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Projects Updates for theme: Transportation

  2. Weekly Update: Bike to Work Day; Light the Night; Grand Re-opening

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

    All, Heck of a week we just had. Tuesday was Bike To Work Day and Light The Night; both events went well. CBC as a LTN location was not as popular as the other two spots but we are still only in our second year of offering this location; the other two spots have been there for over 10 years and have a lot more passers-by. I do appreciate the convenience of not having to go anywhere for the event, though!

    BTWD was a decent turn out. We had around 30 people stop by to pick up their shirts. iSEE shot some footage for a promo video. I also talked with a few profs/pro staff folks who said this was their first bike commute, which was great. Hopefully they’ll stick with it! It also reminded me I need to brush up on my beginning commuter tips…

    Our Grand Opening event was a success. We got to show off our space to quite a few people who’d never been by before and a handful of regulars that were duly impressed with the upgrade from our old space.

    This week I’ve got a new student worker starting, so that will be a welcomed addition to the team. I’ll also pick up some bikes from TBP for rebuild as we’re flush out of decent Shop Builds. Demand has waned a bit or word is spreading that we’re out of bikes so fewer folks are coming by—either way, we’ll get a few more fixed up this week.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: TBD
    Sales: $513.50
    Bikes (refurb): 1 for $180
    Memberships: 5 for $150
    Tire/tubes: 6 for $19.50

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  4. Walkability Audit: Week 5 meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Walkability Study

    On Tuesday September 17, 2021, Sutapa and Sarthak met to discuss the progress of the Survey Questionnaire of the Walkability Audit. Several walkability toolkits were identified as potential references for creating a consolidated survey questionnaire. First draft of the new questionnaire was discussed and corrections were identified.

    The survey questions as well as the Training manual will be finalized by Sept end.

  5. Bike Day 2021 held on September 14, 2021

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

    Bike Day 2021 was organized on September 14, 2021! Here are some of the numbers from the events from Bike Day 2021.

    Bike to Work Day:

    • Held in the morning from 7 - 10 am
    • Record-breaking event with 16 welcoming stations in Champaign County, including 9 on-campus
    • Record 802 pre-registrations to attend the event and more than 150 walk-in registrations
    • University Housing provided refreshments to all campus welcoming stations
    • iSEE produced a video highlighting the event

    Light the Night:

    • Held in the evening from 4 - 7 pm
    • Three locations: Alma Mater, Hallene Gateway, and Campus Bike Center
    • 40 volunteers for the event
    • installed nearly 750 light sets (front and rear)

    General feedback was very positive from the campus community members. Several mentioned that holding these events in September felt like a welcoming event and gave the returning and new students an opportunity to explore the campus and community on bike and learn about the bike program at the beginning of school year!

    The Bike Month Planning team and Light the Night Planning teams are considering organizing both of these events in the fall semester going forward.

  9. F&S Announcement about Bike Day events!

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

    Celebrate CU Bike Day 2021
     
    Be a part of two great upcoming bicycle events on Tuesday, September 14. You can participate, volunteer, or do both! 

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign achieved the Silver-level Bicycle Friendly University status in October 2019 because of its ongoing commitment to improving bicycle education, infrastructure, and programs. Visit the Bike at Illinois website to learn more about the many efforts that support bicycling on campus.
     
    Bike to Work Day
    Champaign County Bike to Work Day returns this semester. There will be 17 welcoming stations open between 7 and 10 a.m., with nine on the Urbana campus. Grab a snack and get some free Bike at Illinois merchandise and a T-shirt! To get the free T-shirt, you must register and bring your bicycle! 
     
    Light the Night
    The 14th annual Light the Night, a free bike light giveaway, will be held that evening from 4 to 7 p.m. at three locations:

    • Alma Mater Plaza
    • Hallene Gateway (intersection of Illinois Street and Lincoln Avenue)
    • Campus Bike Center (51. E. Gregory Drive) 

    Participants must bring their bicycles to receive the free light sets; lights will only be installed on bicycles without lights. Volunteers are needed in the afternoon and evening for three shifts. Fill out the volunteer sign-up form to assist. All volunteers will be required to wear face coverings during the event.

  10. Weekly Update: Grand Re-opening on Sept. 16; New hires!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Another busy week. Only managed to replenish our stock of For Sale Bikes by a few this week but sold them all within an hour of being open each day. Demand for bikes is still sky-high. Accordingly, most—if not all—of the Build-a-Bikes have been claimed. We did receive a couple of viable donations we’ll fix up this week.

    This week, I’ll also be promoting our Grand Re-Opening that’s happening Thursday, 9/16 from 4 – 7p. We’ve got flyers we’re handing out and talking it up to everyone who comes into the Bike Center. Here’s a blurb we can share out to relevant contacts:


    On Thursday, September 16th, from 4-7, Campus Bike Center is celebrating their Grand Re-Opening at their new location on 51 E. Gregory Dr., Champaign, IL 61820. Come enjoy fun activities, games, and a chance to win a free bike! UIPD will be doing an escorted ride around the block at 5:00 for riders who would like to join. There will be tabling from campus and community organizations, and on the basketball court side you will get a chance to make a basket and be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a refurbished bicycle. We plan to give away an adult bike and a child one. See you there!

