University of California, Davis
IN-2: Innovation 2

Taking the UC Davis Bicycling Infrastructure to the Next Level with BEEP, Bike Garage and Bike Hub

In March 2011, UC Davis was awarded the Bicycle Friendly University designation at the Gold level from the League of American Bicyclists, placing UC Davis in the top 3 nationally. UC Davis has up to 20,000 bicycles on campus during an average day and has developed many innovative bicycle infrastructure solutions. The campus has a closed core, which prohibits public vehicles from the central campus (about 1 mile by ½ mile in size). The campus has a full-time Bicycle Coordinator in the Transportation and Parking Services unit. The Bike Barn on campus runs a full-service bike repair and rental shop, loans repair tools for free, offers bike repair classes, and is instituting a mobile bike repair program. A recent Bike and Transit Network Study details a comprehensive improvements plan. The campus maintains over 42 miles of bike paths and 20,000 bike parking spaces.

Building upon those accomplishments, UC Davis is pushing to the next level of infrastructure with BEEP, a comprehensive bicycle education and enforcement program; the Bike Garage, a do-it-yourself bike repair station; and Bike Hub, a satellite bike accessory store.

The Bicycle Education and Enforcement Program (“BEEP”) was launched in October, 2011, on the UC Davis campus. It is the result of two-year collaboration between the UC Davis Police Department and the office of Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS). The goal of the program is to increase safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists on the UC Davis campus and throughout the community with the expectation that a safer cycling environment will encourage more students, staff and faculty to choose the bicycle as their primary commuting mode. Campus Travel Surveys reveal that a significant number of potential bicycle commuters are reluctant to adopt cycling as their primary mode out of concern for their safety. In many cases, this concern is based more on a fear of being involved in a crash with incompetent, inexperienced and/or scofflaw cyclists than in any feeling of personal inability to ride in a safe manner.

Over the past two decades, fines for bicycle traffic violations in Yolo County have increased tenfold to an average of $200 today. Law enforcement officers are often reluctant to write tickets resulting in such hefty penalties. Consequently, enforcement of bicycle traffic laws on campus had become sporadic and unfocussed.

The BEEP program provides an innovative solution to this problem by offering traffic violators the option of participating in an online “bicycle traffic school” at a cost of $70 which, when completed satisfactorily within fourteen days of being ticketed, results in the citation being waived. Not only do violators realize a significant cost savings, they receive bicycle safety information through the online course which covers basic traffic and equipment rules as well as tips for safe, efficient and comfortable bicycle commuting.

An additional benefit of the program is that anyone can go online and take the course at any time. The online traffic school is becoming one of the primary bike safety educational outreach opportunities that will be marketed especially to incoming students with incentives provided to encourage participation and increase our cycling mode share. For example, the system allows department to identify “visitors” who complete the traffic school and enter their university identification information. Those names can be entered into a drawing for prizes or they can be offered rewards such as discount coupons, bike accessories, or similar incentive items.

Also supporting the goals of promoting safe bicycling and an increased mode share of bicycling are both the Bike Garage and the Bike Hub. The Bike Garage, located on the first floor of a parking structure, offers most of the tools needed for do-it-yourself bike repairs, and is free to students, staff and faculty with a valid UC Davis i.d. Opened in September 2009, the Bike Garage had helped over 10,000 customers by March 2011. The Bike Garage has at least one fully trained mechanic on-site to assist with repairs and provide advice. For more information about the Bike Garage, including hours, visit http://bikebarn.ucdavis.edu/bike-garage.

The Bike Hub is the Bike Barn's satellite bicycle accessory store in the student union. The Bike Hub offers basic bicycle accessories, such as front and rear lights, which promote safe and legal bicycling. The Bike Hub is located inside the student union, where the popular Coffee House and student bookstore are located, and is open Monday through Friday. The Bike Hub extends access to affordable safety-promoting bicycle equipment. For more information about the Bike Hub, including hours, visit http://bikebarn.ucdavis.edu/bike-hub.