Bicycles - a good problem

We've received a couple of complaints this summer that we need more bicycle parking. These pictures, snapped outside the library last week, bear out the need. We know that more bike parking is needed downtown in general. We also know that in any planning for changes to the library, bicycle access needs to be factor.

As the photo above shows, bikes are sometimes parked on the sidewalk and outside a fire exit. In summer, we seem to have regular problems with bikes parked outside the doors or in the entryway. We've had more than a dozen stolen bikes complaints the last few years. Ensuring that there are enough places to appropriately lock and store a bike while at the library seems like a real need.

As gasoline prices continue to soar, it's an incentive for more people to ride more often. And that's a positive thing for the health of the community. As library use grows, more people are bringing their bikes to the library. Once here, they need a good parking place. Bike racks, and even lockers, may be cheaper than parking ramps, but they still need to be budgeted somewhere.