Why can't DC Government properly install bicycle racks?

Francis Recreation Center a photo by Washington Area Bicyclist Association on Flickr.

This WABA photo calls attention to new bicycle racks installed at the Francis Recreation Center in Northwest DC. But at least 3 of the "staples" were installed incorrectly.

These days I have been trying to locate best practice manuals and such for bicycle parking (Chicago, Toronto, Cambridge, UK -- the UK one might be the best) and because I was told that NYC has a good one (they don't it turns out), last week I talked to the director of bicycle programs for NYC about this and he said that DDOT's bicycle parking installation guidelines were best practice.

The guidelines are good (other cities have equally good guidelines) with regard to installation, although they only cover issues concerning some--not all--aspects of outside short term bicycle parking.

Including the installation at Francis, that makes at least three recent installations of bicycle racks in the city that have been done improperly:

- Metropolitan Branch Trail at R or T St.? (doubly ironic since this project was under direct DDOT management while the other projects were not)
- Ward 1 senior center on Georgia Avenue.

Very frustrating.

(Note that this photo was originally blogged by Washcycle.)