Disappearing Racks

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Bicycle parking racks have been disappearing recently on the 3rd street promenade. And kind of like a frog that gets boiled alive, bicycle parking could be slowly getting killed off on the 3rd street promenade. Or is it?

The picture to the right is the place where one of missing bicycle parking racks was (adjacent to the Apple store on the 3rd street promenade).

• Note that in the wide angle picture of where the rack was that there are bicycles forced to either park their bicycle unsecured in front of the Apple store or to lock the fencing around the middle island. And this picture was taken during a low traffic time (mid afternoon, mid week day, late Autumn. During high traffic times the demand for places to park bicycles is far higher. And bicycles would fill up what little space is divvied out with the racks that existed)

• Note in other close up pictures you can the two sets of 2-4 holes which once secured the bicycle parking rack to the cement. The bolts appear to have been ground down to cement level. In some cases you can see the bare metal is fresh and un-rusted, showing this was a recent cut. In others, rust has began to form on the cut bolt.
  

Question: Where did the rack go? And who took it? And why? And will they bring it back? If any of you know more info about this and other bicycle racks that have been disappearing on the 3rd street promenade, post what you know or email me directly.

These additional pictures show another example of a place where a bicycle parking rack was located on the 3rd street promenade, but not is missing. And the other is an example of what the bicycle racks on the 3rd street promenade look like. It illustrates the pattern the bolts make when securing a bicycle rack to the cement.

Another, more optimistic, possibility is that the racks have been removed, so they can be repaired and repainted, and then put back. Let's hope that is the case. And perhaps we might want to verify that is true. Contact the Santa Monica City Council to find out. Also, it may be possible to get additional information from officials in the planning department and within the Planning commission.

Any other suggestions on what to do or who to contact?

Thanks.

Recommended Links:
- Cycle Santa Monica! community forum
- Santa-Monica/Venice/West-L.A. critical mass community forum