Bicycle Lockers Enhance Community Sustainability
Bike facilities matter in Minnesota’s largest city, and there’s a coordinated effort in place to make sure cyclists have the routes, resources, and parking options they need. Minneapolis is second in the nation for bicycle mode share, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2006 American Community Survey. A key player in this effort is Metro Transit, the transportation system serving the Twin Cities area. As one of the nation’s largest transit systems, Metro Transit operates the Hiawatha Light Rail line and 118 bus routes and provides numerous resources for those who carpool, vanpool, walk, or bike.
Metro Transit has invested in commuters who switch from one mode of transportation to another. “Our job is to provide users with options to help them get to their destination,” said Bruce Howard, Metro Transit’s Director of Marketing. “We want to do whatever it takes to make it work for the commuter. For bicyclists, Metro Transit is working to enable convenient transitions from bike to train or bus by providing bike racks on trains and buses and by providing secure bicycle parking at or near train stations.”
A Coordinated Approach
To mitigate lost time, spent fuel, carbon dioxide emissions, and traffic congestion, the City of Minneapolis, the Metropolitan Council, Metro Transit, Hennepin County, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation work together on programs that are improving bicycle infrastructure and facilities. In addition, a Go Greener initiative, encouraging intermodal travel and reduced emissions, has been in place since April 2007. A master bicycle plan map, a bicycle advisory committee, and a bike rack cost-share program serve the city of Minneapolis; the University of Minnesota and many private enterprises avail themselves of the cost-share plan. The Minneapolis city’s master bicycle map connects with the Hennepin County’s bicycle plan, and the Federal Highway administration-funded Transit for Livable Communities program, Bike Walk Twin Cities, promotes enhancements to create a more balanced transportation system in the region.
Bikes are a Key Element
- The state has the most bike trails per capita in the nation
- Increased racks on buses doubled percentage of bikes carried per number of trips (May 2007–Sept 2008)
- About 2% of train rides are intermodal, with passengers bringing bikes on board
- More than 30% utilization of racks and lockers for bike parking at or near LRT stations
Project in Brief
Customer:
Metropolitan Council, Twin Cities, Minnesota
Location:
Along metro stops within seven county area surrounding and including St. Paul and Minneapolis
Product:
64 Cycle Safe lockers
Cycle Safe U/2 Racks
Purchase dates:
1992–2006
A Bicycling Public. Data in the Early 2000’s.
“Minnesotans love bicycling. The state has more bicycle trails per capita than any state in the nation. Census data (2006 American Community Survey) pegs Minnesota’s largest city, Minneapolis, at 3.8% mode share for bicycle commuting which is just a whisker shy of #1 Portland. This is an increase of 49% over the 2005 survey (was 2.4% mode share). But it’s important to note that about 1/3 of Minneapolis bicycle commuters use their bicycles year-round and our climate presents different challenges than many like-sized cities,” says John Siqveland, Market Development Specialist at Metro Transit.
This means providing reliable and secure storage options. The city of Minneapolis offers bicycle parking near downtown light-rail stations, and the remainder of stations have racks installed and maintained by Metro Transit. In addition, there are 64 bicycle lockers along the line. Racks are highly utilized at the urban locations, and lockers are at or near capacity. It is estimated that nearly 15,000 people within the city of Minneapolis bicycle on an average spring, summer, or fall day. Bicycle-related capital projects are implemented quickly and supported by a wide community base. They also boast one of the highest numbers of bicycle parking spaces of any city in the United States.
From Secure Lockers to Smart Bike Parking™
While the Twin Cities’ early investment in secure bike lockers and integrated transit connections positioned the region as a leader, today’s smart cities are building on that foundation with new technologies. Smart Bike Parking™ transforms bike parking from a static amenity into an essential component of urban mobility infrastructure. CycleSafe’s ProPark® lockers, for example, offer modular, weather-resistant storage with digital access systems—including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and RFID—allowing seamless integration into municipal mobility hubs.
Smart Bike Parking enables secure bike lockers to provide not just theft protection but also data insights, predictive planning, and integration with transit apps. This evolution ensures that bike parking for cities and municipalities supports larger goals: reducing congestion, enabling last-mile connectivity, and encouraging micromobility solutions.
Mobility Hubs and Systems Integration
Mobility hubs—nodes where multiple forms of transportation converge—are emerging as the backbone of integrated systems in smart cities. By colocating transit stops, secure bike lockers, e-scooter docks, and rideshare zones, municipalities unlock mobility and provide seamless user experiences. In cities like Minneapolis and Montreal, bike lockers and shelters are now incorporated into multimodal hubs that help travelers shift effortlessly between buses, trains, scooters, and bikes.
CycleSafe solutions play a central role in these hubs. The ProPark® system’s modular design allows transit authorities to scale bike parking infrastructure as demand grows, while cloud-based management systems enable remote monitoring, diagnostics, and access control. This flexibility supports planners in managing curb space and adapting to evolving micromobility adoption.
Smart Cities and Micromobility Solutions
Nationwide, micromobility is surging. According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), shared micromobility trips in the U.S. surpassed 130 million annually before the pandemic, with e-scooters and e-bikes rapidly gaining ground. In Minneapolis, programs like Nice Ride and electric scooter pilots have shown how bike parking infrastructure is critical to keeping streets organized, safe, and sustainable.
Secure bike lockers are no longer just storage—they are enablers of smart cities. By combining durability with digital connectivity, Smart Bike Parking supports municipalities in achieving climate goals, reducing traffic congestion, and promoting car-free lifestyles.
Real-World Examples: Unlocking Mobility
Cities across North America demonstrate how secure bike lockers form the backbone of integrated systems. These examples highlight how CycleSafe infrastructure helps cities unlock mobility by aligning secure bike lockers with micromobility solutions and smart city strategies.
Just of Few of the Municipalities that Trust CycleSafe
From Yesterday’s Success to Tomorrow’s Smart City. Today’s Data.
Today, the Minneapolis area remains one of the most bike-friendly large cities in the United States. Sources: GoMinneapolisMN.gov, MinneapolisMN.gov
- 16 miles of protected bikeways in Minneapolis
- 98 miles of total bike lanes in Minneapolis
- 101 miles of bikeways/trails in Minneapolis
- Approximately 4.1% of people use bicycles for commuting
- More than two-thirds of Minneapolis residents say they often or sometimes ride a bicycle to get to school, parks, errands, etc.
The Twin Cities demonstrated over a decade ago that integrating bike parking infrastructure into transit systems drives sustainability, accessibility, and community health. Today, Smart Bike Parking™ and integrated mobility hubs build on that legacy, showing how forward-thinking municipalities can unlock mobility and prepare for a car-light future.
By combining secure bike lockers, scalable systems integration, and digital access technologies, CycleSafe continues to help cities like Minneapolis lead the way in bike parking for transit systems and smart cities worldwide.
