Three reasons to install short-term bike parking
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Short-term bike parking is convenient and accessible for people making quick bike trips to businesses, restaurants, cafés and other destinations.
Where to Install
Learn where you can install bike racks
Installation
View a quick overview of the installation process
Standards
Read a summary of design & construction standards
Purchase
Find tips for where to purchase bike racks
Contact
Ask questions to city staff
Why Add Short-Term Bike Parking?
- Bike parking is more space-efficient than vehicle parking, allowing for more customers to park and visit your business.
- Almost 1 in 5 of all trips by people who live in Boulder are made by bike. Meet your customers' needs and encourage more people to bike!
- Increase the visibility of bicycling as a transportation choice and stand out as a bike- and eco-friendly business!
Where to Install Short-Term Bike Parking
The City of Boulder’s Design and Construction Standards (DCS) provide guidelines for installing bike racks and where to locate them in relation to a curb, wall, building entrance, and other infrastructure (also see 2.11 (E) of the DCS). These guidelines can apply to bike racks installed in the city’s right-of-way or on private property.
Short-term bike parking racks should be placed in a visible and prominent location for ease of parking and to provide more visibility to parked bikes. Bike racks should be placed within 50 feet of a main entrance with a clear path to the doorway, and be set back from buildings, curbs, and other racks and infrastructure. The following illustrates city standards.
Summary of City of Boulder standards:
The City of Boulder’s Design and Construction Standards (DCS) require using either the inverted “U” rack standard or the inverted “U” racks on rails standard (see 2.11 (E) of the DCS; PDF). Technical drawings with specifications for dimensions, materials, and construction of both are linked below:
Inverted “U” rack PDF (Drawing 2.52.A)
Inverted “U” racks on rails, also known as a bike corral PDF (Drawing 2.53)
- Inverted “U” racks are durable, stable, and allow for at least two points of contact with the bike. This style allows for both the frame and at least one wheel of the bike to be secured with a U-Lock or other high-security bike lock, which is the most secure locking technique. These racks are user-friendly and one rack provides space for parking two bikes.
- Other styles of bike racks, sign poles, and railings make it difficult to securely lock both the frame and a wheel, are less stable, are not as user-friendly as the inverted “U” racks, and are challenging for parking larger bikes, such as cargo bikes.
- Inverted “U” bike racks conforming to 2.52A (PDF) and bike corrals conforming to 2.53 (PDF) shall be installed and attached to a concrete base.
- Leave at least 6 feet of unobstructed sidewalk from any parked bicycle in the bike rack.
- Leave at least 5 feet of unobstructed path if not on a sidewalk, to provide access to the bike rack.
- Parallel to a curb or wall: 3 feet+, from the face of the curb or wall to the base plate of the rack.
- 5 feet+ when installed adjacent to “head-in” vehicle parking.
- Perpendicular to a curb or wall: 3 feet and 4 inches+, from the face of the curb or wall to the base plate of the rack.
- Next to another bike rack:
- 6 feet+ when installed end-to-end and parallel to a curb or wall.
- 10 feet+ in a series of more than two racks.
- 3 feet and 6 inches+ when installed side-by-side and perpendicular to a curb or wall
- Next to a curb ramp: 3 feet+ from any bicycle parked properly in the bike rack and the pedestrian curb ramp.
- 6 feet+ from the outside edge of sidewalk cafes.
- 4 feet+ from general utilities.
- 3 feet+ from fire hydrants, signposts, or other above-ground street infrastructure.
- 2 feet+ from the outside edge of tree planter basins.
- Ensure racks are not installed on an easement
What is the process for installing short-term bike racks?
On private property:
After purchasing the city standard inverted U bike rack(s) for installation on your private property, the next step is to install them according to the guidelines above. Contact city staff if you need help finding a suitable location on your private property.
On a sidewalk or other location in the public right-of-way:
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Hire a city-licensed contractor
A list of city-licensed contractors is available.
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Your city-licensed contractor will apply for a Right-of-Way permit, including a simple site plan.
As part of the Right-of-Way permit application, they will need to submit a simple site plan detailing the location of the bike racks to ensure they meet the installation guidelines noted above. A marked-up image detailing the location will work and does not need to be to scale.
Example site plan. Bike rack base plate 3' from curb and 10' west of existing sign pole and with 12' of clear sidewalk width. Other requirements may also be needed as part of the application, such as a Method for Handling Traffic (MHT), if the installation requires closing the sidewalk and a pedestrian detour is needed.
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Once approved, purchase and install the rack.
Once the permit application is approved, purchase the city standard inverted U bike rack(s) for installation. Your contractor will install the bike rack(s) per the site plan and request an inspection by city staff.
Have questions?
For more details or questions on the Right-of-Way Permit process, visit Right-of-Way Permits or email staff at ROW@bouldercolorado.gov.
Where to purchase bike racks
The City of Boulder standard inverted “U” bike rack may be purchased from a variety of commercial manufacturers from across the country or local metal fabricators in the Front Range, provided the rack conforms to the DCS specification drawings 2.52.A (PDF) and 2.53 (PDF).
The following list is an example of manufacturers and is neither comprehensive nor is it an endorsement by the City of Boulder, its elected and appointed officials, and its employees of any of the vendors. If you represent a bike rack manufacturer who would like to be included on this list, please email us.
