Stanford Report, July 27, 2005

Brodie Hamilton, director of Parking and Transportation Services, replies

Brodie Hamilton, director of Parking and Transportation Services, replies:

The university has strongly supported cycling for many years. In the provost's memorandum of July 12, 2005, to the university deans, directors and department heads, walking and biking were the first options mentioned as ways to reduce peak-hour vehicle commute trips. This was inadvertently left out of the recent Stanford Report article (July 13) regarding the provost's memo.

Following are some of the many other ways the university supports cycling:

  • 800 bike racks on campus to accommodate approximately 12,000 bikes
  • Over 100 bike lockers, seven bike cages and two bike rooms that have a total capacity to park 550 bikes
  • 200 clothes lockers and 50 showers in several buildings around campus available to cyclists
  • Latest model bike rack (that holds up to three bikes) on Marguerite shuttle buses
  • Biking needs of each capital construction projects are assessed
  • An extensive building bike parking re-evaluation and replacement plan
  • Many miles of bike paths, lanes and routes to facilitate the movement of cyclists (with more to be developed as the campus grows)
  • Accommodation for bicycles incorporated into the planning of all new capital projects
  • Bike shop located on the campus
  • A new, comprehensive regional bike route map is now part of the 2004-05 Stanford Directory and available online at http://transportation.stanford.edu/alt_transportation/BikingAtStanford.shtml

    • In addition, the university engages in a wide variety of activities to promote cycling and encourage a safe cycling environment, including:

  • Bicycle registration throughout the year (over 3,300 bikes registered each year)
  • Dormitory "Road Shows" for incoming freshmen to educate them about safe cycling on campus and provide free bike tune-ups for attendees
  • Free safety items (over 3,000 reflective leg bands and blinking tail lights) distributed to campus cyclists
  • Over 1,500 high-quality headlights distributed to first-year students
  • High-quality bike helmets available at a very low cost ($15), with incentives for helmet use
  • Bicycle safety messages in the Stanford Daily
  • Participation in regional and local events such as Bike to Work Day and Stanford's Community Day
  • Incentives in the form of giveaways, prizes and cash as a way to acknowledge and thank those using cycling as a commute mode to campus

    • Although the many campus efforts to support cycling have been extensive, the evolution of the program may yet fall short of meeting the expectations of all cyclists. As new programs are implemented, additional funding and resources become available and aesthetic issues are addressed in light of competing space and access needs, the bicycle environment on campus will continue to become even better.