UNC Asheville continues to be nationally recognized for its consistent campus sustainability efforts. The League of American Bicyclists has awarded a 2022 Bronze-level award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe and accessible bicycling on campus. This is UNC Asheville’s first time to receive recognition as a Bicycle Friendly University.
Director of Sustainability Alison Ormsby and UNC Asheville junior Joe Franco led the efforts for this award. With support from the Campus Recreation Bike Shop student workers, the team cataloged roadways, safety measures, infrastructure including bike rack numbers and locations, and bike accessibility for students, faculty, and staff.
The team’s report highlighted the Campus Recreation Bike Shop’s ongoing offerings and efforts, which include bike rentals and repairs, and teaching bike maintenance skills. The shop, located in UNC Asheville’s Highsmith Student Union, offers educational events about the environmental benefits of biking, bike maintenance, and group bike rides.
Franco says this work will serve as a launching point for extending bike-friendly programming on campus.
“We are going to actively collaborate with the local community organization Asheville on Bikes, and we are in contact with the City of Asheville’s Greenways and Multi-modal program,” said Franco. “We have incorporated biking improvements into our draft campus Climate Action Plan and will work with faculty to incorporate bike-related projects into their classes.”
UNC Asheville’s Bicycle Friendly recognition comes as Asheville continues to make its own advancements in transportation options for area residents. The recent Merrimon road diet and the future expansion of Asheville greenways through the “Close the GAP” plan serve as support for UNC Asheville’s continued efforts to create bike-friendly transportation options for its students.
“This round of Bicycle Friendly Universities demonstrates an inspiring shift in focus from driving to biking and walking on campus,” said the League’s Bicycle Friendly America program director, Amelia Neptune.
“What’s clear is that making bicycling a go-to transportation option is part of the solution many colleges and universities are using to better the campus life of their communities, and we are grateful to have so many partners in our effort to keep the bike boom rolling!”
Along with this award, UNC Asheville was recently ranked by the Princeton Review as a Top 50 Green College and #6 in the Review’s new “Green Matters: Everyone Cares About Conservation” list.
For more information on sustainability at UNC Asheville, visit https://www.unca.edu/life/sustainability/.
For more information on the University Bike Program at UNC Asheville, visit https://recreation.unca.edu/programs/outdoor-programs/bike-shop/
Share
Permalink: