The New York Times reported last week that a partnership of businesses, neighbors and property owners has found the physical space in Midtown Manhattan for a an attended 100-bike parking lot, the first of its kind. It would provide parking to regular users for a fee, but would provide short-term parking to visitors for free. All they need now is the big corporate sponsor to cover operating costs.
New York City is fraught with bike theft and doesn’t offer much on-street parking, and often indoor places to park a bike are hard to find or off limits.
Bike facilities seem to be going in more and more often thanks to the advertising dollars or donations of private companies, even as the public appeal of bicycling grows:
But among all the expressions of gratitude and enthusiasm for these new amenities, there are grumblings, particularly in Portland, about the “encroachment of advertising into our lives,” in the words of one BikePortland.org commentor (read the full, very engaging discussion here).
Some car amenities are privately built and run (parking lots, garages, turnpikes) and covered with advertising. Is the influx of advertising dollars into bike facilities just anathema to bike culture? Or is it, like any new market, attracting attention because of its newness but soon to be commonplace and ignored?
One exception: New York City is also installing modified bus shelters as covered bike parking spaces, with the panel usually devoted to advertising showing bike maps and info instead. The City of Portland’s bike oases do the same. Missed opportunity, or good taste?
