NEW FRUITVALE BIKE STATION : OAKLAND'S GRAND OPENING SHOWCASES STATION, REFLECTS CITY'S CULTURAL DIVERSITY

In this article, the author describes the new Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) intermodal Fruitvale station that showcases a large facility connecting pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users with housing, retail, community services, and offices. This station is a boon for bicyclists in particular in that it offers free parking for bicycles. Secure bicycle parking has been found to be a key factor in the decision to commute by bicycle. The station features an indoor parking system that accommodates 240 bicycles, making it the largest facility in California and the second largest in the U.S. In addition, the Fruitvale BART Bike Station offers a full repair service as well as a retail bike shop. This article describes the importance of such bicycle stations, of which Fruitvale is the fifth in California. The station allows commuters a multimodal commute that is both economically sound, environmentally friendly, and one that cuts down on local automotive traffic. This project, which cost $800,000, had half of its funding provided for by the Transportation Fund for Clean Air, with the other half being provided for by the Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA).