The League of American Bicyclists announced yesterday that the University of Arizona is a silver-level bicycle-friendly university.
This year’s announcement is the first time the league has awarded a bicycle-friendly distinction to universities around the country.
More that 30 universities applied for recognition, but only 20 were awarded a distinction.
UA was one of nine silver-level friendly universities. UC-Santa Barbara and UC-Davis were awarded gold status and Stanford was the lone platinum bike-friendly university. Check the bottom of this post for a complete listing of awards.
Charles Franz, UA Parking and Transportation’s alternative transportation program manager, said he was happy the league recognized the UA.
“Obviously it is a great honor just to be tied in with an organization like the League of American Bicyclists and be recognized by them,” Franz said. “With us getting silver right out of the chute for our first application, that says a lot. Of course we would like to have received a gold rating. I think we do a tremendous amount of stuff here at the university.”
Parking and Transportation intern Chloe Forsman spearheaded the application process, which she says was a month solid worth of work and said it was an educational experience.
“I think it is a great start,” Forsman said. “We’ve learned a lot for the application process. If you see what other schools have a silver rankings, we are among a lot of schools that are really recognized for their bicycle friendliness.”
Scott Benjamin, a senior design specialist in the College of Optical Sciences, said the award didn’t mean much to him as a bike rider because he is going to ride his bike to campus regardless of what level the university is awarded.
According to Forsman, in the next four-to-six months the LAB will send the UA a detailed report about why the university was awarded a silver designation and what they can do to improve their standing four years from now when the UA can reapply to keep or raise their bike-friendly status.
“We are anxious to get the report back from the LAB to see where they think we can improve,” Forsman said.
She is excited to begin working with other departments to improve cycling on campus.
“I think there is a lot of potential on campus for multiple departments to get behind and contribute to bicycle programs on campus,” she said. “Parking and Transportation had really done the bulk of the work and they have some fantastic programs, but there’s a lot of potential to work with other departments in promoting bicycling on campus.”
Platinum: Stanford University
Gold: University of California Davis and University of California Santa Barbara
Silver: California State University Long Beach, Colorado State University, Portland State University, University of Arizona, University of California Irvine, University of Minnesota, University of Oregon, University of Washington and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Bronze: Boise State University, Cornell University, Emory University, Indiana University, Michigan State University, University of California Los Angeles, University of Maryland College Park and University of North Carolina Greensboro.
Honorable mention: Duke University, Macalester College, University of Central Oklahoma, University of Chicago, University of Cincinnati, University of Hawaii, University of Kentucky, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Texas -Austin, and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
They obviously are not including the UA Tech Park in the designation. It would make the bicycling hostile list.
Has anyone informed Steve Kozachik of this award?
prob got silver because no one told them about the bicycle persecution that goes on, random enforcement of stop sign violators, dumb/stupid/ inconsiderate pedestrians that think bicycle paths are pedestrian paths. what about the 2 small or full bike racks located around the union. Or the fact that i have to take my cheap/small led lights, and cyclometer off my bike because they get stolen regularly…. Yeah as a person who rides on campus daily, I dont really think UA should have gotten a silver.
reef, calm down. The world doesn’t revolve around you riding your bike. (Note: I ride my bike, too.) People walking in front of you? Just go around them, it takes a mere flick of the wrists. Inconsistent enforcement at stop signs? Here’s a thought, stop at ALL of them. I bet then they will consistently NOT yell at you. And please, there are plenty of bike racks, you can fit your bike somewhere, I’m sure. They added hundreds of racks this year; they are already taking over the campus as it is. And taking a 10 gram LED light off your bike isn’t the worst thing in the world. And you only have to do it if you have a night class. Lastly, you shouldn’t need a cyclometer to go to class, that’s just gay.
EE, way to illustrate your immaturity and homophobia by tossing out a ‘that’s just gay’ comment as an insult. Epic fail.
Hey FTW, I do go around the pedestrians, its just one of these days someone on their phone will step out in front of me and there wont be anywhere to go around them, thats not going to be pleasant for anybody. I stop at all stop signs… when the cops are watching or if there is anyone else using the intersection. I know almost every building has bike racks, in good locations too but if you want to hit up panda for a quick bite to go, you have to lock your bike on the opposite side of the union. Lastly I ride almost everywhere, which includes riding to friends houses at night and yeah I dont need a cyclometer but I like to track how many miles I ride so taking the light and cyclometer on & off several times a day because someone thinks its not the worst thing in the world to steal my crappy stuff is just a hassel.
the whole point of the first post was to illustrate the fact that maybe the UA doesn’t deserve a silver for being bike friendly…
Haha, you Tucson lib’s can be so sensitive sometimes. I have a handful of gay friends, and even they use the phrase, “that’s so gay.” I’m guessing you don’t actually know any gay people in person, or else you would know that most/all of them could give two shits about that phrase and as I just said, they even use it themselves. So, me, a homophobe? That’s pretty presumptuous of you. I will admit, however, that yes, I’m slightly immature, but it’s better than constantly living with a stick up my ass like you tucsontribitch. And you wonder why you’ve been single since grade school?
Touché.
I agree with EE, alls they said was that a cyclometer is “gay”. tucsontribitch is the one who went and assumed that adjective was an insult. Apparently, she thinks that anything that is gay is a bad thing, and is thus being “gay” is an insult. Sounds like she’s the homophobe.
I agree with both EE and EE.
Hm, I just realized this website is devoted solely to bikes. I can’t really even remember how I got here. I was probably high and bored. Anyway, I’ll be leaving this site forever now. No need to reply.
Peace.
If a ped steps onto the road/bike path in front of my bike without paying any attention, I ring my bell at them or blow my -totally awesome- bicycle horn. As a native German, I find it sometimes amusing how reluctant Americans are to use their bike bells. Most don’t even have one. I understand the idea that ringing a bell at a ped might be perceived as rude, but compared to landing someone – or myself – in the ER, I think it’s preferable, no? To me, giving someone who is not paying attention a ca ourtesy call is way more courteous than risking everybody’s well-being in the process.