On-street bike parking corrals are a low-cost way to provide parking for 10 or more bicycles in the same space typically occupied by a car. There are a number of benefits of installing a bicycle corral on heavily trafficked bicycle corridors:
- Bike corrals make it more convenient and inviting for people to ride a bike to a business,
- Bike corrals make the walking environment more welcoming by removing bicycles from the sidewalk in addition to increasing bike traffic in a neighborhood,
- Bike corrals increase the visibility of bicycling as a transportation choice and show that a business community is “bike friendly”—that it cares about its customers who ride bicycles,
- When installed adjacent to sidewalk cafes, corrals provide an additional buffer between people and passing vehicles. And when installed near crosswalks, corrals can shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians, and
- The presence of many bicycles parked in front of a business sends a message that an establishment is busy—and popular. People on bikes enjoy parking at—or close to—their destination. Customers who walk to businesses enjoy the increased availability of space on busy sidewalks with heavy foot traffic.
City of Memphis Bikeway and Pedestrian Program 