Capital Metro is increasing its amenities and multimodal connections for bicyclists with the upcoming opening of a secured, fully-enclosed bike shelter at Kramer Station. Riders can purchase their entry cards online for access to the MetroBike shelter, which is scheduled to open Aug. 6.
Capital Metro is offering the Kramer Station MetroBike cards on a first come, first served basis at a low, introductory price of $30. Sales of the cards will be limited to 50 people initially and will only be available for purchase online at www.capmetro.org. The cards are valid for one year of unlimited use.
MetroBike card holders will have exclusive access to the Kramer MetroBike shelter, which will feature fully secured bike parking and 24-hour surveillance. The shelter will also include a sitting area and work bench within the secured enclosure. Cyclists will be required to provide their own locks to secure their bikes.
The new shelter has space for 24 two-wheeled manual or electric bikes, and is ideal for commuters who would like a place to store their bikes while using MetroRail. For each bicycle stored at the shelter versus being carried onboard, cyclists make room for four additional people to ride the train, which will help alleviate overcrowding during peak hours.
Card members will be required to register with Capital Metro prior to purchasing a MetroBike card to help with ID tracking in the event of theft, vandalism or abandonment. Each card member will receive a MetroBike electronic access card, which will be individually coded.
The growth in cycling around Austin (and cyclists' increased use of transit) prompted Capital Metro to look for proactive, long-term solutions to accommodate a growing market of transit users. Agency representatives reached out to the Austin cycling community to discover and prioritize the barriers to riding transit, and cyclists expressed an interest in having facilities available at stations to securely store their bikes.
An additional four to six MetroBike shelters will be built during the next two years as part of Capital Metro's ongoing commitment to improve service for bicycle transit riders.
