
transportation choices, making bicycling as convenient
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and safe as possible will attract new users and free up
capacity on other modes. And of course it provides
both personal health and environmental benefits.
Also, more bike parking adds to the visibility of
cycling as a transportation mode. In the book Traffic,
Tom Vanderbilt points out that perhaps the most
effective way to make cycling safer is more bikes:
which is to say, visibility. Bike facilities beget riders.
As increased facilities increase the number of riders,
they reduce the number of drivers. The result—calmer
and safer streets—benefits all users. Bike parking that
is located in a safe and convenient place (well-lit and
near entrances) serves as a positive reminder that
bicycling is a viable transportation option. Bike parking
that is unattractive, unsafe or inconvenient can deter
people from choosing to ride.
Furthermore, bicycle access to business districts
promotes community vitality and livability. Like drivers,
cyclists are potential customers, and our businesses
are well served when we enable cyclists to properly
secure their bikes in convenient locations. Provision
of bike parking also helps ensure that bikes are parked
in designated areas and are not impinging upon the
streetscape or interfering with pedestrian or other
access.
Given the many benefits of bicycle parking infrastructure,
it’s no wonder our community responded to
the County Bicycle Parking Program with such enthusiasm.
We are pleased to report that we continue to
receive inquiries about the Program by those desiring
to put in their first bicycle parking facilities or increase
their number of spaces. The BAAQMD is expected to
implement a Bay Area-wide program for bicycle racks
sometime in the upcoming year. MCBC is following this
process closely; if and when funds become available,
we will be sharing this opportunity with all of those
interested. Collectively, we can continue to expand
Marin’s bike parking network!
San Rafael 432
Novato 42
Corte Madera 10
Mill Valley 155
Larkspur 102
San Anselmo 207
Fairfax 135
Belvedere 14
Tiburon 53
Unincorporated County 566
National Park Service 2
Total: 1718
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