[sustran] WorldTransport Forum Transportation on university campuses? And you?

[Eric Britton]

Summary:

 

Transportation on university campuses? Anything interesting going on that
might be identified as somehow part of a New Mobility Agenda? And if so
where? Who? Anything that could usefully be done? By whom?  What might we do
as an informal pickup group with some capabilities in this area?

 

Introduction:

As you may have noticed from an indiscrete note traitorously posted to this
forum by Dave Brook I have for the last week been the guinea pig for an
environmental group e-interview at grist.com.  And since I didn't get hurt,
I have to consider it a narrow escape of sorts.  But it turned out to be a
good learning and reminding experience, and when one young person asked me
the following, it spurred a thought for an eventual enquiry or even perhaps
group activity of some sort that I would now like to share you all, bearing
in mind that a good number of you have close academic links.  Here was
Chris's question: 

 

Chris's question:

"I have been charged with the task of researching ways to make my Big 10
school more sustainable. I've had a few ideas such as converting our bus
system to biodiesel, reducing the "food miles" for our many cafeterias, and
performing energy audits on all campus buildings. However, I am not sure if
these ideas will be the most effective. Do you have any other ideas that I
could use or research? Also, any tips for dealing with a conservative
administration that is not likely to back any idea based on environmental
merit alone?"    -- Chris Kurtz, Columbus, Ohio. 

 

Response - Round 1 (my words in the e-journal)

"Chris, I really want to help you with this since I consider it an important
issue, not only for a more sustainable present but also since it is in the
university where we take on so many of the habits and attitudes that shape
us for all our lives. I am sure that a sustainable university -- or at least
one that gives this a serious, visible, and heavily participatory try -- is
going to have a major influence on the students in their future lives, and
of course on the surrounding community.

"Now, my problem in this respect is that I simply am not in the swim on this
one. There have to be some kinds of examples around. My first step would be
an outreach program to start to identify the winners and losers -- and the
why's and how's. 

"I know that one huge headache and budget item for many U.S. universities is
that of parking. And if you rationalize parking, you are taking a big step
toward rationalizing the entire movement system, which simply has to become
more sustainable. 

"So while I have no ready answers for you, I do know a good question when I
see one, and you have one there. I hope you will try to answer it for
yourself. And I would be pleased to do a bit of background work on this with
you if you really wish to pursue this."

 

Round 2: - Following shows up in the "News Alerts" on our New Mobility site
this morning:

 

"UVic faculty, staff and students can choose between several parking and
commuting options this fall as UVic continues to work toward its goal of
reducing vehicle traffic to campus.  Improvements to facilities for
cyclists, a new employee bus pass program and a new flexible parking pass
are among the more than half-dozen programs being offered as part of the
university's transportation demand management (TDM) strategy. Reducing
single occupant vehicle traffic to campus is one of the goals of UVic's
campus plan.

 

"The volume of vehicle traffic to campus has been steadily dropping over the
past decade. A 2004 traffic audit showed that traffic to UVic has declined
13 per cent since 2000 while cycling trips have risen by 12 per cent in the
same period. The audit showed that, for the first time, less than 50 per
cent of the trips to campus were in single-occupancy vehicles.

 

"Information about the new TDM initiatives will be included with parking
pass renewal forms and is available on the facilities management website at
web.uvic.ca/fmgt/TDM-main.html.

 

Source and full text: http://ring.uvic.ca/05jun09/news/parking.html

 

My question to you:

Should we be sharing information and insight on this I think rather
important topic? And if so how?

 

I look forward to this.  And so too, I am sure, does Chris.

 

Eric Britton

 

PS. When was the last time you checked out the Kyoto World Cities Challenge
at http://kyotocities.org <http://kyotocities.org/> ?  It's a moving target
and maybe worth a visit. 

 

 

 

 



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