Metro Rolls Out On-Demand Bike Lockers at Eastgate Park and Ride

Bus riders who like to bike to Metro transit centers have a new option for storing their bicycles.

Metro introduced eight on-demand "eLockers" at the Eastgate Park and Ride and nine other spots around King County last week. Cyclists who wish to use the lockers must pay $20 to purchase an access card and 5 cents per hour to store their bike.

Would you pay 5 cents an hour (plus the $20 activation fee) to securely store your bike at a Metro transit station? Tell us in the comments section.

Bike lockers are already available for monthly rental at 27 transit centers, but Metro predicts the on-demand option could result in a fivefold increase in locker usage across the system. The new program gives cyclists the option to store their bike at different Metro transit centers, as well as at eLockers in Portland, Ore., Vancouver, Wash., and the Bay Area.

In addition to Eastgate, the following Metro transit centers are equipped with the new lockers: Aurora Village Transit Center, Issaquah Highlands Park-and-Ride, Kenmore Park-and-Ride, Northgate Transit Center, Renton Transit Center, South Kirkland Park-and-Ride (available once garage construction is complete), South Renton Park-and-Ride, South Sammamish Park-and-Ride and Tukwila Park-and-Ride.

Metro has entered into a three-year agreement with eLock Technologies to use the lockers and says it will be evaluating the program's effectiveness during that time. The lockers were funded through a federal grant, according to the transit agency.

More info is available here.