KINGSTON, ON, Nov. 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Urban Racks implemented 18 smart bike racks at 3 permanent locations in downtown Kingston, offering a safe and convenient solution for parking bicycles. The smart bike racks—strategically positioned along the main commercial area—were part of a pilot program during the summer of 2023. They are now permanently installed, making Kingston the first municipality in Ontario with smart bike parking. 

Urban Racks Stations use Bikeep technology and a user-friendly smartphone application that allows riders to easily locate available docks and lock/unlock bikes by phone.  The docks include an integrated locking arm that secures the frame and front wheel of a wide range of bicycle types.   

Downtown Kingston's implementation of smart parking aligns with the municipality's goal of promoting sustainable and active transportation options such as walking, cycling, scooters and public transit to reduce traffic congestion, vehicle dependency and carbon emissions.

Bike racks can be found at these locations:

• Ontario St. (across from City Hall)
• Brock St. across from Hotel Dieu
• Barrie St. (at the corner of Princess and Barrie)

"Having advocated for secure bike racks on behalf of the cycling community for the past couple of years, I am so pleased to have 3 permanent locations in downtown Kingston. I can cycle to work, park my bike, and know that it will be safe for the day," said Marijo Cuerrier, Executive Director Downtown Kingston BIA. "Encouraging active transportation is not only the right thing to do, but also critical for our city to grow, as we will see over 2,000 residential units come online in the next 2 to 5 years. Reduction of traffic congestion and harmful emissions makes downtown Kingston even a better place to live than it already is," adds Cuerrier. 

For the past 18 years, Urban Racks has provided a full range of commercial bike parking solutions to educational institutions, developers, municipalities and transit authorities across North America.  Urban Racks has been involved in key projects in Ontario including Centennial College's, Urban Parkiteer in Scarborough, and the First Canadian Place, Secure Bike Parking in Downtown Toronto. Other recent notable Canadian projects include:

• TransLink's smart bike parking solutions at seven stations in the Vancouver area with Urban Smart Lockers, and Bikeep docks—Phibbs Exchange in North Vancouver added last May.
• The Resort Municipality of Whistler's smart bike docks program designed to reduce car usage and create a vibrant and sustainable community.

Urban Racks is at the forefront of micromobility infrastructure and has implemented bike parking solutions using IoT and solar powered technology for over five years. 

Kingston's commitment to being a bike-friendly community and promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle is now more realistic with the permanence of the smart bike dock systems.  

https://urbanracks.com/

SOURCE Urban Racks