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Projects Updates for theme: Transportation

  1. Every Bike Counts!

    Associated Project(s): 

    The University of Illinois is partnering with Champaign County Bikes to host the first-ever campus-wide bicycle census during Sustainability Week 2013. Volunteers will be dispatched across campus to help count parked bicycles during a one-hour period at 10am on October 23. The findings of the count will help inform future decisions around bicycle infrastructure, parking, and programming on campus. Sign up to volunteer or to learn more at http://go.illinois.edu/BikeCount2013. RSVP on Facebook to help spread the word!

  2. Bikes in parking decks?

    Associated Project(s): 

    Katie, I have not forgotten about this.  I am working on tracking down the “master plan” so to say for the existing parking decks.  Several are in need of repair & we are looking at what to do in the long run.  There is a feasibility study that will take place over the next year or so to determine what to do.   I am still looking into covered parking in the unused corners of parking garage spaces, but I want to wisely invest the $ into something that will last for a long time.   Thank you for your feedback and patience.   From: Johnston, Morgan B  Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 5:08 PM To: Katie Kinley Cc: DeLorenzo, Stacey Subject: RE: Bike Parking   Hi Katie,   Stacey DeLorenzo is the new TDM Coordinator and she is handling the bike parking infrastructure needs.  I think that she would be a good first place to start.  I know that the SSC funded bike parking does not include parking inside the North Campus Parking Deck (NCPD), which is the ECE garage you are thinking of.   I also know that the Parking Department has historically avoided bike parking inside decks/garages, due to safety concerns.  Stacey can talk with the Parking Director, Michelle Wahl, and perhaps you can work together to get Parking to agree to let some be added there…   Stacey, Katie is the SSC Transportation Working Group chair.  So, when we have the ARC’s approval of the new bike racks, she is one who will be copied on the scope change request.   Thanks!! Morgan   ============================ Ms. Morgan B. Johnston Sustainability Coordinator University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Facilities & Services, 115J PPSB, MC-800 1501 S. Oak, Champaign, IL 61820 217-333-2668 mbjohnst@illinois.edu http://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu     From: Katie Kinley [mailto:krkinley@gmail.com]  Sent: Friday, September 20, 2013 4:54 PM To: Johnston, Morgan B Subject: Bike Parking   Hi Morgan,   Who could I ask about whether or not there will be bike parking inside the ECE parking garage??   Thanks,   Katie Kinley

  3. Bicycle Class Request Form Created

    In order to gauge demand in existing and new classes, we have created a Bicycle Class Request Form so that students, employees and community members can request new opportunities to learn more about bicycles. The form link appears when an existing bicycle class registration is already full, so that we can estimate how many additional people tried to register for classes that have reached maximum capacity.  The form can also be used to suggest new bicycle safety or mechanics classes. 

  4. Letter to SSC

    Dear Student Sustainability Committee,   As the new Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Coordinator in Facilities & Services, I am writing to introduce myself to the Committee and provide you with an update on the Bicycle Parking Upgrade project, which I have taken over as part of my new role. We have been transitioning the role of TDM Coordinator from Morgan Johnston to me since June, and she has been working to bring me up to speed on the large number of transportation infrastructure projects happening across campus, including bicycle parking upgrades. While we have made progress toward the completion of this project, we are requesting an additional extension to finish the work.   In addition to the delay from the staff transition period, we have taken some time to evaluate our various options to ensure that the upgraded racks provide the long-term solution that was intended by SSC’s funding award. One of the primary challenges with this project is that many of the bike parking locations selected for this project are in need of concrete or pavement upgrades; however, funding is not in the TDM budget to pay for these upgrades. One location, the Art & Design Building, has been completed so far with financial support from the Art & Design Department to re-lay new concrete at that site.  For the majority of the other locations, however, there is no funding available from the departments to repair or replace the cracked and degraded concrete.  This has made us hesitant to install new bicycle racks onto pavement that will need to be replaced in a matter of years.   As a more permanent solution, we are looking at a few alternative configurations of bike racks.  All those we are considering are moveable and can easily be relocated – whether to upgrade the pavement beneath them, to accommodate a construction project, or to permanently relocate a building’s bicycle parking to a more optimal location over time.  We are looking at rack units which can be purchased and also a rack where 5 U-loops would be installed on rails, rather than directly cemented into the ground. While the initial cost of constructing the loops on rails is higher, it is a much more sustainable approach to bike parking given the challenges at these locations, and it is more affordable than replacing the pavement at each location. A rack unit can also be placed on permeable pavement, or even in a gravel/grass location temporarily as needed.  The lifespan of a bike rack unit is significantly higher, and offers much greater flexibility for placement and upkeep of the racks and surrounding landscape. Due to a potential increased initial cost of the racks on rails configuration (if this is what is determined to be the approved configuration), I may be requesting approval to change the scope of the project.  A change of scope is necessary because fewer total bike parking loops may be possible when on racks. Once we have identified a configuration that meets the best need of the users, we will be ready to proceed with the project and do not expect any further delays, but getting to this point has taken longer than originally expected. We anticipate being finished with the installation of these racks before the beginning of the fall semester 2014. Please let me know whether this change in the scope of the project is acceptable to the SSC.  I will keep you informed on the status and look forward to working with you on the best solution for our campus. Facilities & Services is incredibly grateful to the SSC for your ongoing support for sustainable transportation initiatives on campus, and we look forward to continuing to work with you to make the campus more bike-able, walkable, and transit-friendly. If you would like more detail, please contact me.   Thank you,   Stacey DeLorenzo Design Review Coordinator Transportation Demand Management Coordinator University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Facilities Services Office: 217-300-1750 Cell: 217-722-4992        

