New York City is keeping the green news coming — the city recently announced plans to massacre and recycle 225 parking meters and turn them into circular bike racks! This news comes in the midst of NYC’s plans to increase bike commuting three-fold by 2020. New Yorkers across the five boroughs would tell you it’s rather hard to park your bike in the city, so the new racks are sure to encourage cycling.
The increase in bike racks is small compared to the current need in New York — there’s currently only one bike rack for every 30 bicyclists. It is meaningful, however — especially because they are sacrificing the ease with which you can pay to park a car. The meters are going to be replaced by “muni meters” at the end of each block.
The racks will replace every few meters on a given street, leaving some parking meters as is. The new racks have been specially designed to fit old meters, with two half circles installed on the meter’s main pole. This will save the city $200 per meter — the costs of ripping out the pole and repairing the sidewalk around it. They are also planning to recycle the tops of the meters for scrap metal.
Via GOOD
