Bike Parking Requirements Proposed in St. Louis

The City of St. Louis is considering a plan to require bicycle parking in most new developments, a simple step that many cities are taking to make themselves more bike-friendly. The plan is on it's way to the Board of Aldermen, so it's important to contact your Alderman and let them now that there is strong public support for this proposal.

Find your Alderman.

Seth Teel has more information on the St. Louis proposal.

UPDATE, 12 January 2011: The bicycle parking  proposal has now passed the St. Louis Planning Commission.  St. Louis Councilman and cycling supporter Scott Ogilvie now plans to introduce it as a bill to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.  Contacting your alderman in support would be a very good idea right now!

Ogilvie said:

What we did was try to craft a very common sense ordinance that provides enough parking so that it will be accessible to folks, but not a burden on existent businesses. . . . It's a pretty clean bill and it's something that shows leadership for St. Louis.  It's something that any municipality in the area could more or less copy.

Bicycle Parking Regulations in Missouri

Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia currently have requirements for developers to include bike parking alongside automobile parking.

Kansas City adopted a the state's most comprehensive bike parking policy in 2009. It includes most commercial developments, schools,  public buildings, and large multi-family housing buildings. KC's policy requires a mix of short term parking for customers and long term protected bike parking for employees and apartment/condo residents. The City also requires bike racks be included in new parking garages. Developers can reduce their overall automobile parking requirements by providing extra bicycle facilities like showers and lockers. BikeWalkKC has more information.

Springfield was the first city in Missouri to require bicycle parking.  Its policy includes most types of residential and commercial development, as well as structured parking garages. 

Columbia has a similar policy focused on the inclusion of bike racks on off-street parking lots.

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