Colorado State University One of Nation’s Top Bicycle-Friendly Universities

Note to Reporters: Photos are available with the news release at http://www.news.colostate.edu.

Colorado State University is one of the top dozen “bicycle-friendly” universities in the country recognized in a new ranking announced today by the League of American Bicyclists.

Colorado State is the only Colorado university listed and one of only 20 universities out of 32 applicants selected this year. The university received a Silver ranking with eight other universities: California State University – Long Beach, Portland State University, University of Arizona, University of California-Irvine, University of Minnesota, University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This inaugural round of the Bicycle Friendly Program acknowledges universities that display a strong commitment to promoting and providing a more bicycle-friendly campus for students, staff and visitors. For a complete list, go to www.bikeleague.org.

"Colorado State University is honored to receive a Silver Award in the first-ever Bicycle Friendly University designations from the League of American Bicyclists,” said Fred Haberecht, assistant director for the university’s Department of Facilities Management, who submitted the nomination on behalf of the university’s Bicycle Advisory Committee. “Colorado State has a long history of supporting bicycling as a primary means of transportation on and to campus, and is committed to providing a bicycle-friendly environment to the estimated 15,000 bicyclists in the campus community.”

“The recent designation of CSU as a silver-level, bicycle-friendly university is a true testament to the efforts of CSU to educate, and promote safe cycling. The CSU Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee has been very instrumental in speeding up the progress as it relates to improving bicycle infrastructure and bicycle safety on campus,” said Dave “DK” Kemp, chairman of the Colorado State University Bicycle Advisory Committee. For more information on the committee, go to www.fm.colostate.edu/cycling.

CSU sets the standard as a sustainable and environmentally responsible institution of higher education. This commitment has taken the form of a three-part strategy: green campus operations, educating tomorrow’s green workforce and deploying research to promote environmental sustainability worldwide.

According to most recent commuter survey findings, CSU faculty, staff and students use alternative forms of transportation-biking, walking, carpooling or taking the bus- to get to campus. Of those who completed the survey, 36 percent of students, 25 percent of faculty and 15 percent of staff reported commuting by bike.

“I think it is an honor to receive an award of this caliber and further proves CSU’s commitment toward sustainable efforts,” said Seth Danner, sustainability coordinator for the Associated Students of Colorado State University and member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee. “To be honored in the first round of participants reaffirms the efforts of bicycle advocacy both on campus as well in the surrounding community. With this award comes a great sense of pride accompanied by a commitment to increasing bicycle outreach and education. It’ll also be a good selling point for prospective students seeking a sustainable, community-minded university.”

Since 2003, the League of American Bicyclists has recognized Fort Collins has one of the nation’s most bicycle friendly communities. Recognized for making commuting by bicycle easy, Fort Collins has more than 280 miles of wide bicycle lanes, and more than 30 miles of bicycle trails.

The League of American Bicyclists aims to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The organization has 300,000 affiliated cyclists, including 25,000 individuals and 700 affiliated organizations.

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