More electronic bike lockers coming to BART

Cyclists could soon see more electronic lockers installed at Bay Area Rapid Transit stations.

BART board members unamousily approved Thursday to increase the transit agency’s spending to purchase about 325 additional electronic bike lockers under its current contract with the Berkeley-based eLock Technologies LLC subject to funding availability.

Under the current contract, BART has so far purchased 828 electronic bike lockers. The five-year contract, which expires on March 2016, would increase from about $2.3 million to $3.1 million.

The transit agency has a total of 1,150 electronic bike lockers at 36 stations, according to BART’s Bike Manager Steve Beraldo.

He said utilization of the lockers is good at most stations, but it takes time for cyclists to discover what they are and how to use them.

Beraldo said BART is planning to promote secure bike parking at its stations later this year:

“This is a series of outreach events where will staff informational tables at stations. The project staff will explain how the lockers work, give away bike link starter cards, and also U-Lock discounts.”

He also said the informational tables should help shorten the discovery period for cyclists and increase the use of secure bike parking.

BART is working on a draft to decide where to place the additional electronic bike lockers. The largest installation would occur in the West Oakland Station with 80 electronic bike lockers planned for installation, said Beraldo.