What’s even better than a car-free transportation alternative? Communities that incorporate a multi-pronged transportation solution that makes it easy for citizens to combine different transport methods.

That’s what Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is doing in San Francisco and the East Bay, California. New e-lockers will provide commuters with secure, enclosed bike parking at eight BART stations for only three cents per hour.

Carectomy-friendly words from BART Board President Gail Murray:

The new e-lockers should make it easier for people to bike to BART. It’s another step BART is taking to encourage commuters to kick the ‘car habit.’

Four BART stations in the East Bay already feature e-lockers. BART will install an additional 198 e-lockers at eight other stations by July, and another 220 at 12 more stations by 2009.

Bike commuters purchase a $20 smart card, which then allows electronic access to the bike lockers. Fees are deducted from the account when commuters return to pick up their bikes.

These new lockers will supplement the free bike racks available at most BART stations and the free attended bike parking at Embarcadero, Fruitvale, and downtown Berkeley stations. Over time, the e-lockers will replace existing key lockers which are rented by the quarter-year. The new technology better serves the cycling community as locker-space is no longer assigned to an individual, but can be shared by all users.

From BART press release:

Money to pay for phase one of the installation is coming from several sources: the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority’s Measure B bicycle funds, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation Fund for Clean Air and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Safe Routes to Transit Program. BART is contributing 20 percent of the cost by using money car drivers pay to park at BART stations.

Man, you’ve got to love that motorists are chipping in to cover the costs of car-free transportation.

While both mass transit systems, like BART, and bicycling are powerful tools in the carectomy patient’s arsenal, together they form an integrated transportation approach. Most people who commute to San Francisco realize that driving into the city is impractical, stressful, expensive, and time consuming. However, many of them still rely on their vehicles to get from their homes to the nearest BART stations. Comprehensive approaches like this one encourage commuters to leave their cars at home – or maybe even get rid of them for good!

Via BART.gov
Photos via flickr by caffeina & by Thomas Hawk

Comments (1)

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martinez said:

Hi There, I live in France, in Lyon and I use this system of loading each day. This kind of transport is free, if you just ride 30 mns. But the town, Lyon has invested to created "special bike road" (sorry I hope you understand). No accident, no stress. Cheers from France Christelle

February 12, 2008

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