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Love seeing this all over the city.. but I have been so busy I haven't had a chance to use one!

Nice-looking racks, but doing the math yields a cost/rack of $590 for the second phase. Why does Buffalo insist upon remaining an overtaxed economic black hole? Oh well, until Washington learns that "a trillion saved is a trillion earned," what can we expect from my beloved WNY?

Oh, but wait - some of the money is Federal; ergo, there's no cost to anyone! As they say, the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

They are nice and a unique item to have around town but I agree nearly $600 for a bent tube and a waterjet cut buffalo profile seems a bit steep, especially in bulk. Plus they don't seem very efficient if you want to lock up more than 2 bikes at a time. There should have been more thought put into the practicality (if that's a word) of the design. They do look cool though, until they get scratched up and rust anyway.

The cost does seem a bit high, but I assume it factors in labor -- and they are bolted into concrete, so it's not like they can just set them down on the sidewalk and be done with it.

I hadn't seen the design before this picture, and I do find it interesting that there's only really parking for 4 bikes at each rack.

Uh, taxation isn't socialism.

I concur, there is no way that these cost even half that produce. Put this out to bid to some of the local mfg companies, and instead of 100 racks for 60k, you should be able to double that.

I'm not sure that $600 sounds absurdly far out of line, including installation labor costs, etc. And doesn't it cost something like $10,000 to create a parking space for a single car? From that perspective, if the increased availability and visibility of bicycle parking encourages even a few people to make more trips by bike instead of their cars, this is an incredible bargain!

if i worked with a toxic bunch like you ****ing downers i'd quit. you're like a 4 foot irrelevant raincloud.

Places that need a rack:

Dashes, Sterling Pub, Amy's Place, CPG's all always have people on bikes going there and none of them have racks. I hope they are on your list. Some of them you need to actually park across the street because of the lack of available spaces for bikes.

The cost is definitely questionable. I guess it depends on how long they last before needing repair or replacement. 600 might seem like a lot but if they can handle the winter for a decade where a cheaper model might not last. Only time will tell.

The cost is roughly 564 a piece which is on par with national manufacturers. It was put out to bid and a local company was the lowest bidder. The cost includes fabrication and installation. An additional cost that was agreed to include in the end was a zinc coat over the powder coat to increase longevity and stave off rust.

Considering the limited right of way available, each rack is intended for only 2 bicycles. If more are needed in the location more can be requested and they can be aligned in an array.

JSmith is right on - put in perspective, the cost of bicycle facilities (such as racks) versus those for automobiles and you will get a lot more for your dollar by investing in this mode.

All for bike racks, but WOW, pretty pricey eh? Must be the labor, 100 bucks for one guy to install, 400 bucks for the 4 city union workers to watch him install...

Great idea, glad to see them installed. However, the painter-tape blue is a poor color choice for urban spaces even if it ties in with your branding. Metal, even rust, would coordinate with the outdoor environment better. Better to avoid a confetti look.

I have the same criticism of the tacky blue bus stops. Think how much cooler would they look if the NFTA used the silver of their logo instead of the blue. The blazing blue city trash totes trash up the look of city neighborhoods, for the same reason. They should "blend".

could be pricey - but whats the material? is it galvanized? stainless? powder coated? aluminum?

of course, installing these is only one phase. im assuming the development has been tackled. contracting? warehousing? delivery? they all add up way before installation. and if its Fed $$$, ill assume its prevailing wage as well. then there are the vehicles & fuel.

it might get to $600 bucks sooner than you may think.

Sell 'em at the BRO Store...

@Justin:
Thanks for the clarification! Factoring in the weatherization, delivery and installation, $564 is reasonable. Glad they're being produced locally, too. Is the fabricating company public information?