Bike Stations

Continuing on my earlier comments on ways to make Houston friendlier to cycling, the Phoenix area is to open its first bike station in downtown Tempe.

Bike stations, already popular in Europe and places like California and Washington State, provide a central location featuring cycle-related services, showers, lockers, etc and allow cyclists to rent space to store their bikes. Many have 24/7 security, security cameras and require key card access to reach secure areas. Some actually have individual bike “lockers” where the individual’s bike is completely secure.

The Millennium Park Bike Station in Chicago


Bike Station in Long Beach California


I envision a public-private partnership where stations are located within or near transit stations or centers. Ideal locations for initial stations could perhaps be located in or around Rice University and the University of Houston. Perhaps the city could partner with the universities in order to better cater to students. Another possible location would be in or around Montrose, ideally in conjunction with a stop on the University Line (if that line ever gets built).

Such stations, of course, require city planning and a strategy to be receptive and accommodating to cyclists. Phoenix, a city with many of the same issues and problems as Houston (sprawl, poor public transport, automobile culture), is taking that step. So should Houston.

Cycling in Houston

Off the Kuff mentions the Safe Passing Bill and the comments of Peter Wang regarding the rewards and potential dangers of cycling in Houston.

As someone who has cycled in several cities, I agree that Houston is not the most unfriendly place for cyclists. That being said, it certainly hasn’t received any recognition as a particularly safe or accommodating place for cyclists and nor does it deserve to be. Houston’s potential as a cycle-friendly city comes about from the fact that parts of the Inner Loop of the city are just dense enough to make driving a hassle but not quite dense enough to make walking a very attractive option, especially given the woeful lack of public transport. Given this, cycling is an excellent and healthy option. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem the city is very receptive or accommodating to cyclists. Certainly the Safe Passing Bill will help, but in the end, the city needs to provide better infrastructure to those who ride around on two wheels.

I recently spent some time in Berlin; a place that is a wonderland for cyclists when compared to a city like Houston. Berlin provides grade separated bike lanes along major thoroughfares that not only separate the cyclists from the auto traffic but also the cyclist from pedestrians. Below are examples of this configuration:

Now, obliviously Houston has nowhere near the cycling infrastructure of a city like Berlin and we are unlikely to see such a change in the city, at least in my lifetime. But there are areas where the city could begin to add grade separated cycling lanes. One obvious place would be along Allen Parkway. There is plenty of space for an additional cycle-only lane adjacent to the existing pedestrian lane which currently carries both cyclists and pedestrians. Also, as anyone who has been along Allen Parkway knows, is already plenty of demand from cyclists along that route. Perhaps that could be part of a larger renovation along Allen Parkway. Additional routes could be added as needed. Thankfully Houston has plenty of room for additional cycle lanes along many existing routes given the required setback requirements by the city. All that is required is the political will and foresight to move.