[*BCM*] BU Removing Bicycles

[Jim Leonard]

On Mon, May 05, 2008 at 05:20:57PM -0400, Curran, Caitlin wrote:
> Has anyone here ever had their bike removed for being locked to a
> parking meter, tree, etc.?

Locking a bicycle to a city owned tree is absolutely verboten and is
very bad for the tree.  Both Somerville and Cambridge spend quite a bit
of money maintaining their trees and locking bicycles to them has a 
tendency to girdle* them over time.  Neither city goes out of their way
to remove bicycles locked to trees but do remove them periodically.

* girdling is the act of removing a ring of bark and cambium from a tree 
which is one of the simplest means of killing a tree.

--jim

> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
> [mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org] On Behalf Of
> Jim Leonard
> Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 5:11 PM
> To: Boston Critical Mass
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] BU Removing Bicycles
> 
> On Mon, May 05, 2008 at 08:09:23PM +0000, Andrew Toomajian wrote:
> > "Somerville and Cambridge have both stated where bicycles can be
> locked on public property in their laws (and they differ
> significantly)."
> >  
> > Hey Jim - Out of curiousity, what are the regs for Cambridge and
> Somerville?
> 
> 
> I've posted this to the list before but here goes again:
> 
> Cambridge  Traffic, Parking & Transportation Regulations
> (http://www.cambridgema.gov/CityOfCambridge_Content/documents/tpat_regul
> ations_sept_2007.pdf)
> 
> Sec. 12.9 BICYCLE PARKING ON THE PUBLIC WAY
> (a) Bicycles are permitted to park against a building, street sign pole,
> or on a bicycle rack or other facility specifically intended for that
> purpose.
> (b) Under no circumstances shall a bicycle obstruct the pedestrian path
> of travel or disability access ramps. A parked bicycle must leave at
> least 36 inches of an obstruction free path of travel.
> (c) Bicycles are not permitted to be parked to: fire hydrants, hand
> railings, benches, trees, trash receptacles and parking meters.
> (d) Bicycles shall not be parked longer than 72 consecutive hours at the
> same loction in any business district as defined in section 12.8.
> (e) Bicycles in violation of the above regulations shall be tagged and
> removed immediately if presenting a public safety hazard as noted in
> section 12.9 (b) and given a 72-hour notice to remove for violations in
> section 12.9 (c) and (d). Removed bicycles shall be held by the City of
> Cambridge Department of Public Works for a minimum of 30 days.
> (f) No motorized vehicles shall be parked on a bicycle rack or other
> facility specifically designed and intended for bicycle parking.
> Violators are subject to immediate removal from the City of Cambridge
> Department of Public Works or Police Department.
> 
> 
> 
> Somerville Traffic Regulations
> (http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/CoS_Content/documents/TrafficRegulations
> .pdf):
> 
> Section 13-8 Bicycle Parking
> Bicycles may only be parked on a public way as hereinafter provided.
> Bicycles may be secured to existing public appurtenances, such as light
> poles, street signs, and parking meters. Where available, bicycles
> should be secured at bicycle parking facilities. Bicycles may not be
> secured to public shade trees or to other street furniture, such as
> benches or trash receptacles.  Bicycles not secured properly are subject
> to impoundment at the discretion of the Chief of Police. Bicycles
> properly secured which have not been moved in fifteen days may also be
> impounded. Bicycles secured in violation of this provision shall be
> subject to a penalty of fifteen dollars and/or impoundment.
> 
> 
> Note that the city manager has publicly said in city hall meetings that
> it is not currently city policy to remove bicycles from parking meters
> unless the bicycle appears abandoned (he said this in response to a
> question from councilor Kelley about a month ago, I don't know if
> transcripts exist, it's just what I saw at the city council meeting).
> 
> --jim
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