DOT’s release of mapped bike rack locations last week was met with excitement, but at least one Streetsblog reader also wondered how useful such info would be on-the-fly. While it may not be something you’ll whip out en route, this information can be incredibly helpful for communities in planning and campaigning for more bike parking.

A new mapping tool will help neighborhoods plan for more bike parking.

For example, the Livable Streets Initiative and The Open Planning Project have been working with the Transportion Alternatives Brooklyn Committee on an app for communities to collaborate on bulk orders of bike racks.

How do bulk orders work? Lauri Schindler of the Park Slope Civic Council lays it out beautifully in this StreetsWiki article. This tool is about to make the collaborative process a whole lot easier, and more open. Our pilot project is focused on the Brooklyn Community District 1 area, but in the future the app will be available for planning in other neighborhoods.

Look out for it later this month — we’ll be back with more details. In the meantime, don’t forget that the Brooklyn Committee is celebrating all month long with June’s bike BKLN.