Finding a Good Location
Having determined which stores, schools or street corners need bike
racks, the next task is find the perfect location for the rack so
that it is clearly visible, accessible, etc, and yet doesn’t interfere
with pedestrians or vending machines or whatever else is also on
the street corner. For example, the City of Seattle specificies
that,
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Racks are installed in public space within the Seattle City limits,
usually on a wide sidewalk with five or more feet of clear sidewalk
space remaining.
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Racks are placed to avoid conflicts with pedestrians. They are
usually installed near the curb and away from building entrances
and crosswalks.
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Racks can be installed in bus stops or loading zones only if they
do not interfere with boarding or loading patterns and there are
no alternative sites.
The City
of Chicago notes that they will provide racks only on sidewalks
ten feet wide or more, and they can’t be installed on the city’s
heated, vaulted, or architectural sidewalks for a variety of technical
reasons. The city will only install bike racks in concrete, as they
cannot be securely anchored in asphalt. Racks must be four feet
from fire hydrants, curb ramps, building entrances etc.
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