But bicyclists have to put up with more than just adverse weather. There’s the constant battle to find a decent place to lock up their bikes. Anyone walking around downtown or campus can see bikes locked to just about everything that’s tall or straight: light poles, stair rails, trees and parking meters.
City and campus leaders acknowledge the problem: There simply aren’t enough bike racks around. That’s why both entities are working to solve the problem. ...
Under current zoning rules, a sliding scale determines how much bicycle parking new businesses in Columbia must provide. The primary factor is the number of parking spaces the building provides for cars. Buildings with between 50 and 99 parking spaces, for example, must have space for eight bicycles. That number rises as the vehicle parking lot grows. The largest of lots — those that handle 300 cars or more — must have bicycle parking equal to 5 percent of the vehicle spaces provided.
Businesses with fewer than 50 parking spaces or that were established before December 2001 are exempt. That means that smaller establishments, such as most downtown shops, bars and restaurants, are not required to provide bike spaces. Big-box retailers, on the other hand, often have more bicycle space than is necessary. ...
“Cities need to encourage a healthy and sustainable lifestyle by providing adequate accommodations for bikes,” [MU student Anne Felts] said. “The UMC campus has met my expectations as a cyclist and daily bike commuter. The city of Columbia, however, has not.”
Mayor Darwin Hindman, who rides his bike most everywhere he goes around town, would agree.
“It is a big nuisance to determine where to lock up my bike,” he said.
