DOWNTOWN BIKE RACKS PROJECT
In 2018 the Beaverhead Trails Coalition (BTC), in conjunction with the City of Dillon , initiated a project to provide safe and secure parking for bicyclists. BTC went to work with the City and other stakeholders to specify the racks design and identify convenient locations. With funding from a 2018 Great Harvest Bake-Day donation, BTC, with help from the City Street and Alley crew, and volunteers, installed 32 racks between 2018 and 2019. Two racks were also installed in Beaverhead County at the Bike-Walk Southwest Montana facilities on Overland Road.
Click here for a map showing the location of the bike-rack clusters and corrals as of 2020. Read on for some additional information about the project.
Background
Restoration and revival of the Downtown Dillon District has been a priority for property owners, businesses and the City of Dillon for a number of years. Recently updated Community and Downtown master plans identified improving walking and biking infrastructure as high priority goals as well. In meetings with the Beaverhead Trails Coalition (BTC), the City indicated that their top priority for making the Downtown more bicycle-friendly would be installing bike racks.
BTC and the City installed racks in an on-street corral at the corner of Glendale Street and S. Idaho Street in summer 2018. Following great feedback from the community and visitors to Dillon, more racks were installed in off-street clusters and on-street corrals were installed during the summer 2019.
Project Benefits
· Reduced off-street parking requirements
· Reduced congestion
· Increased physical activity and health
· More touring bicyclists in the down town area (we have an average of 3,000 each year come through Dillon)
· Improved safety for bicyclists parking, loading and unloading their bikes. Improved bicycle security
· Lower CO2 emissions as bikes begin to replace cars
· Accommodation of changes in the local culture
· Improved safety for bicyclists parking, loading and unloading their bikes.
· Increased traffic for downtown businesses
design information
The design of the corrals and clusters are inspired from the City Of Portland bike racks plans. Following feedbacks from the test location, spacing between each rack will be raised to 48 inches.
12/26/2022