Safer Conditions for Students

These features below were produced as a result of the College’s initiative to transform Lafayette into a walking and biking campus rather than driving one. As previously mentioned in this report, following this campaign several of the roads on campus were made into aesthetically pleasing brick paths. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In under one decade, the campus has become more friendly towards bicycle use. The removal of roads is crucial for the success of a bike-share program for several reasons. The first reason being that the removal of roads, means that students will not be able to drive to the destinations that only have paths. Secondly and more subtly, the removal of cars, may make students feel much safer. In fact, 79.60% of students surveyed about conditions that will encourage them to bicycle more, cited, “bicycle paths that are physically separated from automobile traffic” as a factor (Agarwal, North 161). In addition, 85.40% of students surveyed also cited, “enforcing that cars do not park in bicycle lanes” as another policy change that would encourage them to bicycle more. In other words, two very successful policy changes deal with removing motor vehicles from biking areas.

As mentioned earlier, Lafayette, through its Campus Master Plan, already accomplished the task decreasing number of roads with cars and seeks to expand this effort down Hamilton Street. A bike-share system being implemented in the calendar year of 2016 will be able to leverage this continued political and social momentum towards sustainable and safe modes of transportation.

Another mitigating factor is that a large percentage of the target population for the bike-share program will be composed of college-aged students. Community members from age 16 to 24 are most likely to use a bicycle as a means of transportation (McKenzie 11). Since most Lafayette College community members are students, most potential users will fall within the age range that uses bicycles the most.

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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