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Projects Updates for theme: Transportation

  1. Charging for e-bikes/scooters for students in Residence Halls

    Associated Project(s): 
    Enforcement for Safe Cycling
    Support Mobility Innovation (Fliss)

    In fall 2022, the university has seen a great increase in the number of e-scooters, skateboards, and e-bikes on campus. Sarthak Prasad reached out to University Housing in summer 2022 to discuss whether University Housing has any plans to install any infrastructure for students living in Residence Halls to charge their e-bikes or scooters or skateboards batteries in their dorm rooms.

    Other universities have also seen similar situation on their campuses, however, due to the fire safety risk involved, they also do not allow these in their dorm rooms.

    University Housing confirmed that at this time, they have not received any query from students regarding the charging of their e-bikes, scooters, or skateboards. They also emphasized that the University does not allow these vehicles inside university facilities, including dormitories, (see CAM FO-35: In-Line Skates, Roller Skates, Skateboards, e-Scooters, and Self-Balancing Personal Transportation Devices).

    They also shared the same concern regarding these batteries being fire hazards and referred to the Fire Safety policy (see attached) created in 2020 in collaboration with F&S Safety & Compliance.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Weekly Update: iSEE interview, Replenishing bike stock, Working Bikes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    All, With the onset of cooler weather, we have seen a decrease in visitor numbers. But that has also correlated with a decrease in available for sale bikes.

    Last week I had an iSEE student come by to interview me and talk all things bikes, so I’ll be sure to keep an eye out for that story. All publicity is good publicity!

    This week I’ll start counting/sorting bikes for the Working Bikes donation—actual date TBD—including moving some of the keeper bikes to the Bike Center to replenish our stock of B-a-Bs and For Sales.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 72
    Sales: $958.25

    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $135
    Memberships: 14 for $420
    Tires/tubes: 15 for $70

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  3. Bicycle Retrieval for abandoned bicycles: Completed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    The bicycle retrieval for abandoned bicycles that were impounded over the summer 2022 has completed, as of September 23, 2022. We had collected nearly 500 bicycles over the summer, and 24 bicycles were retrieved by the owners. The remaining bicycles will be donated to the Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign and Campus Bike Center for refurbishment, resale, and recycle. Nearly 60% of these unclaimed bicycle will be donated to Working Bikes, a not-for-profit bike shop which fixes up old cycles for sale or to be donated to global communities.

  4. Final numbers from Bike to Work Day and Light the Night

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    The Bike Month Planning team organized Bike to Work Day on September 14, 2022 from 7 - 10 am at 16 Champaign County locations, including eight on-campus. There were 893 registered to attend before the event this year and nearly 150 people registered on-site during the event! Champaign County Bikes were also present at Alma Mater and Hallene Gateway during Light the Night event as well as Bike to Market Day on September 17, 2022, to meet attendees who could not attend the Bike to Work Day event. The final number of pre-registered attendees (prior to Bike to Market) was 921, which is a new record for this event!

    Light the Night was organized on September 15, 2022, from 4 - 7 pm at three campus locations - Alma Mater, Hallene Gateway, and Campus Bike Center. This year, we used Planet Bike blinky lights with silicone straps. We distributed and installed nearly 800 bike light sets during this event! Alma Mater was, by far, the most popular location, where nearly 575 lights were distributed.

    Following the event, the Bike Month Plannign team discussed options for next year.

  6. iWG Meeting 9-9-22

    Associated Project(s): 
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Education iCAP Team
    Encourage Bicycle Use

    The iCAP Working Group met on 9-9-22 and discussed the following agenda. The meeting minutes are attached. 

    1. Introductions
    2. Reminder of our role on the iWG
    3. Edu006 Sustainability in Study Abroad: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project-update/edu006-sustainability-study-abroad-submitted
    4. Edu007 Big10 Green Career Fair: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project-update/edu007-big10-green-career-fair-submitted
    5. Bike program/bike registration free
    Attached Files: 

  7. Insider article on 9/21/22: Ahead of the Curve and All Electric

    Associated Project(s): 
    Use Electric Vehicles (EV)
    F&S Sustainable Fleet Plan
    Decrease Emissions from UI Fleet
    Increase use of EVs and other Alternative Service Vehicles

    F&S purchased two all electric Ford F-150 Lightning trucks in spring 2022. Read the Insider article about this here: https://fs.web.illinois.edu/Insider/2022/09/21/ahead-of-the-curve-and-al...

