Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycle Parking

Eyes on the Street: Parking Meter Reincarnated as Bike Rack

Photo: Joanna Oltman Smith

Hundreds of defunct parking meters are on their way to a second life as bike racks. Reader Joanna Oltman Smith sends this photo of DOT handiwork on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, where the columns of defunct coin-slot meters have been awaiting rebirth as bike racks for some time. Muni meters took over many blocks on Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue in conjunction with the Park Smart program.

These new racks should relieve some of the pressure on the neighborhood's bus stop poles, parking regulation poles, and conventional bike racks, which tend to swell over capacity with bicycles during times of peak usage.

More bike parking should also be coming to the Upper West Side, where 240 meters are slated for conversion to bike racks, and Madison Avenue, which is where DOT's meters-to-bike racks project got underway in 2009.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Gotcha-Heimer! Anti-Congestion Pricing Jersey Rep. With a City Speeding Ticket Drove to Manhattan on Wednesday

New Jersey's most vociferous opponent of congestion pricing parked illegally and once got a speeding ticket.

April 24, 2024

Under Threat of Federal Suit (Again!), City Hall Promises Action on ‘Unacceptable’ Illegal Police Parking

A deputy mayor made a flat-out promise to eliminate illegal police parking that violates the Americans With Disabilities Act. But when? How? We don't know.

April 24, 2024

Wednesday’s Headlines: Four for Fifth Edition

The good news? There's a new operator for the Fifth Avenue open street. The bad news? It's four blocks, down from 15 last year. Plus other news.

April 24, 2024

MTA Plan to Run Brooklyn-Queens Train on City Streets a ‘Grave’ Mistake: Advocates

A 515-foot tunnel beneath All Faiths Cemetery would slightly increase the cost of the project in exchange for "enormous" service benefits, a new report argues.

April 24, 2024

Full Court Press by Mayor for Congestion Pricing Foe Randy Mastro

Pay no attention to that lawyer behind the curtain fighting for New Jersey, the mayor's team said on Tuesday, channeling the Wizard of Oz.

See all posts