Take the Bike.. to the T

The MBTA today opened its second bike cage location and first in Boston with a promise of more locations to come, as Transportation Secretary James Aloisi joined Acting General Manager William Mitchell, local officials and bike advocacy groups in the opening of the bike cage at Forest Hills Station on the Orange Line.

The increasingly popular cages allow bicyclists a secure place to store their bikes in camera-monitored cages accessible only by special Bike Charlie Cards. The Forest Hills cage has room for approximately 100 bikes.

The first T Bike Cages were located at the Alewife Station on the Red Line in Cambridge.  Federal stimulus funds totaling $4.8 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have been designated to expand bicycle parking facilities at T stations.  An additional 10 bike cages and 50 covered bike racks will be installed systemwide using stimulus funds.   Bike Charlie Cards are available at Alewife and Forest Hills Stations from a customer service agent, and at the Downtown Crossing Customer Service Center.  Or, visit the T on the web to get your Card.  Read the Jamaica Plain Gazette story.

Comments

[Bruce Kulik]

Additional secure bike parking at T stations is a wonderful idea. On Wednesday, September 30, I arrived at Alewife Station to find that all of the bike racks in the garage and in the west cage were full. Fortunately, a couple of contractors working on an unrelated problem were able to direct me to the east cage which is located in a less obvious location and therefore had several racks available. The biggest concern I have is that anybody can get a cage card without any sort of tracking. So, while the cages will help to prevent random vandalism and petty theft, the cages are only as secure as the people who have cards.

[Josh]

Sounds good to me, though I don't live near either of the two existing bike cages. Where can I find information about the planned bike cages and covered bike racks? I'm interested in finding out the prospective schedule, where they will be located, opportunities for feedback, and so on.
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MBTA Response: Josh, thanks for your interest. We're finalizing details, so please stay tuned. Announcement and construction of new bike cages and racks and their locations will occur in the spring.