Transportation Committee Meeting

April 13, 2006

Kendall 207

 

Present: Leslie Deniz, (University Police), Mike Bates (FMS), Joel Trenolone, Tatiana Ahlstrand (Facilities Planning), Dick Chamberlain (Financial Services), Stephanie Yule (Risk Management), Brian Oppy (Faculty Senate); Rick Rees (Student Activities); Beverlee Perry (University Parking); Allison Travis-Bee (AS Information Center); Mark Steman (Faculty); Dennis Graham (VP Business & Finance); Claudia Stewart (City of Chico); GUEST SPEAKER: Will Toor

 

Today’s meeting featured guest, Will Toor, transportation expert and co-author of Transportation and Sustainable Campus Communities: Issues, Examples, Solutions. He was introduced by faculty member Mark Steman. Toor is an adjunct professor in the Colorado University school of Architecture and Planning; he served as director of the University of Colorado’s Environmental Center from 1992 to 2005, received national recognition, including a 2001Green Power Leadership Award from the US Department of Energy for initiating the nation’s largest university green power program, and taught classes on Environmental Leadership, the Campus and the Biosphere, and Transportation and Environmental Policy.

 

Toor was elected to the Boulder, Colorado City council in November 1997, elected mayor by the city council in 1998, and re-elected four years later.

 

The meeting began by Toor asking the committee if there were any general topics they would like to discuss. The question was asked whether or not Toor has had a chance to study OUR situation and if he had any general comments.

 

Toor replied he had not studied our situation in depth, however, the areas that stood out to him while looking at the issues at CSU Chico are as follows:

  • The high numbers of student body that live within 2 miles of campus is significant
  • This community has a great opportunity for non-motorized modes of transportation given its topography and geography (and therefore, should be a high priority)
  • The current transit system has need for improvement
  • The opportunity for a positive and successful partnership between the university and the city exists

 

Discussion included talking about the differences between surface parking and parking structures. It was noted that surface parking typically averages about $1500 per parking space where parking structures amount to approx. $10,000 (or higher) per parking space. They are very expensive to build.

 

Many studies show that financial constraints drive the desire to do something different (than erect new parking structures) and this is true for many universities.

 

Toor discussed many of the things they did in Boulder, which involved the university and the city. Some of these things included:

 

  • Maintaining current parking supply – not expanding it.
  • The City created residential parking permit areas in neighborhoods around campus
  • A strong partnership was created between the city and university which emphasized the encouragement of bicycle riding – they created North/South bike corridors through the campus.
  • The created separated bike/pedestrian crosswalks
  • The city has been a major sponsor for bike/pedestrian projects
  • A major emphasis was put on bicycle parking
  • They built a bike station on campus where riders can rent bikes for 2 days for free; can get flat tires fixed; get bike maps; etc.
  • They created a physical environment and a cultural environment for cycling.

 

The committee asked questions such as Boulder’s size, the university’s size, number of parking spaces and ratio of spaces to students, staff, faculty. These stats were compared to CSU Chico’s situation.

 

Dennis Graham told Toor his visit was timely in that the university is currently working with the city regarding the transportation issues that both CSUC and the city face. He talked about Chico being the largest ratio of parking space availability at 9:1. (The average of all the CSU’s is 4:1).

 

Toor also discussed the evolution of the transit system in Boulder, stating that in the early 90’s ridership was only about 5000. They began to talk to focus groups consisting of non-transit riders and asked them what it would take to get them to ride the bus. They learned a lot from these groups, and began to implement the suggestions. They got the downtown business owners involved, the university, sporting events, elementary and high schools, including a transit program. He stated approximately 65,000 people now hold a shuttle pass, and the buses are widely used, with their ridership up 600% since the early 1990’s. They continue to have a community process in place for designing new routes.

 

Committee members were grateful for the opportunity to meet and discuss with Toor. Upon completion of the meeting, he was en route to the City of Chico for a formal presentation and further discussion, and members of the committee were invited.

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:45 am.

 

NEXT MEETING: May 12, 2006; 08:30 am; Faculty/Staff Dining (Selverster’s)