12,000 Bicycle Racks Coming to New York City

The number of bicycle racks will more than double with 12,000 new racks on the way.

Single-space meters are refitted to be bicycle racks; 12,000 more of these are coming to the city, according to an awarded bid. Courtesy of DOT

NEW YORK—The number of bicycle racks will more than double with 12,000 new racks on the way.

The city’s Department of Transportation will spend almost $2 million transforming old parking meters into bicycle racks, according to a bid won by Long Island-based Louis Barbato Landscaping. A representative of the company declined to give details about the sealed contract, which was published in the City Record on Jan. 8.

Single-space parking meters are no longer used, in favor of muni-meters, which take care of multiple parking spaces. The department decided to experiment with using the old meters as bicycle racks, starting a design contest back in 2008 for how the new racks would look.