Where Can I Park My Bike?

When it comes to parking your bike, there are a lot of options. Rackspotter is a nifty, crowd-sourced tool that shows all of the bike racks in an area. This can cut out some of the guesswork about the availability and placement of a rack at your destination.

Where can a bike be locked?

While locking your bike to a rack is always the ideal scenario, sometimes there aren’t enough racks available. At other times, the racks might be full. In these situations, it’s important to keep in mind where you can and can’t park. When in doubt, WABA recommends keeping in mind the local laws, which vary slightly across DC, Arlington, and Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. Other than bike racks, these generally make it OK to lock your bike to sign posts and parking meters. However, you should avoid locking up to: 

  • Fire hydrants
  • Police and fire call boxes
  • Electric traffic signal poles
  • Bus stop signs
  • Stair railings
  • Signs or poles located within 25 ft. of an intersection
  • Trees
  • Private fences

When you do lock your bike, it’s important to secure your bike in a way that doesn’t obstruct pedestrian movement. This means avoiding railings for stairs or ramps and areas that are likely to be blocked, even if they fall outside the places prohibited for parking.

Where can I park a dockless bikeshare bike?

The same rules apply as parking your own bike. First try to find a rack for the dockless bikeshare. If one isn’t available, then park the bike in such a way that keeps the sidewalk accessible for pedestrian movement.

If you’re an individual to procure bike racks for your living space or a business wanting racks for your storefront, be sure to check out our guide on how to get one!