New bike racks have been set up at several locations on the Main Green, providing Brown's scores of cycling students an improved rack design and more rack space. The new bike racks are part of the campus improvements project, which seeks to place bike racks in less visually obtrusive locations. "Before, the first things you saw when you walked through Faunce were trash cans and bike racks," Michael McCormick, assistant vice president for planning, design and construction, told The Herald.
Though the project sought to move bikes to more discreet locations, McCormick said new racks have been added as part of the improvement and more are likely on the way. McCormick said campus bike use has noticeably increased.
"We've not had the issues we are having on campus this year in the past," he said. An avid biker himself, McCormick listed several probable causes for the increase, such as stretches of nice weather, heightened awareness of an individual's carbon footprint, expensive gas prices and limited parking space. To inform students of the rack locations, the Transportation Office and Facilities Management will make a map of bike racks available through Morning Mail.
Julia Brooks '08 appreciates the improvements. "I noticed before that there were not enough racks," Brooks said.
Brooks added that abandoned bikes, which McCormick said are a public safety risk and decrease the usable space on racks, reduce the storage available to students.
"The bike storage room in my building is completely full of abandoned bikes," she said. "I like to keep my bike inside when the weather is bad, but there is no room."
Tyler Whitmire '08 suggested abandoned bike sales that could raise money while freeing up more storage space for current students' bikes. Whitmire also offered a warning to students who keep their bikes locked on campus over vacations. Last summer Whitmire stored her bike on campus, but it mysteriously disappeared.