  5. Illinois joins EPA's SmartWay Transport Partnership

    Associated Project(s): 

    The University of Illinois recently became the first academic institution to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership.  "As the first-ever academic institution to register in SmartWay, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign leads the way for universities and other institutions to work as shippers in SmartWay and engage with their carriers and suppliers to improve freight efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions from goods movement while also helping enhance our nation's energy security,” said Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.

  6. Graduate Research Assistant Hired to Aid in Bicycle Sharing

    Associated Project(s): 

    Facilities & Services has hired Grace Kyung, a Masters of Urban Planning student to work on bicycle sharing for campus during the ‘13-’14 school year. This will be a 25% assistantship, focusing primarily on departmental bike sharing first, and then on bike rentals and a campus-wide bike share program for the general public.  Funding for this GRA position is being provided by Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS).

     

    Position Description:

    The Bicycle Sharing Graduate Research Assistant will work with the Campus Bicycle Coordinator under Facilities & Services to research and facilitate new bicycle sharing opportunities for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The RA will research bicycle sharing best practices at peer institutions and communities around the United States, and will make recommendations based on this research to follow the existing recommendations of the 2012 Bicycle Sharing Feasibility Study. The RA will be the primary point of contact for departments interested in launching their own departmental bicycle sharing programs for university employees, including a small number of departments who have agreed to pilot such programs in the coming year. The RA will also develop and maintain a Bicycle Sharing Manual and Toolkit to help assist additional interested departments in the future. The RA will conduct research to determine the best solution for bike sharing or rentals for students and visitors on campus, by partnering with a variety of campus units and community agencies. 

  7. LINC Class

    Associated Project(s): 

    This semester there are 7 students registered for the LINC UI Bikes Section  and 2 project managers. Their main project involves thinking of innovative and creative ideas for increasing the number of registered bikes on campus. Their goal consists of registering 3,000 bikes by the end of the semester!    

  8. request for public charging station

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Skaggs, Thomas R

    Sent: Monday, September 09, 2013 10:39 AM

    To: amhobbs22@gmail.com

    Cc: Ivey, David J; Wahl, Michelle

    Subject: FW: electric vehicle charging stations

    Dear Mr. Hobbs,

       Thank you for contacting the Parking Department and providing your comments.  While electric charging stations are not readily available on our campus, there are discussions currently underway that include the Parking Department about the installation of electric charging stations.  We are in touch with other campuses around the nation and many are likewise exploring the use of EV stations.  Because the scale of the UIUC campus is vast, the program requires extra consideration, funding and logistics to execute.  Please know however, that UI is committed to sustainability and will continue our effort.

      Again, thank you for your input.  We hope your visit to our campus was enjoyable.

    Regards,

    Thomas Skaggs

    Coordinator

     

    -----Original Message-----

    From: Martin Hobbs [mailto:amhobbs22@gmail.com]

    Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2013 10:16 AM

    To: parkingcomments@illinois.edu; esbeaty@urbanaillinois.us

    Subject: electric vehicle charging stations

    To Whom It May Concern:

    I visited the U of I campus yesterday to attend a football game and was disappointed in the absence of EV charging stations.  I would expect a university and city of this caliber to have numerous Level II charging stations available for the public to use.  Normal/Bloomington have dozens of public EV charging stations, all of which are free to the public to use.  Many are located on or near the ISU campus.  Is the Bloomington/Normal and ISU community that much more progressive and environmentally friendly than the U of I and Champaign/Urbana community.  I don't think necessarily that is the case, but the absence of electric vehicle charging stations sure leaves a black mark on the reputation of the university and the community.  I sincerely hope that your community has plans to install Level 2 charging stations in the near future.

    Sincerely,

    Martin Hobbs

    Eureka, IL

  9. Library interested in getting bike lockers

    Associated Project(s): 

    Hi Jim and Morgan,

    Can this project be funded in total by the Students for Sustainability grant?  If not, there is insufficient support at this time from the Library to assist in funding the initiative. 

    Thanks

    Jeff

    From: Lev, James R
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2013 4:24 PM
    To: Slater, Robert; Johnston, Morgan B; Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Cc: Neptune, Amelia
    Subject: RE: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    Thanks

    The proposal raises some questions.  Some practical, some policy. 

    We will meet with Amelia and  she can do a little research for us.   

