A sweet older couple from Astoria, Queens approached me this weekend at the New York City Bicycle Show. They were less interested in the merchandise tables than in talking to folks from Transportation Alternatives about where they could park their bikes when they rode into Manhattan for work, for dinner or to see a show. A study by the Department of City Planning shows that the number one reason why more New Yorkers do not bike is that they lack a safe place to park their bikes once they arrive at their destination. For some city cyclists the answer is a thick chain lock and something between strategy and faith when it comes to choosing a location for lock-up. But as the couple I met said, “Who wants to spend a lot of money on a lightweight, comfortable bike and then have to shell out another $100 on a lock and have to carry around a 10 pound chain around just to feel like your bike might be safe?” If New Yorkers had access to indoor bike parking at their workplaces bicycle commuting could nearly double overnight. City Councilmember Provenzano has been awakened to the importance of bicycling to the thousands of New Yorkers who depend on it as their favored mode of transportation, after over 4,000 New Yorkers e-mailed her in the wake of her proposal for a ludicrous bicycle registration bill.Now Provenzano, chair of the City Council Housing and Buildings Committee, has graciously pledged to hold a summer hearings on Introduction 155, the new bike access to buildings bill. This bill would open up a whole new world secure, weatherproof bike parking for New York cyclists. Intro 155 would require building owners and managers to allow the people who rent from them to offer bicycle access to their workplaces. As of now, even if your employer wants to provide bicycle access to your office, the building owner or manager can override this good intention by forbidding bike access to the entire building. Since Councilmember Provenzano's pledge, Transportation Alternatives has solicited input on the bill from some of New York City's leading green developers and real estate interests. Many have already lent their support, recognizing that the bill would only require access to tenant’s spaces while not forcing building owners to create new space for bicycles. “It's a mystery to me why some building owners don't allow bikes,” says Sam Stein of Justin Management. “It's not a big deal as long as the tenants are prepared to take responsibility for it.” Those who have yet to support the bill are concerned about the logistics of enabling universal bike access into buildings, and liability and security issues as well. T.A. is currently working with these groups to craft solutions that address their concerns.