SF installs bike lockers in City parking garages

Bicyclists in San Francisco will soon have a few more places to secure their bikes in City-owned garages.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency announced Wednesday the installation of 32 “smart” electronic bike lockers — known as e-lockers — in the Ellis and O’Farrell , Fifth and Mission and Sutter and Stockton garages.

The transit agency said the new lockers are much better than the lock-and-key lockers, which have operating costs, limited availability and low turnover.

E-lockers also provide better security and allows bicyclists to park their bikes for a longer time, said Ed Reiskin, director of transportation:

“Leveraging new technology, these smart lockers provide secure, attractive and affordable places to park your bike day or overnight without worry.”

The Bay Area-based BikeLink built the lockers, which are also being used by Bay Area Rapid Transit at several of its stations.

Bicyclists who want to use the lockers in the City must purchase a BikeLink card and register online at www.bikelink.org. The card costs $20 and will arrive by mail typically within three days.

The fee to use a locker is five cents per hour, which helps pay for the operating costs for the locker, said the SFMTA. Lockers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Bicyclists can also starting using the e-lockers with their BikeLink card throughout 28 BART stations.

The SFMTA also said it has installed the largest on-street bike corral in the U.S. in front of Mission Cliffs at Harrison and 19th streets.

The corral provides 50 spaces for bicyclists to meet the growing demand of customers who arrive by bike to the popular indoor rock climbing gym.

SFMTA spokesman Ben Jose said the total cost of the e-lockers including installation and labor was approximately $130,000.