School of Physics Grad Students Alec Lindman and Mike Tennenbaum Advocate for Two Wheels on Campus

Monday, May 16, 2016

From Four Wheels to Two

One group working to get more people on two-wheeled transportation is Starter Bikes, a student organization and campus co-op that lets members of the Tech community purchase and repair bikes at an affordable price.

“We want to reach those people who are on the fence, and those who may have never thought about biking,” said Alec Lindman, a graduate student in physics who is involved with Starter Bikes, as well as co-chair of BIIC and Bike GT, the central group of organizers for bike-related initiatives on campus. 

This year, Bike GT is updating its resources and creating new ones to make cycling more accessible. The group is revamping www.bike.gatech.edu, a digital starting point for all things bike-related, as well as working on a printed pocket guide that will outline cycling laws, guidelines, and campus resources. 

Many of those who use a bike as their main mode of transportation are eager to share the convenience and benefits with others.

“It gets you outside and in touch with your community,” said Mike Tennenbaum, also a graduate student in physics and part of Bike GT. “In the city, it actually gives you more mobility than being in a car.”

For students who don’t own a bike, Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) rents bikes on a semesterly basis through its BuzzBike program. Plans are also in the works for a campus bike share program, which would be open to students, faculty, and staff. PTS also periodically hosts educational classes that are free for the campus community; a bike safety class will take place in April.

Someday, Starter Bikes may have a home in the center of campus in a bike center — that’s one idea proposed in the Bicycle Master Plan. For now, Starter Bikes is located at the bottom of the Campus Recreation Center parking deck and is open Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m.
 

Other current Parking and Transportation Services initiatives include:
  • Bike counting: PTS has started bike counting as a way to monitor usage trends in various areas of campus, particularly before and after infrastructure improvement projects. Cyclists may at times notice two parallel tubes in the road in various places on campus. Ride over these, not around them — they’re counting you.
  • Clearing bike lanes: In Tech Square, Fifth Street now has dedicated parking spots for loading and unloading during peak delivery. These spots are located on the south side of the street, with the goal of keeping bike lanes clear of vehicles.
  • Connecting the campus: PTS is in talks with the City of Atlanta about improving access to campus from the north and west. Discussions are underway and projects will soon be moving into the design phase.  Read more.
Related Links

Bike GT

Capital Planning and Space Management

Parking and Transportation Services

Parking and Transportation Services: Bicycling

Media Contact: 

Dione Morton