The Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham is hoping you’ll beat the traffic and commute smarter 7-9 a.m. May 18th. CommuteSmart, an initiative of the commission, is hosting the 2018 Bike to Work Day event, which will include free coffee and swag for those that register.
UAB Sustainability and UAB Parking & Transportation are partnering with CommuteSmart on the event. Julie Price, Manager of UAB Sustainability, said she hopes faculty, staff, and students see this day fun way to try an alternative means of transportation.
“Biking is great for your health, your wallet, the environment, and you always have a place to park your bike,” Price said. “And this day is a fun way to engage with others who are alternatively commuting to work.”
Before you get out on the roads, make sure you know the rules. The UAB Reporter recently published an article on 4 simple ways to stay safe cycling around campus.
There will be 10 energizer stations located around the city at local coffee shops providing a free small coffee to registered participants. CommuteSmart volunteers will also hand out T-shirts and reflector bands at the locations. UAB’s Hill Student Center Starbucks and Lucy’s Coffee and Tea are participating energizer locations.
UAB Sustainability will staff the two locations to register bikes with UAB Parking & Transportation, which is free. Those who register their bikes will receive a free helmet and U-lock.
“This is a great time to register your bike, especially because registration significantly increases the chances of recovering your bike if it’s stolen,” said Brian Atkinson, Program Manager, Transportation Demand Management for UAB Parking & Transportation. “We have worked with Julie’s team to ensure we have bike racks at every building, which is a great resource.”
UAB’s bike policy permits bike commuters to bring bikes into private office spaces in non-patient care buildings. There is a map on the BikeUAB website indicating which buildings permit this. Commuters who do not have private office space are expected to use outdoor bike racks, the rentable bike lockers at Lister Hill Library, or the covered bike parking in the parking decks adjacent to patient care buildings.