Climate

To collect concrete data on student and faculty views on a bike-share system, a survey was distributed to Lafayette College community members. As shown in figure 5, the largest deterrent for a bike share program is the topography of the campus. This factor is very predictable since the steep hills, such as those on College Avenue and Sullivan Road, are particularly challenging. The second largest deterrent is the weather. In particular, College Hill has several uncontrolled environmental challenges. Nearly all students, the group that makes up the majority of the Lafayette College community, are only here for about 32 weeks out of the year (about eight months). Out of these 32 weeks, around 12-14 of them are expected to be cold, with snow, sleet, and freezing rain.  

A Queen’s University study reveals several useful insights to decrease the likelihood of individuals seeing cold weather as a deterrent. In particular, the study cites several consequences of cold weather as unsafe conditions. This 2012 study, performed in a college town, is particularly applicable to the socio-environmental context of Lafayette. In short, the “paper examine[d] potential barriers to biking among college students” (Agarwal, North 151). The authors explain that “factors that influence an individual’s decision to make a trip by bicycle can be divided into two categories: personal characteristics, [depicted in the chart below by sex,] and environmental characteristics, [depicted in the chart below by weather]” (Agarwal, North 153).

Firstly, the study reveals that weather barriers present a serious challenge to bike-share systems. As seen below in figure 6, 82.50% of students surveyed cited “cold weather” as a barrier for biking. Interestingly however, students cited several consequences of cold weather (too much snow; snow onto the being ploughed onto the road should; ice on roads) as separate barriers to biking. Snow on the side of the road will discourage students to bicycle on campus because the road shoulder is “where bicyclist usually ride in absences on a bicycle lane… Snow ploughed off both the roadway and the sidewalk often collects for days on the road shoulder. As a result, bicyclists find themselves riding closer to the moving traffic” (Agarwal, North 164).

If a bike-share system is implemented at Lafayette, the administration should consider removing these barriers by deploying a greater number of cleaning crews. In doing so, “more students would be inclined to bicycle during the winter” (Agarwal, North 164). Further, as seen on the chart below, a greater percentage of women agreed that they see “too much snow” and the “risk of slipping on ice” as deterrents. Action must be taken, especially to ensure women feel equally as comfortable as men using the bicycles.

___________________________________________________________________

To navigate accross the page please use the following links:
• Bike-share Meets Lafayette
• The Team
• Defining the Scope
• Challenges and Mitigating Factors
• Solutions
• Conclusion
• Bibliography