On April 22, Capital Metro opened three of six new MetroBike Shelters with an event at Plaza Saltillo.
More than 60 people attended the event which featured live acoustical music by Conjunto Los Pinkeys and demonstrations of bike shelter amenities. Members from the B-Cycle, Bike Texas and Austin Cycling organizations also participated.
New bike shelters were opened at the Highland, Lakeline and Plaza Saltillo stations on Tuesday. Three other MetroBike Shelters opened at the MLK, Jr. Station as well as the South Congress Transit Center and Tech Ridge Park today.
Since the first MetroBike Shelter was installed at the Kramer MetroRail Station in 2012, Capital Metro secured a $554,000 FTA Livability Grant award and the City of Austin provided an additional $50,000 in matching funds to help build the six new facilities.
Capital Metro Board Chairman and City Council Member Mike Martinez, Capital Metro Board Vice Chair and City Council Member Chris Riley and Acting City of Austin Bicycle Program Manager Chad Crager joined Capital Metro’s President/CEO Linda S. Watson in conveying the commitment that Capital Metro and the City of Austin have made to the cycling community.
“Cycling is one important way for people to get around in our congested city. Many use their bikes to solve what we call "first and last mile" challenges—the first or last leg of a trip not covered by one of Capital Metro’s buses or trains. These new bike shelters now make it easier to take the train or bus,” said Watson.
Riley underscored the theme of the event: “recent projects like installing 3-bike racks on Capital Metro buses, building an urban trail connected to two active MetroRail stations and now making more MetroBike Shelters available to bike riders shows that Capital Metro does, in fact, “love bikes and their cyclists.”
