Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Streetfilms presents - Alewife Station’s Bike Cage: Cambridge, Mass.



So how much did this cost? At most $100,000 - Maybe?

With the average cost of a parking space in a structure going for $40,000 this type of project would be pocket change!

A couple of years ago I proposed a bikestation type facility in my hometown of New Brunswick in an empty storefront directly across from the train station (something like the Bikestation in Seattle pictured below). The store front has been empty for over 4 years. The bike parking currently at the station is a mob scene! Nearly 100 bikes parked to every available rack and a waiting list of many years for the 12 bike lockers.


The local TMA, Keep Middlesex Moving, to their credit loved my idea and tried to move it along. Unfortunately the powers that be beyond the TMA just don't seem to get it. Instead of using this empty storefront directly across from the station for secure bike parking on at least a trial basis, it was proposed that a primitive bike room would be provided in a building that won't be built for another 4 years. This building by the way will have a parking deck for over 400 cars!! (400 x $40,000 = $16,000,000!!)

In the meantime the storefront remains empty. The owner of the build with the empty storefront? The New Brunswick Parking Authority!

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