'Bike cage' inside downtown Ann Arbor parking garage will provide new option for bicycle commuters

Downtown employees who already have go!passes will be able to bicycle to work and rent spaces in the new storage facility for a yet-to-be-determined price.

DDA officials hope to replicate the concept in other downtown parking garages to greatly expand the amount of covered and protected downtown bicycle parking spaces.

"It's clearly needed in the area," said DDA Treasurer Roger Hewitt. "So I think this is an excellent use of our funds and a good pilot project."

The DDA in the past has funded a wide variety of bicycle-related projects, including the installation of about 1,000 bicycle hoops downtown.

But officials say the demand for covered bicycle parking is growing and already has exceeded the amount of bike lockers and covered bike hoops in the State/Liberty Street area.

The new bike cage — a fenced-in unit that operates with a locking system — is expected to take the place of two automobile parking spaces inside the Maynard garage.

Nancy Shore, manager of the local getDowntown program, is planning to integrate the new option into the getDowntown menu of services.

"For many downtown employees, their bicycle is their primary means of transportation by choice — they invest in a quality bicycle and they want to keep it in good shape," she said.

The getDowntown program is expected to work with the DDA to establish an appropriate rental amount. Funds will be directed back to the DDA as partial reimbursement for the lost automobile parking revenues, while getDowntown will get a cut to manage the bike cage.

DDA board member John Mouat said Barracuda Networks, a high-tech company in the process of moving to Maynard Street from Depot Street, could lease half the spaces.

"At this point, what we're hearing is that Barracuda alone has up to 25 people who are interested in this thing, so that's pretty good," he said.

DDA officials say they've provided about a half-dozen bike lockers in the State Street area, as well as bike hoops within the Maynard garage, but demand for covered spaces far exceeds supply.

For those commuting regularly by bicycle, DDA officials say, the future Maynard bike cage will offer them a guaranteed parking space that is secured from the elements.