Lewes grapples with bike parking
Chip Davis, a member of the Lewes Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee, has been working closely with City Solicitor Glenn Mandalas on the rising issue of bike parking.
Parking in general has been an issue in Lewes for some time, with the city sanctioning several different parking studies. The Lewes Line was created to reduce the number of cars and there have been a few upgrades to the trails to encourage cycling and walking. While not nearly as large as a vehicle, alternative forms of travel such as bikes need a place to park while their owners dine, shop and enjoy themselves in Lewes. Davis has documented what the lack of bike parking has led to, and he would like to see the city install more racks to help with the issue.
“Anybody that goes downtown knows that bikes are put just about anywhere and everywhere because there’s inadequate bike parking in the downtown area,” Davis said.
Shedding light on the problems over the summer, Davis was joined by Mandalas, Parks and Marina Administrator Janet Reeves and building official John Robitaille in studying problems with bike parking. The primary goal of the study was to figure out where more racks could be installed, but poor parking etiquette was also uncovered.
One proposal is to replace a parking spot on Second Street with an additional bike rack, supplementing an existing one. Mayor and city council would need to decide if it is worth it, since a parking space generates revenue.
“Our parking enforcement officers have observed the same issues,” said City Manager Ann Marie Townshend. “There are times when they are not able to get the money out of the meters because they’re blocked.”
She said bikes also block ADA ramps.
Davis photographed bikes tied to poles and trees at Mary Vessels Park, something that signs explicitly ask bikers not to do. Probably the most extreme example of noncompliance was when a bike leaning up against Twila Farrell shattered one of the front windows. Townshend noted that while there are signs at that location and the Second Street rack, there are not signs at all of the bike parking locations.
Bike and ped committee member Mary Roth pointed out the lack of signs when members discussed placing racks near parking meters, to which people often tie their bikes.
“I’m not so sure that in mixing [bike racks] with meters [we are] sending the right message because there’s no signage to tell you that you shouldn’t [do it],” Roth said.
While certain signs can be helpful, there is a concern about sign clusters, the directions on the signs and the location of at least one sign. Information overload could lead people to ignore directions, or in the case of the Savannah Road and Gills Neck Road bike rack, to dangerous intersections. Committee members believe they can do a better job directing cyclists to underutilized parking areas to help alleviate potential overflow. Nectar, which has a narrow sidewalk, has a sign saying no bikes, but its location blocks the sidewalk.
Unlike vehicles, enforcement of biking violations is difficult because there is nothing in city code. Parking Enforcement Supervisor Dennis Crawford said he is open to expanding bike parking, but a mechanism for holding the appropriate party responsible has not yet been established if violations occur.
An ordinance could be developed to add teeth to any biking laws, but educating the public seems to be the primary focus of the advisory group. The committee produces an informational pamphlet each year to let residents and visitors know where they can park their bikes, where they can ride and how they should behave in Lewes. A QR code is also available at various locations, giving residents and visitors digital access as well.
