Forum discussion
NC-2009 SSc4.2: Alternative Transportation—Bicycle Storage and Changing Rooms
Is it possible to use a ramp leading to an underground parking as an entrance for bicycles as well? The ramp is wide enough for one car lane and we are not able to accommodate paralel line for bicycles.
Thank you
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Does LEED have any requirements on spacing or the type of bike racks used? What about security?
Are there specific requirements for the changing rooms, such as size?
Do bike racks have to be within the LEED project boundary?
Is a general storage room that is accessible to residents acceptable for covered bike storage?
Do I round up or down? What if the calculations show that I need 0.5 showers?
Michael Miller
Project Architect236 thumbs up
January 19, 2012 - 3:04 pm
Jiri,
I don't believe there is anything in LEED that would prevent that. Make sure, however, that you address some questions about how usable and safe the facility will actually be for cyclists, such as:
1. Are you talking about bicyclists riding their bicycles, or walking them, down and up the ramp?
2. If they will be walking their bicycles, will it be OK for all pedestrians to walk up and down the ramps? (A cyclist off of their bicycle is a pedestrian.)
3. If riding, make sure overhead clearances are comfortable for a person on a bike, which can be a lot taller than you might assume -- I found an online bicycle facility design handbook which says that the design height of an adult rider on a bicycle ranges from 50" to 88". If clearances are not comfortable, include caution signage specifically addressing cyclists.
4. Is the steepness and length of the ramps comfortable for a person riding or walking their bicycle? (Consider the uphill, exit trip as well.) How about when wet?
5. Are sightlines unobstructed and safe such that drivers can easily see a bicyclist/pedestrian on the ramp(s)?
6. Do the layouts of the entry/exit to the garage, the ramp(s), and the parking area force drivers to drive carefully on the ramps, or do they enable fast, inattentive driving?
7. Is this in an area (city / part of the world) where drivers are used to watching for cyclists? Or might they assume that a cyclist on the ramp is "in the wrong place" and potentially react aggressively to the cyclist's presence in "their" right of way, slowing them down?
And a couple of thoughts on design considerations:
1. Include 'caution' signage at the top and bottom of the ramps which says something like "Bicylces [or Pedestrians] on ramps" with a standard bike graphic. This lets drivers know that they cyclists have a right to be there.
2. If the ramps are long and/or include turns which make visibility problematic, but you really need to do this solution, consider a cyclist-activated warning signal. Some tunnels on the narrow two-lane highway along the scenic Oregon Coast have warning signs which say "Bicycles in tunnel when flashing" with flashing yellow lights. A cyclist presses a button to activate the flashers, then rides through the tunnel. Drivers know to proceed slowly and with additional caution.