NEWS RELEASE                                                                                      

For Immediate Release

Andrea White, 562.733.0106

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S ONLY BIKE & RIDE OPENS A NEW ECOLOGICAL FACILITY WITH 24/7 INDOOR PARKING & LOANERS

Redevelopment Agency of Long Beach and City’s Public Works Department

Play Key Roles in Developing Unique Public-Private Partnership

(Nov. 4, 2005) Long Beach, Ca.--Continuing a tradition of revolutionary concepts in clean transportation choices, Bikestation, with the City of Long Beach and Redevelopment Agency of Long Beach opened a new state-of-the-art center offering cyclists a haven for parking and safeguarding their vehicles.  The facility has convenient connections to and from the Metro Blue Line, Long Beach Transit and regional buses equipped with bike racks and a network of bikeways.

            “Today's Long Beach is focused on connections -- between bikes and transit, between global producers and American consumers, and between our citizens and their environment.” says Long Beach Mayor and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Beverly O’Neill, “This new Bikestation will create cleaner, affordable, and healthier travel options for residents, businesses, and visitors.”

An advanced entry system allows members of the Bikestation Long Beach exclusive round-the-clock access with a proximity device to secure indoor parking and shared-use bicycle kiosk. Members are also eligible for rental and retail discounts and a tax deduction. Free, attended bicycle parking, distribution of local maps and permits, and a retail-repair center operates between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

By providing convenient amenities for cyclists near high-traffic areas, especially near public transportation stops, people have more flexible choices to use a bicycle or make a bike trip in conjunction with walking and taking public transit.

“The City is thrilled to welcome the expanded new Bikestation to downtown Long Beach,” said Patrick West, Director of the City’s Community Development Department and an avid cyclist. “In addition to offering more transportation options, Bikestation provides all citizens the information and tools they need to reduce their reliance on cars when traveling throughout the City. The benefits to the City and the public are a win-win for everyone.”

Michael Replogle of Environmental Defense, a prominent transportation expert, told assembled officials, business leaders, and cyclists, “this new enclosed bicycle parking facility is emblematic of fresh winds blowing from California to Washington state and Washington, DC, as communities address traffic, pollution, and gas price challenges by delivering better travel choices and smarter market incentives.” 

            Long Beach was the first city in the U.S. to develop a full-service attended bike-and-ride facility for the public based on successful models in Europe and Japan. Bikestations have subsequently been inspired in Palo Alto, Berkeley, the Embarcadero in San Francisco, and Seattle; additional facilities are planned in Pasadena, Santa Barbara and in Washington, DC, across from the nation’s capital.

Ecological in design as well as function, the new structure made adaptive re-use of: two, underutilized observation decks overlooking an outdoor amphitheatre. Recycled parts from the demonstration facility built in 1996 and walls of glass and galvanized metal were added to dramatically enclose the spaces. Solar panels provide up to 30% of the facility’s power, and a passive convection system, requiring no energy, provides a temperate indoor climate in any season. Inside each pavilion, there are 40 double-tier bicycle racks that feature a light, easy-to-use system enabling cyclists of any height or strength to store a bike. Each rack can accommodate a bike lock for added security. The members-only pavilion will also feature an air pump and self-repair station for quick adjustments. Architectural design was by Fernando Vazquez of /Studio with offices in Venice (CA) and Tokyo.

            The City-owned facility is a collaborative partnership between the Public Works department, which received funds from Caltrans’ Bicycle Transportation Account; and the Redevelopment Agency of Long Beach, provider of the land and additional support. Bikestation Coalition, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting bicycle transportation, manages the facility’s operations and programs.

Bikestation Long Beach is located at 221 E. First Street at the intersection of The Promenade between Pine Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. For further information, log onto www.bikestation.comor call 562.436.BIKE (2453).

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Images are available upon request; Georgia Case 562.436.BIKE (2453) .