City wants more bike rack locations downtown

Published 11:56 am Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The city of Bellevue is planning to install up to 25 new bike racks downtown and is seeking suggestions on where to place them.

Bicyclists, or even business owners who want to make bike-riding customers feel more welcome, may e-mail suggestions for downtown bike rack locations (along with a brief description of the exact placement) to pbmcgrath@bellevuewa.gov or call 425.452.2931. The deadline to submit suggestions is May 15.

Bike rack locations must be in the Bellevue right of way; they are typically installed on sidewalks where they do not interfere with other sidewalk users. City officials say the best sites are well lit, visible from the street and near the entrances to popular destinations.

If a site is technically feasible and is selected, Bellevue will install a bicycle rack at no cost to adjacent property owners. The downtown bike rack project will cost an estimated $5,000 and is being paid for through a $300,000 Growth and Transportation Efficiency Center grant from the state Department of Transportation.