On Saturday, we need two hours of your time to let Uptown businesses know about a great, no-hassle, and affordable bike parking option.
Meter Bike Hitch Rack
The City of Minneapolis is changing parking meters in Uptown from the old coin-fed style to a new pay-station style. As part of the conversion, they will be attaching a limited number of bike parking racks to the new meters (only 60 out of the 1,000 that will be converted).
The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition is coordinating an outreach effort to get businesses to sponsor additional racks, and we need help with outreach, first in Uptown and later in parts of Downtown and on the West Bank. We need to get as many businesses as possible to agree to sponsor bike parking. Our deadline is April 1. We’re building on an earlier January canvas that identified the best locations for us to focus on.
Here’s how you can help:
1) Join us Saturday, February 25th at 1 p.m. in the Walker Library meeting room (library level) to get trained on fliering businesses, inviting them to sponsor a bike rack by their front door. We also hope to gather contact info for businesses, before meeting back at the library to report back. Plan on about two and a half hours. We need 12 volunteers - please confirm you’re coming to [email protected] so we can plan team routes. Bring a friend!
If you can’t come out Saturday, there are other ways to help.
2) Think about any of your favorite haunts in Uptown (28th through 31st, and from Calhoun Village through LynLake). Are there places you’d feel comfortable asking to contribute $50 for a bike rack? Do you know any of the owners or employees? Are you a regular customer? If you’re comfortable, please let us know which businesses you are willing to ask to sponsor a bike parking rack. Email [email protected] to let us know which businesses you are contacting. Please use this bike parking flyer&form.
OR
3) Let us know if you’re willing to help attend or plan similar efforts in some Downtown neighborhoods and on the West Bank. We need help with contacting media, organizing outreach events, asking neighborhood organizations and bike shops to support us in getting out the word, and other similar tasks.
Here’s the gist of what we’re sharing with businesses (this is the Uptown deadline):
Bike Parking Meter Sponsorship Opportunities
Want to attract more bicyclists to your business?
Sponsor a bike parking meter
Now through April 1, you have the opportunity to sponsor the addition of bike parking racks to any of the new parking meters installed near your business. This is the only way to guarantee that a bike rack will be installed near your business. The cost is only $50 per meter, and installation will be handled by the City at no cost to you. There is no limit to the number of meters you can sponsor.
If you would like to sponsor one or more bike parking meters or have questions, please contact Susan at [email protected]or 612-568-6227.
Benefits of sponsorship
Increased sales opportunities from bicyclists who visit your business
Recognition as a bicycle-friendly business
Recognition as a leader in promoting neighborhood vitality, sustainable transportation options, and public health
