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East-West Connector Bicycle Parking Recommendations

Walk/Bike Nashville - February 2013

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1 About Walk/Bike Nashville 1

Recommendations for Bicycle Parking 3 Queue Stations and Sidewalks 4 Park and Ride Facilities 6 East-West Connector Transit Lane Stations 7 Rack Design 8

Additional Recommendations 11 Needs Assessment 12 Bikes on BRT 13 Policy Recommendations 14 B-Cycle Integration 15

References 17

Image Credits 17

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East-West Connector Bicycle Parking Recommendations Walk/Bike Nashville

Executive Summary The East-West Connector heralds a new era of transportation options for Nashvillians. In order to maximize comfort, convenience, and other benefits for transit users, adequate bicycle facilities should be installed at Park & Ride Facilities, near BRT Stations, and onboard BRT vehicles. Additionally, bike friendly policies should be adopted to encourage multimodal commuting and minimize conflicts between BRT riders with bicycles and other passengers. Walk/Bike Nashville recommends the installation of covered bike parking near Queue Stations, Streetside BRT Platforms, and at Park and Ride Facilities. Additionally, we suggest that hooks or racks be installed on BRT vehicles to accommodate cyclists and that BRT policies anticipate the needs of all riders during peak hours. Adequate bicycle infrastructure along the East-West Connector corridor will increase BRT ridership and expand the distance that cyclists can comfortably travel. Properly implemented, these investments will help to reduce congestion, protect our air quality, and provide health benefits for commuters. Appropriate bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure will be vital to the success of the East-West Connector.

About Walk/Bike Nashville Since 1998, Walk/Bike Nashville has sought to make active transportation an option for all Nashvillians, no matter where they live or where they're trying to go. Walk/Bike Nashville advocates for sidewalks and bikeways that support active living, commuting options, and recreational opportunities, with the ultimate goal of building a more walkable, bikeable, and livable Nashville. For more information, visit www.walkbikenashville.org.

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Recommendations for Bicycle Parking Nashville is home to more than 130 miles of bikeways and greenways. The East-West Connector corridor is well serviced by multiple bike routes along its span. While bike commuters have many excellent route choices, there is frequently a lack of adequate bike parking at their destinations. The East-West Connector project is an excellent opportunity to improve Nashville’s bike parking infrastructure. Bicycle parking near East-West Connector stations will provide benefits to BRT users, allowing for multimodal commutes that combine active transportation and rapid transit. Encouraging bicycle use in combination with BRT has the potential to reduce congestion, protect air quality, and provide healthy exercise to commuters. Additionally, adequate bike parking near BRT stations will help transform surrounding blocks into destinations. Bicycle parking and its users help to activate the streetscape and can attract new customers to nearby businesses. Covered bike parking can add architectural interest and give an area a unique character.

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Queue Stations and Sidewalks Adequate bike parking should be provided at each Queue Station and Streetside BRT Platform to make active transportation and rapid transit convenient for all Nashvillians. The West End lane reconfiguration provides a significant opportunity to improve Nashville’s bicycle parking infrastructure. In New York, Baltimore, and other North American cities, obsolete parking meters have been converted into bike racks. Streetside bicycle parking is potentially safer than mid-block bicycle parking, since cyclists won’t be tempted to cut across lanes to access it.

Suggestions

• 5 bike racks should be installed at each Queue Station or Streetside BRT platform • Bicycle parking should not impede pedestrian traffic • Streetside bicycle parking should be visible from the BRT platform, even if the platform is within the

center lane • Racks should be installed to meet the Bicycle Parking Guidelines adopted by the Association of

Bicycle and Pedestrian professionals • The following stations warrant additional bicycle parking:

o 26th Avenue

Obsolete parking meters can be quickly and cheaply converted into Post and Loop bicycle racks. The East-West Connector corridor would benefit from expanded bicycle parking infrastructure.