    Attached Files: 

  9. Weekly Update: BTWD, LTN, Build-a-Bike, very busy this week

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night
    Collection and Donation of Abandoned Bicycles

    All, Real busy times last week. Shop was manageably busy, but we had BTWD and LTN on consecutive days. Both events went well. I spent more time at the DRES stop than the Bike Center station, which was a new experience. Lots of folks on that route, and I was able to talk route-planning and commuting strategy with some people new to commuting. Weather cooperated swimmingly.

    We had a deluge of completed B-a-Bs last week. Always good to see the smiling faces of rewarded effort. Marketing folks came by and updated some of our filing cabinets and bins with printed (legible) labels and photos of contents to better help people find and identify parts. We’re still slower on Tue/Thurs as we work to get the word out that we’re now open those days as well.

    We’ll work this week on a couple shop builds we’ve been too busy to finish, prep for the abandoned bike giveaway, and clean shop as we’ve been too busy to do much of any of that in the last two weeks.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 86
    Sales: $1,084.30
    Bikes (B-a-B): 3 for $150

    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Tires/tubes: 10 for $59

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  11. Video: Highlights from Bike to Work Day and information on Light the Night

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Mark Herman from iSEE created a timelapse video showcasing the Alma Mater station during the Bike to Work Day event on September 14, 2022. This video gives a highlight of the event as well as promote Light the Night event on September 15, 2022.

    Watch the video here: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/video/highlights-bike-work-day-...

  12. BTWD follow up with Stations Managers

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Following email was sent to all BTWD station managers the day after the event on September 15, 2022.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Hi Bike to Work Day station managers,

    I hope you had a good BTWD yesterday!  Here are the last 3 reminders/requests for you:

    1. Return your leftover materials to Charlie’s house (805 S. Coler Ave., Urbana) by Friday, if you haven’t already done so.
      1. This includes your box with the registration list, registration forms, the donation can, t-shirts, handouts, and the yard sign.
    2. Complete this short survey by Friday (if you can) to tell us how BTWD 2022 went for you:  https://forms.gle/yJ6LSevkt8zoSDSr8
    3. Send me photos from your station if you haven’t already done so, or label & drop them in this Google Drive folder.

    No Pictures Yet from these Stations:

    1. Campus Alma Mater
    2. Campus Bike Center
    3. Campus National Soybean Research Center
    4. CRCE
    5. Campus Uni High
    6. Rantoul
    7. Savoy

     

    Video Received & Posted from this Station:

    1. Campus Alma Mater

    Pictures Received & Posted from these Stations:

    1. Campus DRES
    2. Campus Orchard Downs
    3. Campus Research Park
    4. Champaign Downtown Plaza
    5. Champaign Wolfram
    6. Mahomet
    7. St. Joe KRT
    8. Urbana Brookens
    9. Urbana Downtown

     

    Thanks,

    Gabe

  13. Water for volunteers+WO to transport the water

    Associated Project(s): 
    Light the Night

    DIA provided 6 powerade containers that were used for water for the volunteers at Light the Night event. Work Order (WO 11003192) was created for the Transportation Shop to transport 2 large gatorade containers (filled with water) each to Alma Mater, Hallene Gateway, and Campus Bike Center by 3:30 pm tomorrow (September 15, 2022) for Light the Night event.

  15. Email to IUB: Help with Bike to Work Day and Light the Night event

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day
    Light the Night

    Sarthak Prasad sent an email to Dave Guth to connect with Illini Union Board for help with Light the Night 2022 as well as Bike to Work Day and Light the Night events in 2023 going forward.

    -----------------------

    Hi Dave,

    As you may already know, we organized Bike to Work Day today from 7 – 10 am, with one of the locations being the Alma Mater station! I had several people signed up to volunteer and only a few of them showed up this morning. I am hoping that IUB could send some volunteers for Light the Night event (tomorrow from 4-7 pm), in case something like this happened again. Could you please let me know if IUB could help out tomorrow?

