Bike Rack City Ride: Learning How to Install Bike Racks in Boyle Heights

More than 20 cyclists rode on August 12, 2012 through the 1st Street corridor in Boyle Heights to learn how to install bike racks in their neighborhood. Organizers from City of Lights got down to specific details like the distance needed between a rack and certain infrastructure like parking meters, and how to speak to business owners when trying to convince them to have one in front of their establishment.

"We're pretty much doing half of the job, by going out in the community," said Andy Rodriguez, co-founder of City of Lights/Multicultural Communities for Mobility.

Miguel Ramos, a City of Lights organizer, said that the the group, with help from co-hosts Ovarian-Psycos Bicycle Brigade, surveyed the 1st Street corridor because he wanted to show that even when bike lanes are installed, convenient bike parking is usually absent. Los Angeles Department of Transportation, which paints the bike lanes and racks, does not install racks in conjunction with the lanes.

The last time City of Lights organized an event like this, they installed 73 bike racks throughout Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake/MacArthur Park. While the Boyle Heights Rack City Ride was mainly informational, Rodriguez said that City of Lights will base their next step on the organizers input.

Click here to check out a photo gallery from the Rack City Ride.