Bike Lane Opens
The first permanent bike lane on campus sports a spirited red stain.
San Diego State University and the Associated Students announced the completion of the first permanent bike lane at SDSU.
After a successful nine-month bike lane trail period, a red stain now denotes the permanent bike lane on Campanile Walkway. The lane lines the heart of campus, offering an accessible route from the exterior through the interior parts of campus.
Riders can bike in the designated bike lane, as well as on interior roads on campus and the roads surrounding SDSU. Skateboards however, are banned on campus and are not allowed in designated bike lanes per University policy.
“We are excited about the amount of Aztecs who are biking to campus while reducing their impact on our environment. ”
Tara Kelly, the AS Sustainability Commissioners, has seen a drastic increase of bicycles on campus this year since the trial bike lane opened on August 30th, 2010. Additional bike racks have been added to accommodate the increase of bicycles around SDSU.
“We have received feedback from students and faculty saying how thrilled they are to leave their cars at home and bike to campus now that the first bike lane is complete,” Kelly said. “This is something we envisioned over three years ago, and are excited about the amount of Aztecs who are biking to campus while reducing their impact on our environment.”
How it happened
The process of getting a bike lane has been in the planning stages since 2008 when the student organization, the Enviro-business Society (e3), presented a resolution to the AS advocating for the installation of campus-wide bike lanes to help mitigate traffic, increase accessibility and, most importantly, to assist the campus in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
Throughout the 2009 academic year, the AS commissioned the landscape architecture firm KTU+A to compile a comprehensive bike lane study examining the prospects of such lanes on campus. After analyzing the study, it was evident that SDSU would benefit from bike lanes in and around the campus.
"The bike lane on Campanile Walkway is a progressive accomplishment for the entire campus community,” said AS President Grant Mack. “We are slated to have another bike lane added over the summer on Aztec Walk, which will complete the interior portion of the campus bike lane master plan."
