Frank,
Thanks for your detailed input! Duly noted.
Your height concerns are somewhat confusing… APBP/NACTO/AASHTO all suggest racks that are 30-35” and no higher – I’ve found that the extra tall ones are more awkward to use than the low ones and I’ve never had my (also tall) bikes fall
over one that was short.
All,
Please see the annotated map attached that might help inform your input.
Additionally, there are two bike fix-it stations planned for the site as well as five additional racks at the bottom of Walnut Street where the upgraded boat ramp will be located.
-Drew
From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2019 3:42 PM
To: John Gatlin <jgatlin@morgantownwv.gov>
Cc: Marilyn Newcome <mjcycling@msn.com>; bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com; Paul Brake <pbrake@morgantownwv.gov>; Emily Muzzarelli <emuzzarelli@morgantownwv.gov>
Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Request for Comment - Bike Racks at HRM
The proposed bike racks are definitely superior to the frame damaging wave racks now at HRMP, Wharf St. parking garage, Waterfront Place and Mountain State Brewery.
I hope Jonathan Rosenbaum will weigh in on this since he spec’d out the superb U-racks that WVU has all over campus.
Thinking about (but not measuring) those racks, the Bola racks seem a bit flimsy with 1-1/2 inch tube OD.
The 32 inch height stated on the product data sheet (or is it 32-1/8 as stated in the installation guide) seems too low. The top tubes on a couple of my bikes are higher than that. They would fall over the rack. The pictured yellow bike
seems to confirm my impression since the rack barely supports the top tube of that apparently small bike.
I’m pleased to see that Bola states that their rack meets APBP recommendations. However, the picture of the yellow bike on Bola’s Product data sheet that shows a bike with quick release skewers with only front wheel and frame locked to
the rack makes me question if they understand the intent of the APBP guidelines. The careless layout of their product data sheet (duplication of the sentence to the right of the picture, dimension specs inconsistent with installation guide and text spacing
errors) could indicate that they put the same care into manufacturing their rack product.
$398/each seems steep. A call to WVU Transportation and Parking could yield an idea of what they’re paying and maybe even a pointer to a good local vendor.
Kudos to Marilyn for observing that bathrooms need bike racks! Certainly one place most cyclists stop and walk away from their bikes at HRMP is the bathroom.
What other places at HRMP do cyclists stop and walk away from their bikes? Bike rack(s) should be located at those places.
I don’t know what the other buildings in the site layout are but if they’re places that cyclists would stop and enter, they should have bike rack(s) adjacent.
I expect events on the stage would draw cyclists that want to stop and watch. Bike racks should be located where cyclists could keep an eye on them, close to the seating.
Do cyclists stroll along the shoreline? If so, there should be bike racks(s) near the shore line. What are those rectangles in the lower right corner of the site plan?
What’s the rationale for the 5 bike racks next to the 15 car parking spaces? I can’t see one besides just getting bikes out of the way. Also, it's a good location for someone to free up a parked bike and toss it into the back of their
pickup truck. Or, at least in a second, swipe the back wheel from that little yellow bike with just its frame and front wheel locked to the rack:)
Overall, the proposed racks near the restroom are a great improvement over the current HRMP bicycle parking.
Thanks to City administration for seeking bicyclist input!
Frank