Lest you think everything is irrevocably broken in our faire city, Oakland does have its act together about bike parking – and the rules and locations make sense for our commercial districts.

As a prime example, here’s a map showing rack locations currently installed or planned for Montclair Village.  If you think there should be additional locations, then pass your requests to the Oakland administrators.

Bike Racks, Bike Racks

Oakland’s bike parking regulations have changed with the times.  When individual parking meters were replaced by parking kiosks last year, most of the bike parking evaporated.  The city left two meter poles behind on each city block, to accommodate bike parking on a temporary basis.

This year, Oakland Public Works began installing bike racks around eight commercial districts.  These “inverted U” racks can’t be missed, and you see them around Montclair now.  Public Works is supposed to complete their planned installations soon, though we haven’t confirmed city-wide progress.

If shopkeepers want to attract bicycle traffic, they may apply for racks near their businesses.  For the past ten years, the CityRacks program has installed bike racks around the city.  This program seems straightforward, but we’re not clear how they decide the winning locations.

Bike-Friendly Aspirations

Props to all the city bicycle advocates, who work tireless to make Oakland as bike-friendly as possible.  The big fish here is Walk Oakland Bike Oakland, which works through a large agenda related to bike routes, public transportation and generally getting folks off their duffs.

We have a few things in our favor when it comes to bicycling, starting with that climate we all take for granted.  Oaklanders also live in a two-wheeler culture, ranging from scraper bikes to sleeker models.  Yet we can only aspire to bike-first lives like Amsterdammers and their brethren.

Unfortunately many Oaklanders make long daily commutes to the office, and literally scatter to the four winds in their gas-guzzlers (guilty as charged).  Yet when we are home, at least we can jump on our two-wheelers and head to the village – and park with ease.

More info:   Neighborhood Bicycle Parking Plan – Bicycle Parking Regulations – Bicycle Parking Ordinance – Oakland Bicycle Parking Info – Oakland Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program – Walk Oakland Bike Oakland Site – WOBO Newsletters – East Bay Bicycle Coalition Site – EBBC Newsletters