No Bike Racks at Hartford High Schools - Say What?

Hartford is a city with entrenched poverty in many neighborhoods and a low car ownership rate.  The city is densely populated.  Schools, housing, activities, and parks are all within easy biking distance. One would think that with these factors, it would make sense to have bicycle racks at the public high schools, right?  Teens definitely ride bikes around our city, but they don't have a secure place to park their bikes at school.  Providing that secure bike parking and encouraging active transportation improves the mobility and health of our city's youth.  Imagine trying to get across the city for an after school program, and having to rely on CT Transit.  Going by bicycle regularly takes half the time, and the student doesn't have to worry about the sparse bus frequency after 6:30pm for getting home from an evening program.  With youth programs at the Center for Latino Progress, mobility and transportation issues are a major challenge for teen program attendance.  Active transportation, such as riding a bicycle, can also improve student performance at school.

Great spot for it, but no bike parking in sight.

There is a lack of bike parking at Hartford schools, but we can change that.  In conjunction with the BiCi Co. kickoff membership and fundraising campaign, there is a donation level that will place a bike corral (parking for 10 bikes) at a Hartford high school.  Specifically we are working with Levey Kardulis, Head Custodian at Bulkeley High School on Wethersfield Avenue.  This school has a very high Latino student population and is a natural connection for Center for Latino Progress and the BiCi Co. project.  Wethersfield Avenue was just repaved with new bicycle lanes reaching from Jefferson (Barnard Park) all the way to the high school.  Bulkeley High School is an ideal placement for these first BiCi Co. bike corrals.  The bike corral will also include five (5) bicycles, upcycled or new, and Bulkeley can use those bicycles as rewards for student attendance or achievement.

New bike lanes on Wethersfield Ave go right by Bulkeley High School!

The next step is for a donor, individual or corporate, to step up at that $7,000 donation level.  BiCi Co. will then work with Bulkeley high school to place and install the bike racks by Spring 2016.  This is a great opportunity, and it starts with our Hartford youth.  Making change starts with Hartford's future leaders.  Help us provide them with sustainable transportation, mobility, and a welcoming bike rack at their high school.  Thanks for your support of the BiCi Co. project.

Seven bicis on a tree.  Summer BiCi Co. participants.

BiCi Co. ordered one of these custom bike corrals  with room for up to 10 bikes for our location at 95 Park Street, and it will be delivered this Fall.  After seeing how many teens rode to the summer youth employment BiCi Co. program, and our own lack of bike parking, we looked into bike parking improvements.  Hartford Hospital generously sponsored the bike corral. The bike parking at 95 Park Street will serve BiCi Co., the Center for Latino Progress, and the Spanish American Merchants Association (SAMA).  Bicycle riders visiting other nearby businesses and services on Park Street will also have a secure parking option.

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Reminder - We hope to see a bunch of bike riders out this Saturday at the Hooker Day Parade.  Bring your bikes out on Saturday, 10/24, and join up with BiCi Co. in the Hartford Hooker Day parade. You'll want to get there early to line up. The parade steps off (rolls out) at 1pm. Get there between 11:30am - 12:00pm (at High Street & Allyn Street). You'll go sign a waiver and check in at the tent first. Then come find us.  We'll be the crew on bikes.  Here is the Facebook event for the parade.  Not riding - get out there an enjoy as a spectator.  It's a wonderfully playful parade.

This is what the rack would look like.  

They deserve secure bike racks at Hartford schools

A pretty set of angles on this external stairwell.