    I would also like to ask IUB, if they could lead the Alma Mater welcoming station for Bike to Work Day and Light the Night events next year. Thank you,

    Sarthak

  16. EV charging stations and a personalized update about EVs - Robert O'Daniell

    Associated Project(s): 
    Install Public Use Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations
    Use Electric Vehicles (EV)

    Following is an email from Robert O'Daniell regarding EV charging stations and his experience during his recent road trip.

    From: Robert O'Daniell
    Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2022 2:58 PM
    To: White, Morgan; Prasad, Sarthak; Kontou, Eleftheria
    Subject: A personalized update about EVs

     

    Hi - I did another roadtrip this weekend.  At a DCFC I chatted with a guy on a longer road trip that was intent on charging to 100%.   He was there a very long time as the charger slows remarkably as they go beyond 90%. For him to charge from 90% to 100% would take 15 minutes to get 25 miles. I spent 12 minutes at Target and got 75 miles of charge. 

     

    As this year has rolled on, attempts to improve my EV charging survey has waned. There has been decreasing willingness of people participating and I was having doubts about the questions I was asking.   So I have stopped.  And then the EV sections of the Inflation Reduction Act turned everything on its head.  

    Even the piece by Kontou that the July 28th IDOT WebEx meeting mentioned  as cutting edge shows its age in only a little over two years.  ( first a disclaimer - inspite of being a math major at UI 50 years ago, the equations and graphs in her report are a little too esoteric for me.)  But some of the basic information  demonstrates remarkable changes,  It mentioned 50 kw charging as fast, now NEVI mandates a minimum of 150kw (350 kw is now fast).   Mentioned charging locations that numbered at 1300.  Now Tesla alone has 1200 supercharger locations,  The mentioned EVgo has dropped from prominence, now Electrify America from its infancy in 2019 now leads the way. Electrify America currently has 800 and most are up to NEVI standards.   EVs charging up on off-peak hours takes advantage of unused capacity at those times ( and gets a discount). And now with two way charging, EVs can put power back on the grid at some heavy peak use periods. (Known as V2G)  Predictions of some EV issues will be difficult.


    Recent V2G articles.  

    https://electrek.co/2022/08/25/electric-school-buses-supply-80-hrs-energy-massachussetts-grid/

     

    BMW, Ford, GM will help incentivize California EV drivers to charge off-peak

     

    Can a Garage Full of Revel Taxis Stop the Next Blackout?

     

    Brooklyn-based Vehicle-to-Grid Bidirectional Station Charging back into NYC Grid | EnergyTech

     

    Alf+T0JozD8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=

     

    So - EV charging will have two opposite effects on the grid.  Occasionally add to a peak load. But also help balance the load on the grid by taking some energy during off-peak hours and putting it back during peak load pressures. 

     

    EV charging also has another opposition.   DCFC continuing to get faster and  Levels 1 & 2 staying the same or getting slower. 


    The two factors are the "60% rule" and the increasing acceptance of convenience charging. 

     

     The 60% rule is to only charge between 20% and 80% (the 60% in the middle).   This protects battery life and has the advantage of saving time. Saved time is illustrated in the opening paragraph of this email.  3 times the charge in slightly less time.

     

    Accepting convenience charging is maximizing charging convenience.  Speed at DCFC.  And if its not convenient, I don’t charge (even if free). A different take on “Willingness To Pay” (if the charger is 100 yards away and I’ll only get 10 miles, why bother)

     

    Faster = = DCFC & the NEVI guidelines. DCFC is at least twice as fast when charging from 20% to 30% than it is when  charging from 70% to 80%.  Nobody (should) wants to charge to 100%, where the charging speed is similar to Level 2 charger.  Lots of current EVs charge faster than my car, and I can add 75 miles in the time it takes to use the rest room.  With the NEVI 50 mile interval, it guarantees roadtrips with minimal times as drivers plan better. 


    Slower = =  For my home, I spent $200 on the slowest level 2 charger available (16 amp).  Even if my VW is down to 20% when I go to bed, my "slow" charger will add enough range to get from CU to Woodridge ( 142 miles) when I get up.  In the 8 hour “off peak” window, 90 miles can be added. 