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o 17th Avenue o 5th Avenue o 3rd Avenue and Church Street o Charlotte Avenue and 4th Avenue o Main Street and 6th Street o Main Street and 9th Street o Main Street and 10th Street

• A large weatherproof copy of The Groove, Nashville’s map of bikeways and greenways, should be posted at these stations

• Parking meters made obsolete by lane reconfigurations should be converted to bicycle racks • When possible, shelters should be installed over bicycle parking

Adequate bicycle parking near transit can reduce congestion, protect air quality, and provide health benefits for commuters.

Shelters should be installed over bicycle parking. In addition to keeping saddles dry, shelters provide architectural interest and make places feel unique.

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Park and Ride Facilities Secure, covered bicycle parking at the 4 proposed Park & Ride facilities will provide multiple benefits to commuters, including an expansion of BRT accessibility to more neighborhoods and an increase in the distance cyclists can comfortably travel. Adequate integration of bicycle parking expands the catchment area of BRT stations. Stations surrounded by residential uses should provide ample bicycle parking.

Suggestions

• Bicycle parking should be: o at ground level o visible from the BRT station o covered o well lit

• As many as 30 racks should be provided at each Park & Ride Facility

• Racks should be installed to meet the Bicycle Parking Guidelines adopted by the Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals

• A large weatherproof copy of The Groove, Nashville’s map of bikeways and greenways, should be posted at these stations

A large group of racks, visible from the street, makes it easy for transit users to use active transportation to connect to BRT. Adequate bicycle parking at Park & Ride facilities expands the catchment area of the attached BRT station. Shelters would improve the design pictured.

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East-West Connector Transit Lane Stations Some bicycle parking is conditionally recommended for stations located within the center transit lane, although certain design challenges must be accounted for. Without bike parking on BRT platforms, cyclists may be inclined to attach bicycles to lean-rails.

Suggestions

• Bike Racks should not impede the flow of pedestrian traffic • Racks should not be located too close to the roadway and passing BRT vehicles to ensure the comfort

of cyclists as they lock or unlock their bicycle • Racks should be installed to meet the Bicycle Parking Guidelines adopted by the Association of

Bicycle and Pedestrian professionals

Threats

• Center lane bicycle parking may encourage cyclists to make a risky maneuver- cutting across three lanes of traffic to access parking.

• Cyclists dismounting in the dedicated BRT lane to access bicycle parking could create conflicts with BRT vehicles.

• Additionally, cyclists riding onto narrow BRT platforms via ADA-compliant ramps to access bicycle parking could create conflicts with other transit riders who are waiting at the station.

• Bicycle parking capacity may be limited on BRT platforms.

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Rack Design Appropriate and inappropriate rack designs are detailed below. Style Recommendation Notes

Inverted U or Staple

Recommended

• Allows bicycle frame and wheels to be

securely attached at two points • Two bikes can be parked at one rack • Easy for cyclists to maneuver between

racks • Best rack for most situations

Post and Loop

Recommended

• Allows bicycle frame and one wheel to

be securely attached at one point • Two bikes can sometimes be parked at

one rack • Easy for cyclists to maneuver between

racks • Suitable rack for most situations

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Wave

NOT Recommended

• Difficult to maneuver bicycles into “U”

sections • Less efficient use of space than

Inverted U racks

Comb

NOT Recommended

• Bicycle frame cannot be securely

attached to rack, except at outer edges. • “Comb teeth” can damage bicycle

wheels

Toast

NOT Recommended

• Practically impossible to securely attach

a bicycle to the rack

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Additional Recommendations Bicycles are a great way for transit riders to cover the “first and last mile,” the distance between a BRT station and a commuter’s home or destination. Many transit riders will prefer to bring their bicycle on board the BRT vehicle for a quick and comfortable connection to their final destination. Special provisions for bicycles should be installed onboard BRT vehicles. Bike friendly policies should be adopted to encourage multimodal trips and minimize conflict between transit riders with bicycles and other users. B-Cycle kiosks should be installed near select BRT stations to increase the range of transit riders. A needs assessment should be undertaken to more accurately predict the appropriate amount and type of bicycle facilities to be installed along the East-West Connector corridor.