    Jim

    James R. Lev AIA
    Architect, Capital Planning

    University of Illinois
    Planning Division, Facilities & Services
    1501 South Oak Street, 115B PPSB MC-800
    Champaign, Illinois 61820

    (217) 244-5095, fax (217) 244-5775
    Email: jrlev@illinois.edu
    url: www.fs.uiuc.edu

    From: Slater, Robert
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2013 2:00 PM
    To: Johnston, Morgan B; Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Cc: Neptune, Amelia; Lev, James R
    Subject: RE: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    Thanks Morgan.

    I was curious about how much these cost, so I checked with one of the companies that seems to be used by several other Universities and major public venues around the country (although there are two other companies that also seem popular I didn’t check with them for comparative quotes, since this was very preliminary research). I worked with Brittany Chavez (turtle.storage.ltd@gmail.com) from the American Bicycle Security Company and she provided the attached quote for a trial size set (25 units) which runs about $40,000 (including delivery) and, I’m spitballing here, but I’m guessing another $5,000-$10,000 in local labor to have them installed, so about $50,000 ($2,000/unit) complete.

    This include some local customization (orange/blue theme, i-mark on the front door).

    -Robert

    From: Johnston, Morgan B
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2013 1:52 PM
    To: Schrader, Jeffrey M; Slater, Robert
    Cc: Neptune, Amelia; Lev, James R
    Subject: RE: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    Hi Robert and Jeff,

    The appropriate approval for a bike locker would come from the Architecture Review Committee (ARC).  Jim Lev, copied here, is the chair of that committee.  I always start with them for proposed changes to the exterior campus space. 

    I’ve also copied Amelia Neptune here, as the Campus Bicycle Coordinator in my office.  She would be a good reference for understanding the preferences of cyclists around campus, if you would like that input.

    Please keep me informed about any decisions to put in bike lockers.  It is one of the items that we get asked about and I’d like to know if you do end up getting some installed.

    Thanks a ton,

    Morgan

    From: Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2013 1:10 PM
    To: Slater, Robert
    Cc: Johnston, Morgan B
    Subject: RE: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    Hi Robert,

    Morgan Johnston would be the Campus contact.  I will let her answer your questions.

    Thanks

    Jeff

    From: Slater, Robert
    Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2013 11:30 AM
    To: Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Subject: RE: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    Hey Jeff,

    I finally got a quote back from those bicycle locker companies. They run about $1500-$2000 a piece (unless you are ordering a ton, in which case the offer a per unit discount). What campus entity makes the decision on what bike racks are purchased and where they are installed? Does each college/unit decide for the area around their building? On their own or with the blessing of campus facilities?

    From: University of Illinois Library News [mailto:LIBNEWS-L@LISTSERV.ILLINOIS.EDU] On Behalf Of Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Sent: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 11:19 AM
    To: LIBNEWS-L@LISTSERV.ILLINOIS.EDU
    Subject: Re: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus - REMINDER

    The bicycle thefts across Campus continue.  Please review the Libnews message below sent in July 2013.

    Also, please remember bicycles are not allowed in Campus Buildings.

    Campus Policy

    http://admin.illinois.edu/policy/code/article2_part6_2-601.html

    Library Policy

    The Library policy is in the patron policy section under Use of Bicycle and Laptop Locks:

    http://www.library.illinois.edu/administration/services/policies/patron_conduct.html

    Thank you

    Jeff Schrader

    From: Schrader, Jeffrey M
    Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 10:20 AM
    To: LIBNEWS-L@LISTSERV.ILLINOIS.EDU
    Subject: FACILITIES NOTICE: Bicycle Thefts Across Campus

    FACILITIES NOTICE:

    Bicycle Thefts Across Campus

    There has been an increase in bicycle thefts in north and central campus areas over the past few months.  The four most recent have involved security cables being cut.  Individuals may wish to purchase locks that cannot be cut.

    Local retailers:

    http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=Bicycle+Locks&adid=22222222220202382092&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=30634785836&wl4=&veh=sem

    http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=bike+locks&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_bike+locks

    http://www.meijer.com/catalog/search_command.cmd?keyword=bike+locks

    Jeff Schrader

  10. Bicycle Ambassador Program Launching

    Applications are now being accepted for a new Bicycle Ambassador program at the University of Illinois.  Bicycle Ambassadors are bicycling enthusiasts who will promote bicycling for transportation, raise awareness about the rights and responsbilities of cyclists, and foster a postitive bicycle culture on our campus.  Interested students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to sign up to become a Bicycle Ambassador today! 

    Learn more on the Bike Ambassador project page: https://icap.sustainability.illinois.edu/project/bicycle-ambassador-program

  11. 2014 Bicycle Guide & Map Released

    Associated Project(s): 

    Champaign County Bikes, with support from the University of Illinois, the Cities of Champaign and Urbana, and many local area organizations and businesses, has released the 2014 Champaign-Urbana-Savoy Area Bicycle Guide and Map.  

    The Office of the Dean of Students sponsored the printing of 12,000 copies of the map for Campus, which are being distributed to units in August. University staff and student interns worked with CCB to help edit and design the Guide and Map.

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