New bike racks are coming to Ballard and they could feature your own unique design.
Sustainable Ballard is sponsoring a bike rack competition.
"It has been on our mind for a while," said Ashley Geisendorfer, transportation guild member for Sustainable Ballard. "In the downtown area, there is not enough bike parking,"
The contest is in three categories: middle and elementary students, high school students, and everyone else in the community.
The top three winners will have their designs fabricated by a local metal artist and the racks will be installed at a prominent location. "We have some amazing metal artists," said Geisendorfer.
Some designs have already come from Ballard High and Whitman Middle School students. The designs have included salmon, nautical themes and boats.
Geisendorfer said the designs will be able to hold more bikes than regular bike racks.
Locations under consideration are the Ballard Library, Ballard Locks, Ballard Avenue and Northwest Market Street.
Sustainable Ballard came up with the idea to promote bicycling and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By getting people to design the racks, it also builds community and empowers individuals.
Discussions are being held with the Seattle Department of Transportation to have some racks replacing parking spots for cars. This would be a solution to narrow sidewalks on Ballard Avenue being too tight for bike racks. The city of Portland, Ore. has already moved forward on this concept.
"It's really coming together. We've met with Seattle Department of Transportation on all the sites (for racks)," said Geisendorfer.
Because of a shortage of bike racks in Ballard, bicycles are often found locked to trees, parking meters, benches and other objects.
"It gets in the way of pedestrians," said Geisendorfer.
Sustainable Ballard feels the lack of bike racks can discourage bicycling.
The bike rack design contest is funded by a $10,000 Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund grant.
Designs can be made on a computer or hand sketched on paper.
Visit http://sustainableballard.org/wiki/uploads/6/63/Contest_guidelines.pdf