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Needs Assessment In order to properly anticipate projected parking needs, a transportation design study should be undertaken to predict potential usage of bicycle facilities. The study should consider existing conditions, expected future usage, and also anticipate the effects of increased residential and commercial development along the East-West Connector corridor. The numbers suggested in this document are the result of discussions between members and staff of Walk/Bike Nashville who are regular cyclists who are familiar with local conditions and rapid transit systems of a similar scale in other North American cities. A transportation design study would help determine the appropriate amount of parking and onboard bicycle storage to be installed and would more accurately predict the benefits of making active transportation investments along the East-West Connector corridor.

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Bikes on BRT Most people feel comfortable walking about a quarter mile to access rapid transit. However, cyclists may travel between one and three miles to access transit. Additionally, bicycles allow transit riders to conveniently access destinations outside of the comfortable walking range of BRT stations. Bicycle provisions should be installed on BRT rolling stock to encourage multimodal trips. Combining active transportation and rapid transit expands the range of cyclists and increases the catchment area of BRT stations.

Suggestions

• At least eight hooks or racks should be installed near boarding zones on each BRT vehicle. • Ideally, cyclists should not need to walk their bikes past seated passengers, since greasy chains or wet

wheels can stain clothing. • Signage should clearly indicate the process of stowing a bicycle on board a BRT vehicle.

Hooks near boarding zones, like this one pictured on a Portland, OR MAX train, provide a convenient location for cyclists to stow their bicycle while minimizing conflicts with other riders. Signage should clearly indicate the appropriate area for bicycle storage.

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Policy Recommendations During peak hours, transit riders may try to bring more bicycles onto a BRT vehicle than onboard hooks or racks can accommodate. Policies should be adopted that anticipate the needs of all users.

Suggestions

• If onboard hooks or racks are full, cyclists should be allowed to stand with their bicycle when there is open space in the cabin of the BRT vehicle

• During peak hours, BRT vehicles should have a designated area for overflow bicycle storage • If overflow bicycle storage is full, cyclists should be asked to board the next BRT vehicle • BRT vehicles should run more frequently during peak hours

Overflow bicycle storage should be designated on BRT vehicles during peak hours. During off peak hours, standing passengers could use these areas.

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B-Cycle Integration Nashville B-Cycle is an affordable, convenient bike share system that allows residents, downtown employees, and tourists to get around Music City. B-Cycle gives Nashvillians one more great transportation choice for running errands, heading to a meeting, or sightseeing. B-Cycle kiosks should be installed within sight of select East-West Connector stations to expand the range of BRT riders. B-Cycle can help Nashvillians cover “the last mile,” allowing them to access destinations that are outside the comfortable walking range of a transit station.

Suggestions

• B-Cycle kiosks should be visible from the BRT station • B-Cycle kiosks should be installed in addition to traditional bicycle parking • Kiosks should be installed at:

o 21st Avenue o 17th Avenue o 8th Avenue o 5th Avenue o 3rd Avenue and Church Street o Woodland and 1st Street o Main Street and 6th Street

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References

• Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals. Bicycle Parking Guidelines. 2002. Web. http://www.apbp.org/?page=Publications

• Pucher, John & Buehler, Ralph. “Integrating Bicycling and Public Transport in North America.” Journal of Public Transportation 12.3 (2009) 79-104. Print.

Image Credits

• Title Page: Vance, Steven. Bike Parking Successs. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/6310361821/

• Page 4: New York City Department of Transportation. Parking Meter Bike Rack. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycstreets/6478881523/

• Page 5, left: Vance, Steven. Bike parking and streetcar coexist. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/4587858297/

• Page 5, right: Luton, John. Bike oasis Portland http://www.flickr.com/photos/luton/1024903844/

• Page 6: Maus, Jonathan. Pedal Garden dedication event at PNCA-18. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeportland/8415493940/

• Page 12: Wittwer, Travis. MAX Bike Rack. http://www.flickr.com/photos/wittcogmbh/2515423734/

• Page 13: Vance, Steven. Somewhere in Korea they allow this many bikes on board. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/5795391916/