    We’ve got a couple new hires in the pipeline that should be onboard in the next week or so—fingers crossed.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 105
    Sales: $1,732
    Bikes (refurb): 3 for $675
    Build-a-Bike: 3 for $120
    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Tires/tubes: 17 for $82

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  11. Walkability Audit: Week 4 meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Walkability Study

    On Tuesday September 7, 2021, Sutapa and Sarthak met to discuss the Survey Questionnaire of the Walkability Audit. Each question of the MAPS tool was analysed and a decision to restructure the questionnaire was taken.

    On Thursday September 9, 2021, Sutapa, Sarthak and Prof. Lindsay Braun met for discussing the Survey questionnaire and the Deficiency report. The decision of focusing on 5 major categories was agreed on, which are as follows:

    1.  Context
    2.  Safety
    3.  Accessibility
    4.  Connectivity
    5.  Walk Appeal

    In conclusion, the database of the Walkability audit is to be collected using two methods: The Survey Questionnaire (focuses on the sub-block area as a whole) and the Deficiency report (focuses on individual locations within each sub-block).

    Attached Files: 

  12. Walkability Audit: Week 3 meeting

    Associated Project(s): 
    Walkability Study

    On September 2, 2021, Sarthak and Sutapa met with F&S-TDM, F&S Grounds, DRES, F&S FIR, and faculty from the Urban Planning departments to discuss the updates regarding the Walkability Audit. Following is the brief outline from the meeting:

    Proposal to do a 2-step data collection was finalized during the meeting. 

    1. The Survey Questionnaire (using 123 survey app)
    1. The Deficiency Report (using maps of sub blocks) - also using the survey123 app

    The study is to be performed using four main parameters ( Safety, Accessibility, Connectivity and Walk Appeal). The study will also include entrances to the buildings as well as ADA ramps.

    The next steps to be performed for the Project is to finalize the survey questionnaire and the individual maps of each subdivision (showing sidewalks, crosswalks, and entrances). The training manual is scheduled to be worked on right afterwards. Call for volunteers in the newsletter to be posted soon.

    Attached Files: 

  13. University's first ever Bike Shelter installed!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bike Shelter at Flagg Hall

    A first of its kind at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a 14’x63’ covered Bike Shelter has been installed and is ready for use in the Ikenberry Commons area between Flagg Hall and Noble Hall. It can accommodate up to 96 bicycles at a time utilizing side stage (vertical) bike racks.

    See attached the pictures from first week of August!

    Attached Files: 

  15. Updated list of sustainability projects that need YOU!!!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Independent Student Projects
    Tree Campus Higher Education
    ENG 177 GFX Global Sustainability Scholars
    NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors
    Green Infrastructure
    EPA SmartWay Affiliate
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Compost at National Soybean Research Center (NSRC) [ARCHIVED]
    Green Sports Alliance (GSA)

    This is a list of projects that need students to work on.  It will be updated periodically by sustainability staff members, the last update was 8/30/21:

    • The campus MS4 stormwater permit currently has 49 Best Management Practices (BMPs) that have to be completed annually https://fs.illinois.edu/services/safety-and-compliance/about-the-program . One of the 49 BMPs is a Public Education and Outreach requirement to broadcast or publish one stormwater Public Service Announcement (PSA) on social media, radio, television and/or internet. We currently have a couple on our website and would like to keep it up to date with new materials whenever possible.  https://fs.illinois.edu/services/safety-and-compliance/about-the-program/events-and-outreach. Another opportunity is for a Public Participation and Involvement BMP to discuss and provide opportunity for public input on the Storm Water Program (permit BMPs), climate change and environmental justice topics. This could be met by webinars, PSAs, posters, etc. Contact is Betsy Liggett.
    • Develop informational messaging about SmartWay, get more UIUC departments aware of the program, and coordinate a related student event.  Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
    • Support the Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation (CCDCF) Board with their county-wide efforts for conservation and design.
    • Conduct a campus poll (fall semester 2021) regarding the Top 10 most iconic/significant/impressive trees on campus (including the arboretum). Develop an online survey tool (i.e., an online poll) whereby students and campus employees can nominate their favorite campus trees. Upon conclusion of the survey, work with Jay Hayek to tabulate and rank the results and create a publicly viewable ArcGIS Online StoryMap showcasing campuses Top Ten Trees. Prepare a presentation of results for the annual Arbor Day Celebration. Contact Jay Hayek at jhayek at illinois.edu.
    • Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Illini Union.
    • Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Huff Hall.
    • Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: ECE Building.
    • Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Armory.
    • Follow through with Facility Liaisons for implementation of recommendations from NRES 285: iCAP Sustainability Ambassadors class: Bevier Hall.
    • CCNet Website: Work with the Champaign County Sustainability Network (CCNet) leadership team to redesign and publish the CCNet website (old version is online at http://www.champaigncountynet.org/). There is a monthly brown bag sustainability networking event on the Third Thursday of each month, but the website hasn't been updated since 2016. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
    • We are seeking a student volunteer who can do tree identification for a series of trees in the Arboretum, and work with the University Landscape Architect, Brent Lewis, and the Superintendent of Grounds, Ryan Welch, to compare the tree identification to the draft tree inventory. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
    • Work on outlining sustainable initiatives that DIA can take in support of the Green Sports Alliance. Contact Meredith Moore, mkm0078 at llinois.edu.
    • Help iSEE develop a Sustainability Literacy Assessment. Contact Meredith Moore, mkm007 at illinois.edu. 
    • Help identify and develop opportunities for intersecting sustainability and the arts (sustainability murals, utility box artwork, etc.). Contact Meredith Moore, mkm0078 at illinois.edu. 
    • Develop permanent posters for the Solar Farm 2.0, to guide tour participants at the site. Contact Morgan White at mbwhite at illinois.edu.
    • Help iSEE work with Student Sustainability Committee grant to expand small scale campus composting. Contact Meredith Moore at mkm0078 at illinois.edu.
    • If you have a project idea, please contact us at sustainability@illinois.edu, or submit it through the iCAP Portal Suggestions page.

