The League of American Bicyclists has designated UNC-Chapel Hill as a Silver-Level Bike Friendly University. The program recognizes institutions of higher education for promoting and providing a more bike-friendly campus for students, staff and visitors.
Led by Noreen McDonald, a professor in the department of city and regional planning in the College of Arts and Sciences, students in the PLAN 823 workshop course provided a draft of the application. They also identified near-term policies that could be implemented to improve bicycling at UNC.
Through application workshop courses, city and regional planning faculty and students work collaboratively with North Carolina clients to specify the class projects to be undertaken. Over the course of the semester, students combine creativity and technical capabilities to produce plans, strategies or recommendations for community improvement. The workshop students included Michael Clark, Ann McGrane, Jill Mead, John Perry, Bryan Poole and Le Zhang.
With its Silver award designation, UNC joins a group of colleges and universities from across the United States transforming their campuses and the communities around them. There are now a total of 100 Bike Friendly Universities in 37 states and Washington, D.C.
“Campus leaders are recognizing the immediate and long-term impact that a vibrant bike culture can create for their institutions,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “We applaud this new round of colleges and universities for investing in a more sustainable future for the country and a healthier lifestyle for their staff, students and surrounding communities.”
Colleges and university campuses are unique environments for their high density, stimulating atmosphere and defined boundaries. These factors make them ideal environments to incorporate bikes. Many colleges and universities have built upon these good conditions and embraced the enthusiasm for more bicycle-friendly campuses by incorporating bike share programs, bike co-ops, clubs, bicycling education classes and policies to promote bicycling as a preferred means of transportation.
