D.C. to Establish Bike Parking Requirements

A Washington D.C. city council member has proposed legislation that would establish bike parking requirements for residential and commercial buildings. The Washington Examiner reports:

The measure mandates that all apartment buildings with more than eight units provide one bicycle parking space for every four residential units, demands that commercial landlords deliver enough bicycle parking to match at least 10 percent of the number of available automobile spaces, and requires the installation of bicycle racks at the Wilson Building for no less than 16 riders.

“Secure and ample bike parking is certainly one of the barriers” to creating a more bicycle-friendly community, said Eric Gilliland, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclists Association. “The more bike parking spaces, the better.”

The measure’s provisions have sparked concern among commercial and residential property owners who fear the one-size-fits-all space mandates are onerous and will reduce already limited parking for vehicles, said Nicola Whiteman, vice president of government affairs with the D.C. Apartment and Office Building Association.