Bicycle Austin forum

The League of Bicycling Voters is beginning a new initiative to improve bike parking around the city of Austin.  My name is Ignacio Prado, and I'll be the lead volunteer organizing and coordinating the initiative for the LOBV.   As part of our planning process, we're soliciting input from the local cycling community, including this forum, concerning what general problems cyclists in Austin have with existing bike parking, as well as what kind of new facilities you would like to see going forward.  (You can reply here or send emails to bikeparking \at\ lobv.org).

1) Are there specific areas of the city or kinds of facilities that you generally find to be inadequately equipped with the necessary parking? (This could be because sufficient parking either doesn't exist, is inconveniently located, or the design/installation/maintenance of the racking equipment is substandard).

2) Are there common issues or concerns you've encountered when requesting of the managers of commercial, residential, or government properties that they provide adequate bike parking?

3) Are there places or types of facilities that you feel would make for good targets for installing long-term, bike-parking equipment such as bike lockers?

4) Are there any other concerns or issues you'd like to raise about bike parking in Austin?

With respect to (2), there are ordinances in place--currently in the process of being revised and strengthened--that require that bike parking be made available.  Part of what Tom Wald and I see the LOBV's bike parking initiative as doing is providing an easy and standardized set of guidelines that can be used to inform property owners or managers of what compliance with these ordinances requires and what optimal bike parking for different kinds of buildings, events, or facilities would look like.

Thanks for any input you can provide.