University announces new master plan open house, Bike to the U Day

Campus bike tour led by Mayor Ralph Becker in May, as part
of the University's initial efforts to receive input and feedback about cycling on campus

The University of Utah is currently working on their 2011 Bicycle Master Plan with consultants from Psomas and Alta Planning, one of the leading bicycle infrastructure planning firms in the nation. The master plan will be thorough, concise, and cutting edge. If implemented correctly, the resulting infrastructure will make the U one of the best campuses in the nation for accessibility by bike.

So after months of planning, drafting, and endless hours in committee, Alta, Psomas, and the Univeristy of Utah Bicycle Subcommittee will have an open house to present and to gather opinions from new and old students and faculty alike. The open house is slated to take place on Wednesday, August 24th, 2011. The location and time have yet to be announced, but the open house will be similar to the first open house, which occurred during this spring semester's finals week.

Planners, consultants, and committee members are pleased to have a second open house when classes are just beginning and those traveling to the U will have concerns and opinions fresh in their heads. All are encouraged to attend, to give their opinions, and to offer advice and ideas to committee members to include before the final version of the master plan is presented to the University in later months.

Along the same lines, Salt Lake City is hoping to have a few projects near the University of Utah completed around the same time that classes begin again.

     - 1500 East will receive wider, standard-width bike lanes

     - South Temple will have shared-lane markings (or sharrows) from 300 E (where the green shared lanes currently end/begin) up to Virginia Street, thus providing a great connector for students accessing the campus from the northwest.

The University's annual "Bike to the U Day" will be held on Monday, September 12, 2011 at the Olpin Union plaza and will be spearheaded by Lynn Unger, a graduate student in Social Work, and Dr. Rob Butters, project advisor and professor in the College of Social Work.

"Bike to the U Day" will provide educational information to raise awareness about the physical, mental and environmental benefits of biking to school.  First time riders and dedicated cyclists are welcome to attend the day festivities at the Union Plaza including food, beverages, and information about how to get involved with sustainability-related campus organizations.

The event will address topics such as proper bicycling behavior, safety, and laws, highlight changing facilities on campus, and provide gear for new bicycle commuters. 

This event will hopefully lead to an increase in the participation with the Bike Collective, UTA education pass, Fix-it Yourself Bike Racks and RecycBike programs on campus.

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