A full city block of bikes just a block down from the White House- Times are changing! Thanks WABA!

Thousands of residents and visitors chose to make their way to the historic inauguration of our 44th president, Barack Obama, by bicycle.  In what was a landmark day for America, and a record for transportation demand for our nation’s capital, bike valet proved remarkably successful. The inaugural bike valet, the first of its kind for a US president, was the largest bike valet in a single day ever in the US- over 2,000 bicyclists took advantage of the free service organized and run by WABA. In fact, over 50 bikes where parked at the north station on 16th & K streets before opening at 7am. The north station also had to close temporarily around 10:30am before expanding to an additional coral.

It was a smart choice to arrive by bike as traffic was greatly hampered by security and bridge closings. Metro is usually a great way to get around the city, but those who did noted the massive throngs onboard.  Bike Valet staff & volunteers from WABA, Dero, and DDOT worked hard to ensure a high level of service throughout the day at both locations.  We also asked a few participants why they chose to ride and what they thought of the service. See video below. Note, the bicycles took up an entire two lanes of a city block- a rare site in a US city. Updates and photos will be added soon.

Update: 1/26/09: Photo Albums available

Dero: http://picasaweb.google.com/DeroBikeRacks/BikeValetForInauguration

WABA: http://flickr.com/photos/waba/sets/72157612778271825/

In partnership with the Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA) and America Bikes, Dero Bike Rack Company is proud to announce sponsorship of the Bike Valet for the Inauguration of the President in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, January 20, 2009.  Dero is providing bike parking for over 1000 bikes with its patented Event Racks. Traffic for the event will be challenging and the Metro will be crowded, so biking to this historic event will be fast, fun, and secure. WABA volunteers will be staffing the locations and handing out commemorative claim tickets.

“We’re excited to be involved in this historic event and hope that the new administration will include bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure spending in their economic stimulus plan. We see cycling as a big part of the solution to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, easing clogged traffic and a healthier America” stated Dero founder Rolf Scholtz.

Obama rides a bike in Chicago

Dero Bike Rack Company designs and manufactures innovative bike parking for streetscapes, campuses and custom projects. Exceptional customer service, high-quality domestic manufacturing, and bicycle-friendly design remain core values to both Dero and our growing customer base across many industries. The Dero Bike Rack Company is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and proudly supports bicycle advocacy at the local, state, and national level. For more information on Dero, visit: www.dero.com or contact Mark Skoine or Nick Mason at 612-359-0689.

For more info on the Inaugural Bike Valet, to volunteer, or to RSVP: Click Here