Charles Street to get bike racks

By Sandra Miller
Beacon Hill Times
Back Bay Sun
Charles Street may soon see three new bike racks, as part of Mayor Menino’s ambitious Boston Bikes program.
Nicole Freedman, bike coordinator for Mayor Menino’s new Boston Bikes program, showed her bike racks to the Beacon Hill Architectural Commission on Thursday, hoping to get approval to install three of them in front of the Charles Street Animal Clinic, the Starbucks at 97 Charles St., and Room With a Vieux antiques.
Boston has 250 bike racks, which resemble cast-iron lollipops, and can be seen around the Back Bay. She said that the Back Bay was even considering removing some parking spots to install the bike racks.
According to Freedman, they are designed as simple, sturdy racks big enough to secure two bikes when placed parallel to the street. They have a single installation point for minimal sidewalk damage. The model she showed to the BHAC was the modest black, but she said it also comes in other colors. The racks would only feature the mayor’s bike program logo stamped on top; the mayor turned down $20,000 from an advertiser that wanted an ad along the bottom of the racks.
Freedman also showed other versions of bike racks that she rejected. One looked “historic” but was “bulky and flimsy.” Cambridge’s racks, designed to bolt onto existing parking meters, weren’t safe because they were too easily removable.
The three Charles Street spots were requested by the businesses. Because Charles street sidewalks are narrow, there are only a few choice spots for the racks, Freedman said. Plus she wanted to start slowly in the area. “It’s worse to put in more racks than necessary. We’ll probably need more there.”
Boston Bikes installed 250 this year, and aims for another 250 next year, which is tiny in comparison to other city’s bike rack programs, she said. Vancouver, for example, installed 3,000 racks. “250 is scratching the surface,” Freedman said.
The bike racks need to be placed within 50 to 100 feet of where the riders would work; otherwise, riders begin considering less ideal spots like fences, sign poles, and meters. “There are some gorgeous fences in the historical district,” Freedman noted. “When you see what those fences cost, these racks are much better to clean up.”
Taylor called the Boston Bikes program “commendable”. Fellow commission member Leslie Donovan said she liked the racks, but wasn’t sure how the bikes and cars would coexist on the narrow sidewalks. Freedman assured the board that the racks would be 25 inches from the curb, and that there would be plenty of room for pedestrians.
In general, the application process for a business wanting a rack would be fairly rigorous, so many applications will be rejected based on factors such as space dimensions and other guidelines. The Charles Street racks as proposed “seem to be workable spaces,” Freedman said.
The commission asked that the racks be positioned closer to traffic control boxes and other sidewalk fixtures so “people don’t just see the bike rack,” said acting BHAC chair John Cunningham. Said Taylor, “It’s a positive program.”
The board approved the racks as proposed, but that the BHAC staff needed to review the proposed locations that would be placed closer to other sidewalk fixtures.