Frequently Asked Questions about bicycle parking

The proposed development code includes for the first time a provision for bicycle parking at most businesses and other developments. One of the best ways to encourage more bicycling is to provide people with safe and convenient bike parking at places like libraries, stores, restaurants, etc.

Real estate developers have agreed to support the requirement customer bike racks at the entrance to businesses, but still oppose secure, weather-protected parking for employees and/or apartment/condo residents. This type of parking can be anything from a simple bike rack inside a parking garage or basement, all the way to a special bike storage room or locker.  It’s up to the developer to decide what’s best for them.

Frequently asked questions about bicycle parking:

Cycling is a valid transportation choice. Just as automobiles require parking, cycling for transportation purposes requires accessible, secure, and convenient parking for bicycles. Following are answers to frequently asked questions.

1. Why does Kansas City need bicycle parking?
2. Why is bicycle parking being considered now in Kansas City?
3. What is short-term bike parking and what does it cost?
4. What is long-term bike parking and what does it cost?
5. Does the development code require showers and changing rooms for people who commute by bicycle?
6. Should long-term bike parking be required for residential buildings?
7. Are existing buildings affected by bicycle parking provisions in the development code?
8. Why not just let the private market decide when, where, and how to provide bike parking?
9. What are the economic development implications of bicycle parking?
10. What U.S. cities require bicycle parking?
11. Would bicycle parking be implemented slowly in Kansas City?
12. How is bicycle parking calculated in the development code?
13. What developments are excluded from the bicycle parking requirements?
14. Are there currently gaps in the latest version of the development code for bicycle parking?
15. Does bicycle parking foster multi-modal transportation choice?
16. What environmental benefits are associated with bicycle parking?
17. Does Kansas City’s bicycle parking code simply copy another city’s ordinance?

Why does Kansas City need bicycle parking?

Bike parking is a major factor in whether individuals choose to use a bike for commuting to work or for running errands. A part of our city’s transportation infrastructure, secure and accessible bicycle parking should be provided wherever people work and live. Forty percent (40%) of trips people make during the day occur within 2 miles from where they live; 80% of trips are within 5 miles (Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists).  This means the bicycle is an ideal mode of transportation for a huge portion of the trips we all make in our daily lives.

Lack of bicycle parking is one of the most frequent complaints of bicyclists who wish to ride for transportation purposes. Adding bicycle parking – both short-term and long-term parking – to multi-family residential, commercial and institutional buildings throughout the city is one of the easiest and least expensive things Kansas City can do to make the city more vibrant and bicycle-friendly. Studies report the lack of secure parking facilities at the workplace is a deterrent to bicycling commuting (U.S. Dept. Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 1983).

Engineers, architects, developers, and planners know how to design and construct buildings to include bicycle parking to allow people to be less dependent on cars to go to work, errands and entertainment. Opportunities to incorporate bike parking are continuous: within the Downtown loop alone, 20,000 new residential units will be added in the next several years (Downtown Council, 12/17/07) and construction of a 35,000 square foot grocery store within the loop has just been completed.

Using a bike for transportation significantly helps households during economic recession and volatile energy costs and reduces the community’s need for expensive automobile parking – all while encouraging active, healthy lifestyles. Many trips are also faster by bicycle than by car, especially short trips under a few miles.

Why is bicycle parking being considered now in Kansas City?

The city’s development code is undergoing revision for the first time in over fifty years. The city’s 2001 comprehensive plan, FOCUS Kansas City, identified bicycle parking as a necessary element to encourage multi-modal transportation choice in our community.

What is short-term bike parking and what does it cost?

Short-term parking is a bicycle rack near the building entrance to stores, offices, restaurants, schools, banks, libraries and apartments. Serving visitors and customers, the racks provide a safe and easy place to secure a bike. The racks encourage people to use a bike for quick, short trips that may otherwise require a car.

The “inverted-U” rack design costs about $120 and accommodates two bicycles.

What is long-term bike parking and what does it cost?

Stays of several hours or longer – as is the case for employees or apartment residents – require bike parking that provides security and weather protection. Flexible options for long-term parking include a locked storage room, a sheltered space behind a store, an enclosed bicycle locker, or a bike rack within view of a parking garage attendant.

Residents of apartments, lofts or condos, need secure indoor parking to keep their bikes safe and dry overnight. Long-term parking can be as simple as a locked storage room with ready access to the street. Even a small space – the area under a stairwell, a closet, or dead space in a hallway – can provide parking for several bikes.

Long-term parking costs range from near zero for access to an existing storage room, to installing parking racks in a garage ($120 for two bicycles), to installing an enclosed bicycle locker at a cost of approximately $1,000 for two bicycles.

For comparison, construction of structured automobile parking (i.e., garage) costs about $30,000-$40,000 per automobile space (not including the cost of land, which raises the cost even higher). The high cost of automobile garages must often be subsidized with taxpayer dollars (e.g., tax-increment financing).

Does the development code require showers and changing rooms for people who commute by bicycle?

The code offers an incentive to developments that provide showers and changing facilities by allowing automobile parking to be reduced by 15%. Such facilities are not required by the new code; rather, developers are given an incentive to provide them.

Should long-term bike parking be required for residential buildings?

As provided in the current draft of the code, long-term bicycle parking will be required only in “multi-unit” buildings, defined as buildings of 3 or more dwelling units. The ratio of required parking is 1 long-term bike parking space per 3 dwelling units. Thus, a triplex building would require storage space for only a single bike. A 30-unit building would require storage for 10 bicycles.

Moving a bicycle through the lobby of an apartment building, up the elevator, down the hallway, to be hung by a hook in a living room or bedroom, is inconvenient, disruptive to other tenants, and can damage finish materials. Storing bicycles on balconies is unaesthetic and does not protect the bike from the elements.

In contrast, storing a bike in a secure room on the ground floor near the street or in a secure, weatherproof locker encourages its use. Ready access of the bicycle to an entrance means it will be used frequently for trips of short duration rather than relying upon a car.

Are existing buildings affected by bicycle parking provisions in the development code?