Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Bicycling

Fix Bike “Clutter” — Put a Bike Corral on Every Block

Dockless bike-share companies added 44,000 bikes to the streets in American cities in 2017, nearly doubling the size of the national bike-share fleet. One side effect, chronicled ad nauseam in the press, is the sidewalk clutter of bikes parked in the pedestrian right of way.

It shouldn't be a tough nut to crack: Just put more bike parking in the curb lane. Now Washington, DC, is considering something along those lines.

David Whitehead at Greater Greater Washington reports that some local officials want to beef up bike parking in a big way in the District in conjunction with the city's dockless bike-share pilot.

In a letter to City Council transportation chair Mary Cheh, Council Member David Grosso said there should be a bike rack at every corner:

We should have at least one bike rack at every one of our 7,700 intersections in the city. No one should ever have to walk several blocks from a rack to their destination.

Grosso estimates that the cost of implementing this bike parking would come to $2-$3 million, and he suggests raises the funds from licensing fees on dockless bike-share companies.

The section of the curb lane approaching the crosswalk is the perfect place for a bike corral, notes GGW's David Cranor. By keeping that zone clear of parked cars, bike parking will effectively "daylight" the intersection, improving visibility and safety for everyone. Win-win!

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Congestion Pricing Gets Kids To School On Time, Data Shows

Data shared with Streetsblog shows school buses traveling faster and being late less since congestion pricing began.

January 17, 2025

‘Transportation Cannot Do It Alone’: US DOT Dep. Sec. Polly Trottenberg Signs Off

As USDOT's second-in-command, Polly Trottenberg oversaw massive shifts in America transportation policy — and she says the work is not done yet.

January 17, 2025

Confusion as Portland’s Road Death Toll is Alarmingly High

A spike in traffic deaths has tarnished Portland’s image as a bike-forward oasis, but advocates hope street safety improvements will accelerate in 2025.

January 17, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Gaze Into the Future

Driverless cars still face challenges but seem more inevitable than ever. There are two ways it could go.

January 17, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: Reimagining the Civic Commons

Bridget Marquis of Reimagining the Civic Commons on better ways to think about community engagement.

January 16, 2025
See all posts