Mar 20, 2011

Why Bike Racks Matter To Santa Monica’s Buy Local EffortsBy Gary KavanaghSantaMonica.Patch.com

Santa Monica has embarked on a “Buy Local” campaign, and by the time you read this, it will have been underscored by Saturday’s Buy Local Day Expo and related Buy Local Day events. There are a number of benefits to buying local, and they’re not just the obvious economic benefits of retaining more money in our local economy. When residents shop at local businesses, it also cuts down on congestion, reduces emissions and encourages investment in our own community.

However, there is something currently missing from efforts to encourage buying local. That is dedicated, secure bike parking at the majority of local businesses.

Bicycling traffic can be a boon to business, and is perfectly suited to shopping and dining locally. Cars take up far more real estate than any other mode of travel, thus effectively capping growth potential on a street grid of finite space. Being able to make trips by walking is ideal, but walking range is rather limited. Everywhere in Santa Monica is walkable to some destinations, but many residents cannot reach many popular businesses on foot. Buses are great but do not appeal to everyone, particularly when service frequency is low and they so often run behind schedule. On a bike, however, any point in the city is reachable in about 20 minutes—or often less.

To encourage business growth through bicycling, Long Beach and the City of Los Angeles have started installing what are called bike corrals at select locations. It is a type of facility made popular in Portland, Ore., where a single on-street car space is replaced with permanent bike racks housing up to 10 bikes. It gives plenty of space for bike customers and de-clutters sidewalk space. Some businesses in Portland were skeptical of losing a little car parking at first, but when early adopters started cashing in on the benefits of higher turnover, the list of businesses requesting them started lining up.

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