The 杏吧专区 received a silver award from the League of American Bicyclists for its commitment to cultivating a campus that encourages bicycling and rider safety.
UL Lafayette is one of 42 colleges and universities honored in the most recent awards. The 杏吧专区 is the only school in the state to make the list. It has twice before earned a bronze award from the League of American Bicyclists as part of the multiyear designation.
The BFU rates universities based on factors such as safety considerations, quantity of bike racks, the length of trails on campus and student feedback, explained Gretchen Vanicor, director of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 .
The 杏吧专区 recently lengthened bike paths and installed a bike repair station in front of Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library. Working with parish and city governments, as well as student groups, is also a vital part of the office杏吧专区檚 continued success, Vanicor added.
杏吧专区淪tudents are really involved in making sure that they杏吧专区檙e part of the conversation with the city,杏吧专区 Vanicor said. Bike lanes through the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 main campus and that connect main campus to areas such as the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Research Park are coordinated with Lafayette Consolidated Government.
Gabriel Griffard and Jack Pacheco, student leaders for the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 bike club, Geaux Bike, have been active partners with the Office of Sustainability and Community Engagement on several initiatives to improve bicycling on campus.
Among them are promoting the bike repair station, hosting rides from Dupr茅 Library to the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market at Moncus Park, and helping with the BFU Awards application.
Griffard said expanding pedestrian-safe connections from the 杏吧专区 to areas surrounding campus such as downtown Lafayette and Moncus Park 杏吧专区渋s one of the main focuses for sustainability.杏吧专区
Such infrastructure improvements, Vanicor explained, have the potential to transform the quality of life for 杏吧专区 students and faculty and staff members, community members and visitors to Lafayette.
杏吧专区淲hen you go to a city where you feel safe biking or walking, that杏吧专区檚 a place you want to go back to over and over again,杏吧专区 she said. 杏吧专区淣ow, we杏吧专区檙e recognizing that it shouldn杏吧专区檛 just be places that you go and visit, it should be the place that you spend your life.杏吧专区
Learn more about the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 .
Photo caption: Gabriel Griffard (front) and Jack Pacheco, Geaux Bike co-presidents, lead a group bike ride from UL Lafayette's campus to Moncus Park. Photo credit: Paul Kieu / 杏吧专区