By now, most Atlantans have probably seen parking spaces reborn as on-street dining and pocket greenspaces near businesses from central Midtown to downtown and Kirkwood.  

In a similar vein, Atlanta’s Department of City Planning hopes to reclaim spaces used for vehicle parking to house two-wheeled, non-gas-powered modes of transportation soon.

City planners are seeking applications from Atlantans interested in installing creative bicycle parking in areas deemed to be “high-impact” as part of the Love Our Places program.

Love Our Places aims to use tactical urbanism to create low-cost but impactful “interventions,” in which city residents and community organizations reclaim public space. Past projects include on-street dining and artistic crosswalks meant to call attention to pedestrians crossing streets.

This time, the city wants to find ideal locations for installing bike racks, asphalt art, and bike-repair stations.

The new bicycling infrastructure will come in one of three forms across Atlanta:

An example of a creative bike corral space. Department of City Planning

Bike corrals convert one on-street parking slot into bicycle parking. City planning officials say this design is best suited for local commercial districts, or areas with multiple destinations.

An example of sidewalk-level bike parking. Department of City Planning

Sidewalk-level bike parking—also best suited for denser districts—claims space on Atlanta sidewalks that are at least eight and ½ feet wide.

Open-space bike parking. Department of City Planning

Lastly, open-space bike parking is meant to serve bicyclists at city-owned greenspaces. (Officials note that private property and open spaces not owned by the City of Atlanta won’t be considered.)

Community organizations (think: neighborhood associations), nonprofits, advocacy groups, business associations, and park conservancies, or friends of parks organizations, are encouraged to apply. City officials are also helping to team lone businesses or individuals interested in creative bike facilities with partner groups. 

The deadline to apply is December 31.

According to the city, awardees will see their creative bike facilities installed beginning in spring next year.  

“We must reexamine the way that we look at transportation,” Tim Keane, Atlanta city planning commissioner, said in a recent announcement. “Creative bike parking will increase Atlantans’ options for transportation, support sustainable lifestyles, and reflect community identity through interpretive art.”

• Photos: New Peachtree Street pedestrian lanes have changed downtown (Urbanize Atlanta)