In an effort to go green
Ohio University Student Senate passed a resolution supporting a shared bike program.
The program, introduced in a resolution called I've got a bike. You can ride if you like would allow students paying a membership fee to borrow bikes to travel around Athens as opposed to walking or driving.
Senators cited limited parking, the environment and students living farther from campus as reasons to start a bike-sharing program at the university.
I don't have a car so I have to do a lot of walking and I also have a disability and it's easier for me to ride a bike than it is to walk around campus
said DeOnna Whitfield, Black Affairs Commissioner. This is not the most accessible campus for those with disabilities
and I think the bike sharing program will be excellent.
Other Ohio schools with bike sharing programs include Miami University and Ohio State University.
The program will rely on OU and membership fees to cover any costs, said Commissioner of Academic Affairs Bailey Miles.
Ohio State University projected a $30,000 budget for their bike-sharing program, but ended up spending only $3,000 after receiving donations and some university funding, Miles said, adding that the program took a year and a half to set up at OSU.
I think the hope is that we will get bikes donated
and
if necessary
we will have to purchase bikes. But Ohio State University was able to get 20 bikes donated from Schwinn
Miles said.
Despite fewer commuters than Ohio State University, senators said the need for the program still exists.
The resolution states that promoting alternate modes of transportation is a key component in reducing carbon emissions and addressing the shortage of campus parking spaces, which cost $7,000 per new space and $1,000 a year for maintenance, according to the resolution.
I think if the resources are there and provided for people
then the demand will grow
Miles said.
cb119506@ohiou.edu
