By Emma Castleberry
UNC Asheville has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) at the Bronze level. This designation acknowledges the university’s efforts to create a more bikeable institution through safety measures, infrastructure and accessibility. The effort was led by Alison Ormsby, director of sustainability at the university, and junior Joe Franco, who worked with the Campus Recreation Bike Shop to complete the application. “By going through the many questions for the application, we were able to identify our strengths and weaknesses in terms of bike infrastructure and support on campus,” says Ormsby. “We were able to see areas we need to work on. Bronze is our first level of achievement—in future years we will strive for a higher level like silver or platinum.”
BFUs are part of the Bicycle Friendly America program, which includes not only universities but also communities and businesses. UNC Asheville joins 10 other North Carolina universities with BFU status, and Asheville is one of 13 Bicycle Friendly Communities in the state. Franco says the most challenging aspect of the application was measuring the existing bicycle infrastructure, such as the length of bike paths on and around campus, as well as reporting on the current percentage of students’ bicycle use. This was mainly due to a lack of up-to-date data. The strongest part of the application, he says, was the Campus Recreation Bike Shop, where Franco works as supervisor.
“The Bike Shop was opened in 2003 thanks to a $5,000 anonymous donation for educational purposes, bringing the knowledge of basic bike maintenance and the joy of riding bikes to the community. Since then, the bike shop has grown both in popularity and in size, increasing its fleet to over 30 bikes, including an electric bike and 10 mountain bikes.”
This designation comes at a time when there are a myriad of ongoing sustainability efforts across campus and across the city, including the Merrimon Avenue Road Diet and expansions of Asheville’s greenways. “By supporting these efforts, and having the campus connect to the community, we can lessen our reliance on cars, and make our city more multi-modal and thereby more environmentally sustainable and healthier,” says Ormsby.
Franco says this new designation, while an important milestone, is just the beginning. “While UNC Asheville has made some significant improvements toward accommodating cyclists, there is still a long way until it is truly safe and comfortable for a wider population to ride their bikes,” he says. Some future plans for improvements include expanding the bike shop’s electric bike fleet, adding adaptive bikes for improved accessibility, providing more educational opportunities and class content on bike safety and maintenance, and creating incentives for students, faculty and staff to ride their bikes.
“The United States has a major issue with inactivity and car dependency, which can both be improved through cycling,” says Franco. “At its core, cycling is incredibly affordable and accessible, meaning more people can enjoy the freedom of mobility. By investing in cycling, you are supporting both the health of the population and of the environment.”
For more information on the University Bike Program at UNC Asheville, visit recreation.unca.edu/programs/outdoor-programs/bike-shop.
