At a university that has traditionally valued diversity,
officials are pursuing measures to increase the presence of an
oft-neglected minority within the car-centric metropolis of Los
Angeles ““ bike users.
UCLA Transportation Services is beginning preparations for a
bicycle master plan to better address the needs of bike users on
campus.
“The university continues to grow both in population and
traffic, so we want to pursue these other means of
transportation,” said Transportation Services Traffic Manager
Stephen Rand. “There has not been ““ until now ““ a
comprehensive vision for bicycle parking and access in the UCLA
area.”
Specific objectives of the proposed plan have not yet been made,
but Rand said he expects to see a significant improvement in the
bike facilities on campus.
Transportation Services will consider the expansion of both bike
lanes and bike parking as part of the master plan. However, Rand
said geographic considerations may compel the university to focus
its energy on improvements such as bike racks and lockers, rather
than the construction of new on-campus bike paths.
“Because UCLA is located in an especially heavily
urbanized part of the city, opportunities for the creation of
bicycle lanes leading to and from the campus have been
limited,” Rand said.
“Rather than accepting the significant constraints
regarding bicycle access and parking as insurmountable, however,
Transportation Services is (exploring ways to) “¦ make bike
riding a more appealing option for commuters,” he added.
The process to create the master plan will begin with
Transportation Services conducting a study of the current campus
biking situation.
“This analysis will allow us to determine what the issues
are that are preventing people from using their bikes, and what the
remedy may be,” Rand said.
Following the study, the Bicycle Advocacy Committee, the group
guiding the creation and implementation of the master plan, will
meet with other interested parties early next year to gain input on
ways to improve accommodations for bike users at UCLA.
Though the schedule for completion of the master plan remains
tentative, Transportation Services aims to have a finalized plan by
June 2004.
In addition to the long-term measures to be included in the
master plan, the university has already begun expanding bike
facilities in conjunction with other building projects. The
northbound bike lane on Gayley Avenue will be extended to the
intersection of Charles E. Young Drive West and Gayley Avenue when
construction on the new hospital at the UCLA Medical Center is
complete in Spring 2005.
Any measures Transportation Services plans to undertake to
increase bike use will be challenged by the force currently
hindering nearly all university programs ““ budget
constraints.
To finance the plan, Transportation Services is investigating
grant-based funding opportunities with federal, state and local
government officials. The dire economic climate has caused funding
for most university programs to be reduced in recent years, but
Rand is optimistic additional financial resources will be
available.
Besides the economic challenges, the bicycle master plan will
face an even more daunting challenge in convincing a community
overwhelmingly reliant on automobiles to put away the car keys and
strap on a bike helmet. For many students, bike use has never
registered as a transportation option.
“I have never used a bike on campus,” said Dmitry
Foox, a first-year undeclared student. “It’s a hassle
to carry one around “¦ I’d hate to have to park it
somewhere and come back and get it.”
Others, such as second-year pre-history student Pouya Bavafa,
cite a preference for walking as a reason for not biking.
“There are a lot of benefits to biking, but walking works
my calves better,” he said.
However, some students are supportive of measures to increase
bike presence at UCLA. Sarah Fitzsimons, a first-year art graduate
student, said biking is an ideal way to avoid the stress and
expense of parking a vehicle at UCLA.
Improved bike accommodations could have noticeable benefits for
students desperate for a financially viable transportation
alternative to automobiles.
For Fitzsimons, there are strong economic incentives to use a
bike.
“I can’t afford seven dollars a day (for
parking),” she said.
Daniel Tawsik, a second-year biology student, transferred in
September from UC Santa Barbara, a university with approximately
14,000 daily bike users, according to UCSB officials.
Tawsik was a frequent bike user while attending UCSB, but has
discontinued the habit after transferring. He said the lack of bike
presence on UCLA’s campus influenced him to stop using his
bike.
“I really miss riding my bike and feeling the wind in my
hair “¦ you feel free ““ like a bird,” Tawsik
said.
Tawsik said he enjoys attending UCLA thus far, but that an
increase in bike presence, such as that to be pursued by
Transportation Services, would enhance his perception of the
university.
“UCLA’s great, but if there were more bikes around,
it would be greater,” he said.