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Contact Jonah Weinberg, 650.508.6238
Caltrain Kicks Off Bike Depot Construction at San Francisco Station
Caltrain is making it easier for San Francisco bicyclists to ride their bike to the train,
with the long awaited construction of a new 1,600 sq. ft. bicycle parking facility at the
train station at Fourth and King streets.
Funded with federal, regional and local grants, the new bike depot will have space to
park at least 100 bicycles. Storage will be secure, and free of charge to users.
Additionally, the operator, Warm Planet Bikes, will offer bike-related service and repairs,
at a fee to patrons.
The kick-off event will take place at noon, Monday, Feb. 27, at the San Francisco
Caltrain Station, 700 Fourth St. The event will feature speakers, including San Jose
City Councilman and Caltrain Board Chair Ken Yeager, Muni Executive Director
Nathaniel Ford, San Francisco Supervisor and Chair of the San Francisco
Transportation Authority Jake McGoldrick, MTC Commissioner Sue Lempert,
and SF Bicycle Commission Executive Director Leah Shahum.
Construction is scheduled to begin during the first week of March and will be
complete in mid-summer. The facility will allow people to ride their bikes to the
station and park it at no cost, as they take the train to their destination, while
lessening the impact of overcrowding of bike cars on trains.
On average, more than 300 bicycle riders board at the San Francisco Caltrain
station each day, with nearly 2,000 daily bicycle riders between San Francisco
and Gilroy. Current trains only have capacity for up to 32 bicycles, and once the
limit is reached additional bicycle patrons have to wait for a later train with room
for them to board.
“We love our bike passengers, but we have limited bike space on our trains,” said
Caltrain Rail Planning Manager, Michelle Bouchard. “This new facility offers them a
way to keep riding their bikes, and frees up more space for other bike riders who
may need their bike at the other end of their journey.”
Attendees at the kick-off event will view renderings of the new facility, enjoy
music and refreshments.
02/24/2006 - JBW
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