[Update: The owner is hoping for on-street bike parking. Read here for the latest.]
A little taco joint on Mississippi Street in north Portland has taken a DIY approach to on-street bike parking.
Directly in front of ¿Por Que No? taqueria, a few bikes have been parked in the street, perpendicular to the curb and a sign hangs over them that reads, “Today’s Special: Bike Parking”.
Perhaps inspired by the new, on-street “bike corral” just a few blocks north at Amnesia Brewing, the owner of ¿Por Que No? is either doing it the quick and dirty way, or he’s in the process of getting a corral of his own and he’s just prepping his customers for what’s to come.
One thing’s for sure, this location could use more space for bikes. Similar to the situation on SE Belmont (which resulted in on-street bike corrals) the sidewalk here is cramped.
Taco eaters, pedestrians, and bikes all compete for very limited space. Car parking is also at a premium on the narrow street (which is slated for a major redesign), so encouraging folks to ride and fitting more of them in a smaller space makes sense.
I’ll post an update once I know more (the owner wasn’t around when I stopped by). For now, here are a few more shots of this guerrilla bike parking.