Union Station in Washington, DC, is showing off a shiny new Bike Transit Center that offers secure bike parking for 150 cycles, plus a changing room, lockers, bike rentals, and a repair shop for commuters. Access to the center costs $1 per day or a yearly membership fee of $100, which includes round-the-clock entry. The facility will be the first of its kind on the East Coast, part of an effort to encourage eco-friendly commuting with the promise of added security for bicycles. Eighty-percent of the funding for the $4-million bike center came from the US Department of Transportation, with additional funds from the DDOT. Are we noticing a trend in forward-thinking civic design? More pics after the jump.
Donald C. Paine Jr. of KPG Design Studio conceived of the glass structure, which is shaped like half of a football.
Fun fact: The Architect’s Newspaper reports that the DC region “has some of the nation’s worst traffic — but according to the latest American Community Survey, it also has the sixth highest rate of bicycle commuting, with some 87,500 people relying on bikes as their primary means of transportation.” 150 spaces for 87,500 commuters isn’t a lot by our count (Amsterdam’s central station fits 2500), but hopefully KPG’s design will serve as an inspiration for future of bike garages.
Especially considering a Kryptonite lock costs upwards of $70 in New York City.