Texas State University-San Marcos
Bicycle, Bus and Pedestrian Transportation Alternatives
Fall 2007

The Bike Cave :

What is it?

The kickoff of the Texas State Bicycle Co-operative:

• We will discuss concepts deployed at other Campus and City bicycle co-ops;
• What we will need to do to get ours up and running, (hint: VOLUNTEERS!);
• How much can we do now and what expansions will take place as the program develops
• Early effort to focus on marketing availability of services to students; most services available out of current garage site with once-weekly tent-shop site in Quad
• Basic Maintenance and Repair for folks on campus
• Identify willing volunteers with bicycle repair and maintenance experience and those willing to learn
• Establish volunteer mentoring program to replace graduating volunteers
• Over time - Develop a build-your-own-bike program; Development of Non-credit Continuing Ed classes; establish educational safety and repair training outreach programs for the community; expand service hours and hire paid staff to guarantee a base level of service
• Set up schedule for beginning staffing efforts;
• Develop a set of benefits which will accrue to staff volunteers;
• Short and long range goals as we work to operationalize alternative transportation priorities in the Campus Master Plan.
• The future bicycle service and parking center planned as part of the Pleasant Street Garage expansion.
• General expansion of bicycle parking on campus
• Development of bikeway connections on campus with city bikeways, lanes, and pathways.
• Encourage registration of bicycles on campus
• Repair and maintenance station for bicycles located in the center of campus
• Educate and promote alternative modes of transportation to and from campus.

Why?

Campus Master Plan Objectives which relate to Alternative Transportation :

The following philosophies and guiding principles are part of the current Campus Master Plan and support development of Alternative Transportation; many of them directly or indirectly address and/or support bicycling. They include:

Philosophies:

• Minimizing the intrusion of vehicles onto campus
• Keeping vehicular circulation to the campus periphery
• Developing, through the Transportation and Parking committee, equitable transportation and parking policies
• Giving priority to alternative modes of transportation such as bicycles and buses, (and walking), over automobiles to promote a pedestrian-oriented campus and to reduce parking demand on campus

Guiding Principles:

• Development of a regional, equitable, seamless intermodal transportation system for a variety of options including walking, cycling, bus transit, commuter rail and private vehicles
• The transportation system will continually educate and encourage students, faculty, staff and visitors to use alternative transportation modes
• Master plans and campus construction should utilize development practices which allow for mobility of pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles by developing interconnected streets and pathways that increase alternative transportation routes and utilize Transit Oriented Development concepts.

 

Timeline of Developing Bicycle Transportation Alternatives:

September 2, 2005: Applied for $1.5 million in federal funding through CAMPO to build first 2 miles of bikeway connecting campus to city bikeway, bike lanes, and pathways.

May 25, 2006: Auxiliary Services begins expansion into support of bicycling onto and within campus as a transportation alternative with the installation of the first five bus bicycle racks on the intercity buses.

June 12, 2006: Texas State is awarded $1.5 million in STP-MM (Metropolitan Mobility)

September 2006: Space is set aside in Pleasant Street garage remodel for a permanent bicycle repair facility and covered bicycle storage.

October 17, 2006: Texas State receives funding contract for bikeway

December 2006: Auxiliary Services applies for and receives campus space to begin bicycle co-op in garage at the corner of Vista and Academy; receives first delivery of abandoned bicycle from UPD for Bicycle Co-op program use.

January 4, 2007: Ordered basic bicycle tools; acquired surplus equipment; began disassembly of bicycles at new Co-op location.

January 24, 2007: Review progress of bicycle promotion and co-op development with ESC. Set first meeting to develop basic framework for opening up co-op for regular hours.

January 26, 2007: Transportation and Parking Committee scheduled to review and approve the portion of Campus Master Plan bikeway route awarded in the STP-MM grant.

February 8, 2007: Kickoff of Bobcat Bicycle Co-op at 5:30 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center, room 3-12.1

Development of Bicycle Alternatives:

1. Bicycle Racks on all Tram Buses
   • First five racks were installed in the spring of 2006
   • Twenty-three new buses will begin arriving during the spring of 2007, (Mid March through Mid May); all these units will be equipped with bike racks
   • Ten buses from the current fleet will be retained as spare units and to allow for service expansion over the 7-year term of the transit service contract; these units will have bike racks installed with a grant from ESC. Due to be completed by the end of March 2007.
2. Bikeway development
   • Recently funded STM-MM grant will begin bikeway build-out later this year.
   • First 2 miles of off-road bikeway will connect east campus to the city bikeway; apartments along Post Rd.; shopping along Thorpe Ln; Sewell Park; and perimeter parking.
3. Bicycle Co-op
   • Provide student population with educational opportunity to learn how to maintain and repair their bicycle.
   • Provide maintenance and repair facility for those with no time or abilities.
   • Outreach to community

Development of other Transportation Alternatives:

Increase Bus Utilization

1. Analysis of existing routes and ridership; redistribution of fleet resources to maximize effectiveness and efficiency of Tram system.
2. Shared initiatives with CARTS through community transit Task Force
   • Free rides to and from campus on CARTS buses including para-transit service
   • Additional stops on Tram routes which link to community resources, (most recent additions are HEB stop on Robbie Ln. and Public Library and Activity Center on Hopkins St.

Development of Pedestrian Alternatives

1. Coliseum PAW (Park And Walk) lot
   • Offer pedestrian commuters parking nearer to campus by shifting bus commutes to perimeter parking
   • Increases effectiveness and efficiency of service to bus commuters parking in the Bobcat Stadium lots
   • Operationalize a Campus Master Plan philosophy to give priority to alternative modes of transportation such as bicycle and buses over automobiles to promote a pedestrian-oriented campus and to reduce parking demand on campus.