  16. Weekly Update: Sold out most bikes; Short-staffed; LCI training in September!

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, No mistaking it now. We’re busy, busy, busy. We’ve sold out of all our regular-sized bikes and only have 3 left that fill out the extreme ends of the size-spectrum:  two very small and one very large bike.

    We’ve been very vocal about hiring here while we’re open and have had some verbal interest but nothing that has actually translated to applications—yet. I did interview and am in the hiring process for one new employee, so that’s a start.

    On Friday, Jeff Yockey stopped by and grabbed a handful of Grand Opening flyers to hand out at the Habitat Bicycle Sale. Habitat sells some of their bikes in As Is condition meaning folks might need somewhere or some parts to get their bikes rolling a little better and we’d be just the place. Always nice to get our name out to the larger community.

    On Saturday,  I participated in LAB’s Traffic Skills 101 course. Despite 13 years of regular commuting, not all of the maneuvers and handling came naturally to me. Always more to learn. Up next is the official LCI training seminar in September.

    This week I’ll be fielding more applications and building bikes to attempt to meet demand.

    The numbers:

    Visitors: 141
    Sales: $2,100.50

    Memberships: 17 for $510
    Bikes: 8 for $1,190
    Tires/tubes: 12 for $39
    U-locks: 6 for $136

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

  17. Walkability Audit: Week 2 meeting between Sarthak and Sutapa

    Associated Project(s): 
    Walkability Study

    The Walkability Audit FY 2021-22 commences with designing a system to study the Walkability Index of the campus of UIUC and its neighboring areas. The site of intervention is divided into 29 divisions. A 2-level survey is chosen in order to generate an in-depth analysis, the survey questionnaire and a detailed study per division. The questionnaire takes care of overall parameters like pedestrian facilities, maintenance, crosswalks, aesthetics, path size, universal accessibility, shade, buffers etc (more to be added later) and is scored using 0-5 pts. The detailed study identifies and locates existing problems relevant to each division/subdivision individually.

    By mid-September 2021, all the walkability parameters and the survey questionnaire will be finalized and the training manual for volunteers will be developed. Volunteers will be provided with maps of their respective subdivisions and trained to correctly observe each parameter and take reference pictures if need be. The data will be collected in the month of October after the training is complete. Volunteers will work in teams and a single division will be documented by 3 different volunteers after which an average of the scores will be generated. This average score is believed to best represent each parameter. Volunteer groups will be kept the same throughout each study level for consistency of scores. The database with scores should be generated at the end of October 2021 after which the Analysis phase of the Walkability Audit will commence.

  18. Reservations available for UI Ride shuttle service

    Associated Project(s): 
    Encourage Use of Intercity Buses

    Reservations are again being accepted for UI Ride, the convenient University of Illinois System shuttle service. This service connects the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago universities and the Discovery Partners Institute. For fall 2021, UI Ride makes two daily round trips, three days a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays). The comfortable 18-seat buses offer onboard Wi-Fi and work stations.

    Reservations available for UI Ride shuttle service

    Kirsten Ruby • Office for University Relations

  20. Weekly Update: Very busy; Short Staffed

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center

    All, Last week was absolutely bonkers busy. We sold out of most of our bikes, handed out bike registration stickers, and taken in some drop-off repairs. We were closed on Friday for a staff training so we did all that in two days. We’re really getting to see how our new space handles the crush of people this time of year. Only downside is we’re only able to be open M/W/F since we’re critically low on staffing. Once we hire and onboard more folks, we’ll be able to bump up our hours some more.

    Over the weekend we had the Illini Frenzy event which was a great outreach opportunity. We handed out lots of Bike Center stickers, slap bracelets and flyers.

    This week will likely be as busy or busier than last. Buckle up!

    The numbers:

    Sales: $1,848
    Bikes: 9 for $1,410
    Memberships: 6 for $180
    Tire/tubes: 17 for $66

    U-locks: 10 for $215

    Thanks!

    Jacob Benjamin
    Campus Bike Center Coordinator

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