Bicycle Corral Program

Nomination for Category 2: Complete Streets and Multi-Mobility Projects Bicycle Corral Pilot Bicycle Corrals are part of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) toolkit to achieve Great Streets. These facilities provide an on-street bicycle parking facility that can accommodate many more bicycles than a typical sidewalk rack. They are especially useful in areas with narrow sidewalks or areas heavily trafficked by pedestrians, where it would be impractical or obstructive to install a sidewalk rack. In Los Angeles County, 47% of trips are under 3 miles and can be easily achieved by bicycle, provided adequate facility support.  Placement of Bicycle Corrals in LA’s most visited commercial corridors encourages users to shop and dine locally, by way of bicycle. The City of Los Angeles has a pilot Bicycle Corral program, administered by the LADOT Bike Program, of 12 custom Dero Cyclestall Corrals. In the past year, the department has installed Corrals on commercial corridors in Atwater Village, Venice, Cypress Park, North Hollywood, the Arts District, Eagle Rock, Larchmont Village, and Westwood Village.  The Corrals replace one auto parking space and are installed in the vehicular right-of-way along the curb.  Bicycle Corrals provide many multi-modal and complete streets benefits to neighborhoods including expanded and increased parking, and increased access. LADOT has been implementing them as part of the Bicycle Friendly Business program, a public-private partnership where the City provides the facility and a local business takes on the responsibility of maintenance. Corrals are integral to a business corridor’s success as the City’s population, transportation demand, and vehicular congestion increases. Parking demand is often an insurmountable obstacle for local businesses, but Bicycle Corrals address this issue head-on by providing a secure and appealing alternative for local trips. Bicycle parking allows unlimited time to park and diminishes demand on local car parking: 14 customers can park in a Corral, the same amount of space required for one car. Corrals also help businesses locate in dense neighborhoods without breaking the bank on auto parking space. Commercial corridors with ample bike parking allow business patrons, visitors, and tourists to park, stroll and visit multiple establishments. Recent studies have shown that Bicycle Corrals increased foot and bike traffic by 67% and that people arriving by bicycle are also more likely to make repeat trips to their local stores. Bicycle Corrals make it possible to get around without starting up a car or needing a parking space. LADOT’s pilot is just the beginning of Los Angeles’ extensive effort to develop the City’s streets around Complete Streets and multi-modal objectives through community partnerships and infrastructure support. By encouraging people to bicycle for short neighborhood trips, Corrals make their streets more pleasant and convivial places to be.