NJ's First Bike Depot Opens at Bay Street Station in Montclair

Montclair area commuters now have a secure place to store bicycles at the Bay Street train station. Montclair Township, in partnership with the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, is unveiling a new Bike Depot – the first of its kind in the state – to provide safe, secure, weather-protected storage for bikes, helmets and personal items. The program is expected to revolutionize bicycle commutation to NJ Transit train stations.

The Bike Depot, which also has a 24/7 security camera, is available to anyone for a small membership fee; members will use an access card to gain entry.

“Most bike racks at NJ Transit stations are out in the open, leaving bikes subject to be vandalized or stolen,” says Cyndi Steiner, executive director, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition. “Because commuters can now store a bike securely in the Bike Depot, a safer, higher quality bike can be ridden to the train station, providing alternative transportation options to commuters from a greater distance. The Bike Depot will serve as a model for other NJ Transit train stations.”

The Bike Depot is made possible through grants from the Sustainable Jersey small grants program, PSE&G, Partners for Health, and in-kind support from The Pinnacle Companies, a local real estate developer with a focus on sustainable projects. Additional sponsorships are available for companies with a bike/pedestrian or sustainability vision.

The ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 16, 2014, 10:00 a.m. It will be held at the Bay Street, NJ Transit Station (between Bloomfield & Glen Ridge Avenues) in Montclair. The ribbon cutting will take place on the first level of the garage, with refreshments to follow.

Speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony will include:

• Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill
• Mayor Robert Jackson, Township of Montclair
• Deputy Mayor Robert Russo, Township of Montclair
• Councilwoman Renee Baskerville, 4th Ward
• Brian Stolar, Board Member, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition
• Cyndi Steiner, Executive Director, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition
• Kathleen Smith, Program Officer, Partners For Health
• Gray Russell, Sustainability Officer, Township of Montclair

image via shutterstock, information courtesy of The New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition.