When locking up his bike on campus, Mike McKisson, an adjunct professor for the UA School of Journalism, doesn’t have to worry about it being stolen. For a small fee, he rents an enclosure in the Tyndall Street Parking Garage, adding an extra layer of security for his transportation.
“”It’s worth the added peace of mind,”” he said, noting his $500 single-speed bike with a $100 leather seat has never been tampered with or stolen.
The small, impound-style lots in the university parking garages and the plastic bike lockers scattered on campus have increased in recent years, providing more students with extra protection against theft and vandalism.
This year, the Department of Parking and Transportation Services increased the total number of lockers from 64 to 200, and the number of spaces available in the parking garage enclosures from 210 to 233, Davidson said.
The enclosures are essentially walk-in cages, opened with a digital keypad lock, with a series of standard bike racks inside and a number on each space.
A space on the rack runs $26 per academic year and is rented out through Parking and Transportation Services.
“”We put in every garage except Sixth Street Garage kind of a caged-in area that you can rent to lock your bike up in,”” said Bill Davidson, a marketing manager at the department.
Two years ago PTS expanded the program to include bike lockers, which are individual plastic compartments just big enough to fit a bicycle.
The bike lockers cost $70 plus a refundable $80 key deposit per academic year.
“”(The bike lockers were installed) in response to many of the departments on campus, and students too, who came to us looking for something a little more personalized, something to call their own,”” Davidson said.
According to the latest available department data, both the lockers and enclosures are at about two-thirds capacity.
In 2008, there were 332 bicycle thefts reported to UAPD, according to UAPD records, but no bicycles have been stolen or vandalized while parked in the enclosures or lockers, Davidson said.
“”When I first started riding to campus, I went immediately to one of those enclosures because I knew bike theft was a huge problem,”” McKisson said.
Parking and Transportation Services has received requests for more locker locations, Davidson said, and the University Medical Center recently made a request for more locker spaces because there is a waiting list for lockers around the UMC area.
“”We’ve sent out information to all the departments to let them know about the programs,”” he said. “”We’ve had requests from several different departments on campus that want the lockers right in front of their building.””
A walk to the Second Street Parking Garage enclosure Wednesday showed three of the 15 spaces occupied with bikes. One of the bikes had a child-carrying trailer attached.
Justin Mamer, a mechanical engineering senior, wasn’t sure how to rent “”those safe things,”” referring to the bike lockers in front of the Mines and Metallurgy building.
Mamer said he has not had any problems with bike theft or vandalism, but noted that his bike was not expensive and the lockers and enclosures might come in handy under different circumstances.
“”If I lived far away from campus and I had a nice bike, I probably would (use them),”” he said. “”But for my daily ride, a bike lock works just fine.””
