The Willow Glen Resident Willow Glen to get bike racks along Willow and Lincoln Business owners say that 'parking' brings in cyclists By Mary Spicuzza Ask longtime local Larry Ames what's good about bicycling, and you better be prepared to sit down and take notes. Ames, former president of the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, knows that biking is a completely viable environmentally sensitive mode of transportation that's a lot healthier than driving, and it's a great way to see the city. Soon, bicycling in Willow Glen will be getting a boost. New bike racks have arrived, assuring safe and secure bike parking for local cyclists. "I just got a whole shipment of bike racks, and we're scouting out where to put them," says Jo-Ann Collins, bicycle coordinator for the city of San Jose. "We're looking at Willow Glen. ... I think they really are an enhancement to any area." Collins says the Department of Streets and Traffic is currently meeting with local businesses to discuss installing bike parking near their shops. "We're looking at adding 40-50 bike parking spaces, mainly on Willow Street and Lincoln Avenue," Collins says. She hopes to add more in the future. The new racks are made of tubular stainless brushed steel, the most secure short-term parking racks available. The city chose the high-quality racks to show that bike racks can be not only functional but aesthetically pleasing. "They're unique. They look like ribbon candy," Collins says with excitement. So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. "I don't know of any bike racks on Lincoln Avenue, but I think it's a great idea," bicycle enthusiast Ames says. Collins, who has been working on bicycle programs for more than 12 years, says managers of local businesses have been enthusiastic about installing racks. She adds that in other areas where new racks have been installed, businesses have enjoyed new groups of clientele. In Japantown, for instance, the city has installed new racks to create more than 80 bike parking spaces. The racks are frequently full, and Japantown businesses have requested more. "It's doubled and in some areas even tripled bike usage," Collins says. The city also hopes that the expansion of bike trails along Los Gatos trail and new bike paths connecting alternative-transportation routes across the city will encourage more and more locals to put down their car keys and bike more often. [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, October 28, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.