Automated Underground Bike Parking in Tokyo

10:02 AM PDT on April 22, 2008

From Japan Probe via Gizmodo comes this video of an automated underground bike garage at a Tokyo commuter train station. For a single-use fee of 100 yen (about $1) or 1,800 yen for a monthly pass, customers roll their bikes onto a platform and use a control panel to have them whisked away to a rack within the 9,400 spot facility. The video shows that it takes the system 23 seconds to retrieve the reporter's bike. (As our tipster noted, if you liked "Brazil," you'll love this clip.)

Could this also be a solution for other cycling cities where space is at a premium?

Video: nihonnogenki/YouTube

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

Stay in touch

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

LAPD

They Came to Mourn. LAPD Came in Force. Now Two Men Could Face Serious Consequences Because LAPD Won’t Acknowledge They Were Wrong.

The July 7 vigil for Kenny Hall had been peaceful until LAPD arrived and began pushing people around. When peacemaker Shamond "Lil AD" Bennett tried to intervene and de-escalate LAPD, officer Evan Mott assaulted him. When Dontreal Washington protested, officers punched him in the face. Then LAPD arrested them both.