Bike corrals bring more customers, carless options

PORTLAND, Ore. – Though parking for bikes has become easier with new bike corrals popping up all over Portland, the corrals have brought much more than a convenience for cyclists.

Dozens of cyclists joined Mayor Sam Adams and brewer Rob Widmer as they pedaled across the Willamette River to unveil the city’s newest bike corral on Wednesday.

Widmer is excited for the customers the new corral will bring.

“I hope we get a lot of bikers,” said Widmer. “So many Portlanders that bike these days that it just makes sense to attract them to your business.”

Like many other business owners, Widmer specifically requested one from the city, but he didn’t do that just to attract business.

“Proportionally we have a tremendous number of bikers at our company,” he said. “This is pretty nice, even compared to some of the other larger companies.”

At Widmer’s facility, his employees can safely store their bikes at the company’s own bike corral. Widmer hopes to get more staff members out of their cars and on nice days he said a quarter of his staff of 160 will ride their bike to work.

“There are so many people that bike in Portland. If you’re not part of that you’re going to get left behind,” he said.

At least 30 other businesses around town have asked the city for bike corrals. The transportation department said it planned to install at least 10 more when funding becomes available.