This sketch shows a proposed bike corral design for installation near Eighth and Massachusetts streets. (Rendering flipped horizontally from original image to more accurately reflect street layout.)

With approval from Lawrence’s Bicycle Advisory Committee on Monday, the locations for three downtown “bike corrals” have been determined and will go to the City Commission for the final go-ahead.

As part of an effort to improve downtown bicycle parking, two vehicle parking spaces — one at Eighth and Massachusetts streets and one at 100 E. Ninth St. — would be replaced by “bike corrals,” which each include a row of inverted U bike racks that would hold up to 10 bikes. A third bike corral would go in an unallocated space in front of the Lawrence Public Library at 707 Vermont St.

City planners are actively considering the idea of placing some bike corrals in downtown Lawrence.

“I think putting classified parking on the street increases the visibility of bikes as a form of transportation,” said Lisa Hallberg, chair of the committee. “I like the idea.”

Committee member David Hamby said the locations were “reasonably spaced” and in spots where they’d likely be frequently used.

Monday’s meeting doubled as a public hearing about the issue; city staff had sent out a notice to property owners within 200 feet of each of the proposed locations in order to gain feedback.

One Lawrence bicyclist, John Thornburg, spoke during the public hearing, expressing disapproval of the bike corral location in front of the library. Thornburg said having kids park bikes on the street was “the least desirable alternative,” and he suggested putting bicycle parking spaces near the library entrance and reading garden.

Committee members responded saying there is other bicycle parking around the library, though there’s a lack of it.

“I think this can’t hurt the situation,” Hamby said.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the locations. It has not yet been determined when the proposal will go before the City Commission.

The bike corrals are part of a larger effort to increase downtown bicycle parking that also includes installing 44 inverted U racks on downtown sidewalks. LiveWell Lawrence awarded a grant in November to help with the bike corrals, which are estimated to cost $12,600 to install.

The Bicycle Advisory Committee is calling the three bike corrals a pilot program. The committee plans to evaluate their usage, determine whether the city needs more and possibly create a system for businesses to request and install them.

“We’ll evaluate the usage through summer and fall and see how well they’re perceived,” said Jessica Mortinger, a senior transportation planner for the city. “We’ll do some survey work and see if their existence can be justified in the long-term.”

In other business, the Bicycle Advisory Committee made its formal recommendations for the street design of the East Ninth Project, the estimated $3 million effort to create an arts corridor from Massachusetts to Delaware streets.

The group asked for dedicated bicycle lanes throughout the corridor. But, they realized, because of “varying goals” and “conflicting priorities and values,” bike lanes may not be possible for the entire seven-block stretch.

If they’re not, the committee is suggesting designers prioritize dedicated bike lanes in the blocks closer to Massachusetts Street and then, if needed, have shared-lane markings in the blocks from Connecticut to Delaware streets, farther from downtown.

So far, Mortinger said, an array of bicycle amenities have been proposed in the design process for the East Ninth Project, including bike lanes, shared-use lanes and a shared-use path. The street design Mortinger presented Monday included bike lanes with two side-by-side sidewalks on the south side of Ninth Street in some sections — one a historic brick sidewalk and another that’s ADA compliant.

The design also showed a “bike box” at the intersection of Ninth and Massachusetts streets. The committee asked that it be included in the final design but that the intersection should not allow right turns at red lights. The committee also suggested there should be an educational push about bike boxes, which are designated areas at the head of traffic lanes that allow bicyclists to stop ahead of vehicle traffic at a red light.

Designers for the East Ninth Project are in the process of receiving input from various Lawrence groups. According to a posted schedule, they will next present the design to the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association on March 7. The design is expected to go before the City Commission on March 29.