     

    Since few people in this area need 75 miles to get home from work, those that need to add charge before leaving work for home can get what they need from the slowest level 2 chargers.  This could save money for places like UI by reducing the cost of the EVSE and the necessary wiring for them.  It would be interesting to know if any workers at UI would  pay extra to rent a reserved parking space with a charger. (For those with longer commutes or no chargers at their apartment complex)

     

    We need to get our municipal leaders to get involved with IDOT and get one or more of the DCFC locations paid for with Federal money (NEVI program). Those DCFCs could fulfill all of UI needs for short term EV charging and the need for level 1 or 2 charging spaces.   But as a visible sign of support of sustainability issues, some should still be there. 

     

    Level 2 destination chargers scattered throughout the community will always be both used and appreciated,  As EV drivers learn the most efficient ways to charge, their WTP for level 2 charging will wane.   WTP for DCFC will always be there.


    Thank you for your time. 

     

    ps.  as a side note - a few details to go but I will be doing an EV interest group at OLLI soon.  (OLLI - UI affiliate of Osher Life Long Learning Institute)

     

    Robert K. O'Daniell

    Photographer Emeritus-News-Gazette

  18. Email to volunteers

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Following email was sent to all volunteers at Alma Mater welcoming station on September 13, 2022. Similar emails were sent to volunteers at other location as well.

    ----------------------------------

    Hello, Thank you for volunteering to help at the Campus Alma Mater station on Bike to Work Day tomorrow morning!

    Please review the attached Volunteer Instructions and Talking Points before tomorrow’s event.  Printed copies of this will also be available at your station.

    Your station manager, Sarthak Prasad, is copied on this email.  Please communicate any schedule changes or questions to him.

    Thank you!

    Gabe

  19. Email to welcoming station managers

    Associated Project(s): 
    C-U Bike to Work Day

    Following email was sent to all BTWD welcoming station managers on Septmber 13, 2022.

    ------------------------------------------------

    Hi Bike to Work Day station managers!

    Tomorrow is the big event!  Please follow these 6 steps this week:

     

    1. Tuesday – Pick up your station box at Charlie’s house (805 S. Coler Ave., Urbana)
      1. Enter the screened-in porch, and find your box(es) with your station name on it.
      2. Papers in your box:  registration list, on-site registration forms, volunteer instructions, talking points, fall bike activity flyers, bike registration QR code
      3. Other items:  t-shirts, donation can, handouts & coupons in brochure holders, hand sanitizer
    2. Tuesday – Connect with your volunteers
      1. I will be sending emails to each station manager, and the people who signed up to volunteer at your station, with volunteer instructions.  Full list of names attached.
    3. Wednesday – Get an accurate count of people who stopped by your station
      1. Use the printed, stapled registration list in your box to check off people when they arrive at your station.
      2. You’ll get another updated list tonight with people who registered between Monday afternoon and Tuesday night.  Print or refer to this list on your phone on Wednesday morning, and write down everyone who stops by.
      3. If someone DIDN’T register online, have them fill out an ON-SITE REGISTRATION FORM included in your box.
      4. Return ALL paperwork in your box to Charlie’s house by Friday.
    4. Wednesday – Give away your freebies!
      1. T-shirts are available while supplies last.  Extras go back in your box to Charlie’s house.  If people are looking for a different size, send them to the Urbana Farmer’s Market Bike Table (NW corner) on Saturday between 8a-12n.
      2. Your box has bike maps, rules of the road, organization materials, hand sanitizer, and business coupons!  People can take as much as they want.
    5. Wednesday – Take & share pictures!
      1. Take some pictures at your station (with participant permission), and send them to Evan (ealvarez@cumtd.com) or post them on Facebook and tag “C-U Bike Month.”
    6. After the event – Return your leftover materials to Charlie’s house by Friday.
      1. This includes registration forms, the donation can, t-shirts, handouts, and the yard sign.

     

    Thanks!
    Gabe

     

    Gabriel Lewis, AICP

    Planner

     

    Planning and Community Development

    A division of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission

     

    1776 E. Washington St, Urbana, IL 61802
    P 217.328.3313 | D 217.819.4102 | ccrpc.org

     

    RPC

     

    People. Possibilities.
    Attached Files: 

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