Bicycle Parking

Automated Underground Bike Parking in Tokyo

From Japan Probe via Gizmodo comes this video of an automated underground bike garage at a Tokyo commuter train station. For a single-use fee of 100 yen (about $1) or 1,800 yen for a monthly pass, customers roll their bikes onto a platform and use a control panel to have them whisked away to a rack within the 9,400 spot facility. The video shows that it takes the system 23 seconds to retrieve the reporter's bike. (As our tipster noted, if you liked "Brazil," you'll love this clip.)

By Brad Aaron

3:33 PM EDT on April 21, 2008

From Japan Probe via Gizmodo comes this video of an automated underground bike garage at a Tokyo commuter train station. For a single-use fee of 100 yen (about $1) or 1,800 yen for a monthly pass, customers roll their bikes onto a platform and use a control panel to have them whisked away to a rack within the 9,400 spot facility. The video shows that it takes the system 23 seconds to retrieve the reporter’s bike. (As our tipster noted, if you liked “Brazil,” you’ll love this clip.)

Could this also be a solution for other cycling cities where space is at a premium?

Video: nihonnogenki/YouTube

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.