Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 83.20
Liaison Maddie LoDico
Submission Date Nov. 5, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Colby College
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Matthew Mulcahy
Senior Director of Operations
Facilities Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Support for Cyclists and Pedestrians 

Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
The athletic center has a bike rack located outside the front doors. There are showers and locker rooms that are available to commuters in the Athletic Center.

Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:
There are bike racks located at every dormitory on campus, and almost every dorm also has an indoor storage area for bicycles. Almost every non-residential building also has bike racks.

Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:
In the Campus Framework Plan, Colby has identified ways to make the campus more accessible to walkers, bikers, and handicapped. These developments include: 1. Transform vehicular roads into primary pedestrian routes in response to circulation patterns 2. Create “Colby Walks” that redefine the core campus experience with activity corridors that complement the formality of Miller Lawn 3. Develop and support a range of landscape programming at different scales to create outdoor gathering spaces 4. Enhance the existing pattern of formal, informal and natural landscapes that anchor and frame the campus 5. Enhance and respond to natural conditions of topography, hydrology and viewsheds 6. Reduce maintenance with naturalization and material choices for roads, paths and edges 7. Integrate green infrastructure strategies throughout campus

Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
Colby has an iBike bicycle sharing program. Bikes are available for students and staff to use for up to 24 hrs. at a time free of charge. Each bike comes with a helmet and a lock. Loans are handled through the information desk at the student center. Bikes are kept right outside the student center.

Mass Transit Programs 

Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the mass transit programs:
Students can receive a $5 discount on some round-trip Concord Coach Lines routes, including Portland and Boston. Additionally, Colby's Student Government operates a free campus shuttle Thursday through Sunday, which makes trips to local shopping centers and the Downtown area. The College operates a separate shuttle to encourage commuting that makes stops Downtown and at locations with high densities of Colby employee residents. The Jitney is also available every day, and acts as a free taxi service for students from campus to anywhere in Waterville.

Guaranteed Return Trip Program 

Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
No

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
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Carpool/Vanpool Programs 

Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
Yes

A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:
Colby has an electronic ride board for students and Colby community members who want to share transportation resources. It is posted on ColbyNow, which is accessible to all Colby community members.

Car Sharing Program 

Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Colby hosts a ZipCar program with three vehicles. For $35/year, students, faculty, staff can join ZipCar. Cars can be rented for $7/hr. or $60/day for up to 180 miles/day, including taxes and insurance. Cars are in the Roberts parking lot. Students ages 18-20 can rent a Colby ZipCar if they live on campus. Members over age 21 can rent cars from ZipCar locations all around the country.

EV Recharging Stations 

Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
There are two charging ports in the Admissions lot, one in the Alumni Center lot, which are available to use by anyone, and one charging port in the Facilities lot for the plug-in hybrid maintenance vehicle.

Telecommuting and Condensed Work Week Programs 

Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
Colby has a limited number of employees that telecommute. Certain employees may receive authorization of their supervisor to telecommute depending on their responsibilities, department, and customer requirements.

Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
Yes

A brief description of the condensed work week option:
Colby has a limited number of employees that work non-traditional workweeks. Employees may work a condensed workweek with authorization of their supervisor, depending on their responsibilities, department, and customer requirements.

Other Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Commuting 

Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
The College does not outwardly encourage faculty and staff to live close to campus, however if faculty choose to live in a campus dormitory, their room and board is completely subsidized by the college. The Faculty-in-Residence program at Colby is being re-vamped to increase engagement between faculty and students and change campus culture by requiring the faculty to go through trainings to help them engage with students further. Additionally, Colby is currently assisting the city of Waterville with a downtown revitalization. One of the indirect benefits of this project will be making Waterville a more attractive place for employees to live. There will be some faculty apartments in the new downtown dorm building (expected completion in Fall 2018). When a new staff/faculty member (depending on position) moves into Waterville to accept a position at Colby, the College will offer a higher moving allowance if they choose to move into the Greater Waterville area.

Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
Yes

A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:
Colby has 5 reserved parking spots for LEV vehicles throughout campus.

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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