$10,000 bike racks downtown

MichaelBluejay · 2013-05-29 21:06:43

Two $10,000 (each) bike racks were recently installed downtown, on 2nd St. about 100 feet east of Congress Ave. The hook is that they double as public art.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/lo … man_launch

chuckthomas · 2013-05-30 01:02:29

overpaid. someone is laughing all the way to the bank with our tax money.

bizikletari · 2013-05-30 06:05:55

I love art on public space, even if I often feel it was selected by a lawyer and engineers team. But I really hope there is no Public Works money involved in this venue. The Bike and Pedestrian Program has discontinued the on demand installation of bike racks for businesses, most probably due to budget issues. I find this ill-advised because bike lanes may be good, but if there is bike parking space on destination, they are even better.
I suppose with 20K we could buy quite a few U bike racks.

MichaelBluejay · 2013-05-30 13:03:48

Did you guys not read the article? The racks were paid for with private funds, not public.

bizikletari · 2013-05-30 15:18:18

MichaelBluejay wrote:

Did you guys not read the article? The racks were paid for with private funds, not public.

I did.
The racks yes, yet the public spent $1,000 in plaques.

dougmc · 2013-05-30 16:38:51

MichaelBluejay wrote:

Two $10,000 (each) bike racks were recently installed downtown, on 2nd St. about 100 feet east of Congress Ave. The hook is that they double as public art.

How many bikes can each "rack" support?

The "plants" ones looks like one, maybe two each.
The "pipe cleaner" ones maybe three? Maybe two if it's smaller than it looks.

eileenstx · 2013-05-31 09:46:53

The racks have always been intended as public art first with a secondary function as bike racks thus not needing large capacity. (Minimum of 2 bikes)

The large commission covers design, fabrication and installation - it was intended to support the idea that creative work has value and artists can make a living in Austin. Other cities were commissioning public art bike racks for about a quarter of that. (Pretty difficult to fabricate and install for that amount.)

I was glad to see that the Downtown Austin Alliance and Art in Public Places were committed to creating them as bike racks and seeing the project through after all the various "road blocks" with installing these on Congress Ave.

Enjoy them and be glad some local artists can pay the rent!

Eileen

rich00 · 2013-05-31 23:58:25

Looks like I could make a living building and installing art that can be used as bike racks.

Bicycle Austin forum

#1 2013-05-29 21:06:43

$10,000 bike racks downtown

#2 2013-05-30 01:02:29

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#3 2013-05-30 06:05:55

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#4 2013-05-30 13:03:48

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#5 2013-05-30 15:18:18

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#6 2013-05-30 16:38:51

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#7 2013-05-31 09:46:53

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

#8 2013-05-31 23:58:25

Re: $10,000 bike racks downtown

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