A typical bike corral.
UPDATE: FABB just learned the Vienna Town Council has delayed the vote on the Church Street bike corral to June 3. Now June 17.
FABB encourages local cyclists to show support for needed bike parking in Vienna at the Town Council Meeting on May 13, 2019. The meeting starts at 8:00 pm and will be held at the Town Hall Council Chambers, 127 Center Street South in Vienna.
The council will be deciding the fate of a proposed bike corral on Church Street that would provide parking for up to 12 bikes. The proposal faces some vocal opposition simply because it will require the removal of a single on-street parking space.
The proposal involves moving an existing bike corral, which was built in 2016 on a part of Church Street that was not suitable for car parking. This corral has not been getting as much use as proponents had hoped. In 2018, the Vienna Transportation Safety Commission’s Bicycle Advisory Committee suggested moving it to one of two other potential locations on Church Street. Last November, the council voted to table any decision to relocate the corral until additional off-street parking became available on or near Church Street.
Public parking is always a scarce resource. and cyclists who want more options to shop by bike need to turn out and defend the corral. Trading space for one car (and probably only one customer) for up to twelve bikes and customers seems like a good choice for Vienna. But, it won’t happen unless local cyclists turn out and Speak Up!
