Burbank’s bicycle corrals are a hit with riders
Soon, there might be more bicycle corrals installed around Burbank as the fixtures are proving to be popular with residents who ride bikes in the city.
The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to continue its bicycle-corral pilot program in Magnolia Park until February and to have city staff continue looking at the advantages and disadvantages of having on-street bicycle parking.
David Kriske, Burbank’s assistant community development director of transportation, told council members that the bicycle corral in front of Tony’s Darts Away at 1710 W. Magnolia Blvd. was installed this past February and had been utilized by the restaurant’s patrons on a frequent basis.
Although the corral takes up one parking space on the curb in front of the restaurant, Kriske said it can hold about 14 bicycles.
According to observations made by staff during June and July, there were as many as 16 bicycles parked at the corral one night.
“Bicycle corrals can provide significant bicycle parking capacity while preserving the sidewalk for other uses, such as outdoor dining or expanded pedestrian access,” Kriske said. “In certain instances, bicycle corrals can provide overall parking alternatives for constrained vehicle parking in the same area.”
However, Kriske added there are still days when there are just a few bicycles or no bikes at all utilizing the corral.
During the six months of the pilot program, Kriske and his staff received 21 comments, mainly through emails, regarding the corral. There were 18 people in favor of it, commenting that the fixture provides community, environmental and health benefits to the city and that they would like to see more installed in different areas around Burbank.
The remaining three people said they did not like the corral for several reasons, including its lack of visual appeal, its potential to hinder emergency access and their concerns it won’t be used.
Vice Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy suggested city staff look for more aesthetically pleasing bicycle corrals the next time the city decides to purchase them.
anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
