Federal Recovery Dollars Make Downtown Bicycle Parking Project Possible
For immediate release
October 10, 2012
Contact: Erin Miller, Environmental Steward, 645-0815 Federal Recovery Dollars Make Downtown Bicycle Parking Project Possible
The installation of approximately 325 bicycle parking spaces Downtown is nearly complete. The project includes six bicycle shelters, bicycle lockers, two bike rooms and 70 bicycle racks that are separate from the shelters and lockers. The project was funded by a portion of a $7.4 million federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant awarded to the city of Columbus under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The city is working in partnership with the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to complete the project.
“Federal recovery funding has helped our city emerge from the recession and is now assisting our efforts to become one of the best bike cities in the nation,” said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. “These bike shelters and other bike parking encourage more people to ride bikes and make us a greener and healthier city.”
The new bike shelters are at six downtown locations:
- East Long Street and North Front Street
- North High Street and Hickory Street
- East Broad Street and North 3rd Street
- East Broad Street and 4th Street
- South High Street and East State Street
- West Mound Street and South Front Street
Each shelter features 18 parking spaces protected from weather by a roof. Drought tolerant plants are being installed on the roof of each shelter to absorb rainwater that would otherwise surge to area waterways.
“The Columbus biking community is helping change the way civic and business leaders look at transportation issues in our urban core,” said Councilmember Eileen Y. Paley, chair of the Public Service and Transportation Committee. “The City is proud to invest in the infrastructure that will help improve the health of our residents and environment of the Downtown.”
Each year on average, bicyclists using the new shelters will drive an estimated 397,385 fewer miles in motor vehicles, resulting in a decrease of 419,126 pounds of pollutants being emitted into the atmosphere.
Other Capital Crossroads installations include:
- Employee bicycle rooms at the City of Columbus and Franklin County
- Clusters of bicycle racks placed strategically at the Columbus Convention Center and other large employment centers Downtown
“The bicycle facilities give downtown employees another amenity. We anticipate a large increase in bicycle commuting over the next several years,” said Cleve Ricksecker, Executive Director of Capital Crossroads. “Downtown’s central location and street grid allow it accommodate employers who want to give their employees travel options.”
A Bicycle Advisory Committee guided the planners and designers in developing bike parking which met the hardware and geographic needs of bike commuters. The committee was made up of representatives of existing biking organizations and downtown employers.
In addition to the bike shelters, bike lockers, locker rooms and bike racks, the city’s Department of Public Service installed 132 bicycle parking facilities citywide so far in 2012. In 2013, the city plans to add maintenance stations to the bike facilities. The maintenance stations will include directional signage, bicycle tire pumps and other bicycle maintenance tools that may be borrowed free-of-charge.
The city of Columbus provided $490,000 to the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District to manage installation of bike parking shelters, lockers and other equipment. The projects are consistent with Mayor Coleman’s Get Green Columbus initiative and demonstrate the mayor’s personal commitment to making Columbus a bicycle friendly city.