Secondary Strategies | Mobility | Sustainability | University of Nebraska at Kearney

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Secondary Strategies

Bicycling

Enhance bicycle parking and storage

Creating ideal bicycle parking and storage requires careful forethought and planning.

Generally speaking, good bicycle parking is secure, stable, visible, protected from weather, and under somewhat regular surveillance. There are currently several different alternatives for bicycle parking and storage on campus that vary greatly in quality. Transitioning to the new bicycle racks and corrals the

2013 Campus Landscape Master Plan specifies will likely spur more biking on campus. Other strategies related to bicycle parking and storage include

Include secure, covered, indoor bicycle storage in all new residential buildings
Include bicycle parking in all new parking garages.
Inventory short-term bicycle parking (e.g. racks and corrals) within 50 feet of all non-residential buildings and long-term bicycle storage within 330 feet of all residence halls.
Create a space where bicycle storage, shower facilities, and lockers are co-located in at least one building/location that is accessible to all commuters.

Refurbish abandoned bicycles

Bicycles are often abandoned at the conclusion of a semester, yet they are frequently in good enough condition for them to be easily refurbished and reused. Two strategies exist for refurbishing abandoned bicycles.

Pilot a program (with a longer-term, non-student owner) to refurbish and donate bicycles to students who do not have own a vehicle.
Give abandoned bicycles to local bicycle shop(s) based on their repairing, selling, and donating a portion of sales back to the university.

Bike Bowl

Leverage the UNK Bike Bowl as an opportunity to provide outreach and education about bicycle transit.

Bicycle Friendly University

Work towards certification as a Bicycle Friendly University (at any level) by the League of American Bicyclists (U.S.) or under a similar third party certification for non-motorized transportation. Once achieved, include this designation in appropriate marketing and recruitment materials.

Bicycle serial registration

Implement a program where students and employees can register their bicycle serial number with campus police to deter bicycle theft and to streamline the process for recovering stolen bicycles. UNL has a program that can be replicated.

Communication & Policies

There are several strategies that call for broad communication and/or the establishment and execution of policies in order to drive an increase in sustainable transportation. They include

Incentives

Provide incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus so that biking and walking to/from campus are more feasible options. Incentives should only be provided if the user agrees not to purchase a long-term parking pass. Daily passes can be used if/when necessary.
Pilot an incentive program that benefits/rewards staff who use alternatives to single-occupancy vehicle commuting, and/or who park further away in a staff commuter lot.
Provide financial incentives to incoming students toward the purchase of a bicycle (or cold-weather gear if pedestrians) if they agree not to purchase a parking pass for two years. The amount of the incentive could be calculated based on the cost of providing a parking stall.

Maps

Change the “Parking Map” to be a “Transportation Map.” Include bicycle rack locations, bicycle lanes, and desirable pedestrian thoroughfares on all campus maps, especially those dedicated to parking/transportation.
Create and distribute a walking/biking map that indicates route times not just distance (e.g. the proximity map in the University Village flipbook).

Policies

Adopt policies that allow and encourage working remotely when appropriate and flexible work spaces so as to decrease the square footage required per employee on campus.
Adopt a Complete Streets policy and incorporate it into design guidelines for all new and re-constructed/re-surfaced streets. Include design guidance for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure on specific street types. Current plans for University Village call for Complete Street-compatible features.

Miscellaneous

Increase distance education offerings so as to decrease the number of trips to/from campus by commuter students.
Create a savings calculator that students/staff can use to determine whether or not it would be financially worthwhile to use sustainable transportation and/or participate in one of the aforementioned programs (e.g., TravelSmart).

Parking

Provide daily parking spaces

Encourage the use of daily parking spaces for those who only drive to campus occasionally. This strategy should be coupled with other strategies intended to entice campus users not to purchase long-term permits.

Provide parking for zero/partial zero emission vehicles

Set aside premium parking for zero or partial zero emission vehicles.

Campus Design & Land Use

Connect main campus and University Village via the tailrace trail

In addition to the “main street” connection between the main campus and University Village via the realigned University Drive, focus early efforts on an equally desirable walkway that connects the two campuses via the tailrace trail once land is obtained. Work is required with the City of Kearney to make this happen. Pedestrians often prefer/choose the shortest route even if it is not the most welcoming, and for many, the tailrace trail route will be preferred.