Bike to Campus Week encourages alternative transportation

The university is encouraging students to dust off their bike
helmets and put away the car keys for Bike to Campus Week, the
culmination of more than a year of meetings, ideas and planning
geared toward improving transportation for cyclists.

Last year, members of the cycling community complained that UCLA
wasn’t doing enough to improve safety, security of bicycles,
and overall efficiency of campus travel. UCLA Transportation
Services responded by ordering new bike racks and bike lockers, and
developing a master plan for the future of cycling on campus and
surrounding areas.

Sam Corbett, manager of planning and analysis for UCLA
Transportation Services, said he has worked extensively with the
cycling community to understand what their concerns are, and worked
on ways to show UCLA is committed to improvement. He said one of
the key goals of Bike to Campus Week is to encourage more people to
ride their bikes to school. Corbett said currently only about 3
percent of students ride bikes to campus.

“For most people, bicycling isn’t on the radar
screen. Bicycling is a great mode of transportation from many
perspectives. First of all, it’s low cost so it’s great
for students. They don’t have to pay for parking, don’t
have to pay for maintaining a car, don’t have to pay for
insurance,” he said.

As part of the changes this year, the Commuter Passport program,
which provides staff and faculty cyclists with a reduced price
membership to Wooden Center to have access to the showers and also
to lockers, was introduced in the fall. Students already have
access to showers as part of registration fees, but staff and
faculty do not.

Many cyclists expressed concern about the security of their
bicycles on campus. Transportation Services hopes new bike racks
and bike lockers will help ease riders’ concerns about
safety.

The bike lockers, which cost about $2,000 each, hold two bikes a
piece. Cyclists will call and set up a reservation for a particular
locker, which is secured by a unique digital code that changes each
time a new cyclist uses it.

Riders can have access to these lockers by paying a $5.95
membership fee which gives them unlimited access to the
lockers.

Corbett said biking can help with the crowded parking on campus.
The parking cap at UCLA is 25,169 spaces, a maximum which has
already been reached. A city ordinance, which isn’t up for
review until the 2010-2011 school year, prevents UCLA from building
any more parking spaces.

“We need to find alternative ways to get to UCLA other
than a car. We can’t build anymore. UCLA is the
second-biggest traffic generator in Los Angeles County,” said
Joe Vardner, the undergraduate representative to Transportation
Services.

Corbett also encourages cycling as a way to help with the
pollution problem.

Laura Kwan, a third-year physiological science student, said she
does not believe that cycling will have much effect on the
pollution problem.

“It’s not practical. It’s like boycotting
clothes to protest sweatshops. It’s not going to have an
impact on the environment in any way,” she said.

Vardner said students can also explore the option of taking
vanpools and buses to school, as cycling is only one alternative to
driving.

The many hills and stairs on campus discourage some students
from riding their bikes. Vardner said one hill of major concern is
the one by Drake Stadium, where students and bikers often have to
worry about colliding. He said everyone should be cautious and
aware when on the hill.

Keri Tyler, a student intern for transportation services, said
many students are also concerned about cycling because of the road
safety issues.

“Try to ride as if you’re driving a car. You need to
make yourself really visible and use signals. Don’t ride on
sidewalks. Pedestrians should be on sidewalks, not cyclists,”
she said.

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