Secure bike storage at transportation center?

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Emilie Swenson

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Oct 18, 2025, 7:14:25 AMOct 18
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Wondering what folks think about this or if it has been discussed before.

Numerous times per year, I have to travel places south via bus. My travel itinerary often doesn’t always allow for family to give me a ride to/from the transportation center at Thompson’s point (parking is not an option for me) and the metro bus often doesn’t align with the travel schedule. I prefer not to use ride app / taxi because I don’t want to add that much cost on either side of the trip.

I don’t feel great about leaving my bike outside there for multiple nights. Biking is often the most efficient way around town and gets you exactly where you want to go when you want to go, which is very true in this scenario.

Is there any way we could advocate for some kind of secure (and/or at least covered/protected) bike storage at the bus/train station? How would that work? Get a bus/train ticket, get access? I’d pay $5-10 for that (cheaper than one way in ride app and flexible to come and go whenever). 

Has this been discussed before? (Does it exist already and I don’t know?) Any opportunities here? Or do people feel ok about leaving their bikes for a few days at the station with good lock(s)?

Thanks all!


Denise Brautigam

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Oct 18, 2025, 8:40:07 AMOct 18
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I'm in a similar situation and feel the same way as Emilie about leaving my bicycle at the train station.  I'm also interested in knowing about safer options for storage and I'm willing to pay a fee for the storage.

Denise

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Scsmedia

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Oct 18, 2025, 10:28:15 AMOct 18
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Zack

An opportunity for you to provide off site secure storage and tandem bike valet to the station.

Steven Scharf

Zack Barowitz

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Oct 19, 2025, 6:05:26 AMOct 19
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Haha. I’d let PBPAC members who are willing to walk a few blocks leave their bikes in my garage. 

But no I haven’t heard any discussion about secure bike parking before. It would’ve been nice to do when they added an acre of parking. 

A few related thoughts:

- We have talked about how vulnerable bikes are to theft at the PTC (and Casco Bay Lines) because after the the last departure thieves know that people are not coming back. 
- The PTC had an ill-fated bike share program years ago. The bikes were seldom used and the chains rusted solid. 
- I hate leaving my bike out overnight exposed to theft and the elements. 
- I used to take the bus frequently and would bring my bike with me on the bus which worked great. I wonder if Logan has secure bike parking?
- Folding bikes are good options for frequent travelers. 

Zack 

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Aaron L. Rosenblum

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Oct 19, 2025, 6:49:04 AMOct 19
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I, too, would be a potential user of secure bike storage at the PTC.

Just to say secure bike storage can happen in Portland, I have traversed Bedford St. and USM campus a couple times in recent weeks, which is a route I don’t usually take. I noticed not one but two indoor bike storage areas in view from the street in recent buildings, one in what appears to be a dorm and another in a building I couldn’t instantly identify with a specific purpose.

Anyone know anything about them, or ever use them? It looks like they were part of the design of the buildings from the start, which certainly wouldn’t be the case with something added to the PTC. 

Aaron 

Denise Brautigam

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Oct 19, 2025, 7:19:59 AMOct 19
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Zack, are you talking about taking your bicycle on a Concord Trailways bus?  Did they always take it?  I mean, I hear they only take them if they have the space.

Denise


Denise Brautigam

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Oct 19, 2025, 7:38:21 AMOct 19
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Zack,
Are you serious about letting us use your garage?   
What street are you on?  
How much would you charge for day use?   Overnight use?   
How would pick-up and drop-off work?  Because I'm sure you are not always around.

Denise

On Sunday, October 19, 2025 at 06:05:27 AM EDT, Zack Barowitz <zbar...@gmail.com> wrote:


Zack Barowitz

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Oct 19, 2025, 7:42:45 AMOct 19
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I live in Huntress Street. If it is just an occasional thing I wouldn’t charge anything. I’d stash a key. 
If it becomes an inconvenience then I might thing of charging something, I dunno. 
Zack 

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Scsmedia

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Oct 19, 2025, 10:40:23 AMOct 19
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All new large projects built in the city require bike parking/storage, some are doing the minimum, while others are building out real easy to access dedicated space.  I would think the University would do the latter as they would see the promotional value of such an amenity.

Steven Scharf


Emilie Swenson

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Oct 19, 2025, 4:43:26 PMOct 19
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When USM built their new parking garage behind the Wishcamper building on Bedford St they created a locked bike storage room that is HUGE (key card access). 

As someone who works there, this is fantastic for me and I use it every time I bike (sometimes I take our e-bike and it is especially nice when you want to feel that there is a bit more protection), however, it is mostly empty (which is a shame). The most bikes I think I have seen parked inside is ~10? I am not sure about the new dorm and bike storage, perhaps more people are using that. 

I would love to see more storage like this in other areas of the city. 

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Christian MilNeil

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Oct 20, 2025, 11:18:42 AMOct 20
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I always just take my bike with me on the bus. They can store them in the luggage compartment under the bus. Space is limited, so I probably shouldn't spread the word about it too much, but I've done it hundreds of times and there's only been one occasion (on a February school vacation week when there were about a dozen people taking their skis to the airport) where they didn't have space for my bike. 

Logan Airport has two very good bike parking areas – links below point to the Google Street View of each location. 

One is at the entrance to their car rental facility, which is a short shuttlebus ride to the terminals.

Another is at the arrivals-level (ground floor) entrance to Terminal A, next to the taxi stand. This one is less sheltered but probably more secure since there are security staff there all the time. The racks there also have built-in cables so you can lock up both wheels.

I should also note here that the Jetport has excellent covered bike parking, on the ground floor of the parking garage, in a high-visibility location right next to the terminal. I've ridden my bike there and left it for multiple days with no problems. 

More generally, OpenStreetMap frequently will help you find bike parking. In the OpenCycleMap layer, bike racks are marked as blue dots, and sheltered bike racks are blue dots with a ^ over them. At close-in zoom levels it will also show the number of parking spaces available:



Christian MilNeil
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Damon Yakovleff

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Oct 20, 2025, 11:22:24 AMOct 20
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I'll second that the Jetport does a nice job with this, I've left my bike there several times with no issues or concerns. Seems to me this is a good model for how to add quality, covered, high visibility bike parking. 

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