| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.46 |
| Liaison | Paul Mathisen |
| Submission Date | May 22, 2020 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.80 / 2.00 |
Paul
Mathisen Dir. of Sustainability & Assoc. Prof Civil & Environmental Engineering |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Support for Cyclists and Pedestrians
Yes
None
A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:
WPI offers covered and secure bicycle storage facilities in the East Hall residence hall as well as the Park Avenue Parking Garage. There is also a bicycle fix-it station at the Park Avenue Garage and Faraday Hall Courtyard. Changing rooms and showers for commuters are available in Morgan Hall and in the Sports & Recreation Center. Winter bicycle storage is available in a secure area of East Hall.
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:
Exterior bicycle storage racks are available adjacent to all academic and residential WPI buildings. Secure storage is available in East Hall for long term and winter bicycle storage.
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:
WPI and the city of Worcester collaborated to have lighted pedestrian crossing signs at key locations around campus. In addition, also in collaboration with the city, WPI identified key areas around the perimeter of campus to locate curb cuts, preventing vehicles from parking close to entrances to parking lots and intersections, thus allowing more visibility to pedestrians. The Gompei's Gears bikeshare team educate and wrote a description about bike safety here https://www.wpi.edu/offices/sustainability/gompeis-gears-bike-share . In addition, the City of Worcester has a Complete Streets Program that WPI adheres to.
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:
Gompei's Gears is a 18 bike bikeshare program located in 4 sites around WPI's campus. Bikes can be borrowed for free by any WPI community member. The bicycles purchased by WPI are provided by On Bike Share, and can be checked out through a mobile app. the program has been very popular among students and staff alike. Last year, 1000 unique riders checked out the bikes 3600 times.
Mass Transit Programs
Yes
A brief description of the mass transit programs:
• Gateway Shuttle: The Gateway Shuttle provides safe and no-cost transportation to all the WPI Community. There are five (5) Gateway Shuttle van stops. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 8:30am to 5:30pm. The Shuttle service is provided on holidays and during recess/breaks except on Thanksgiving and Christmas recess. • CityRide: This Friday and Saturday night shuttle service shared with four other campuses will bring students to desirable spots for food, shopping, and entertainment. CityRide is a free service for all full time undergraduate students from WPI with their student ID. / • WRTA: The Worcester Regional Transit Authority offers semester and discounted passes for college students. With 42 routes around the city, this safe, easy, and affordable mode of transportation will allow anyone to get to a local festival, movie, or shopping location. • Union Station: Union Station is home to Amtrak, the commuter rail service to Boston, as well as buses for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and the WRTA. These transportation options are available all year. Student passes are available and WPI partners with Amtrak Downeaster to offer students 6 one-way trips for only $86.
Guaranteed Return Trip Program
No
A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:
The program is no longer offered through MassRIDES Emergency Ride Home program
Carpool/Vanpool Programs
Yes
A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:
WPI offers reserved parking spots in East Hall Parking garage for car poolers. WPI also provides a free carpool matching program through CarpoolWorld.
Car Sharing Program
Yes
None
A brief description of the car sharing program:
WPI students and employees are offered discounted membership in Zipcar's carsharing service, which has cars located in several locations around campus. Currently there are 9 Zipcars around campus, and the average miles driven per month is 11,000.
EV Recharging Stations
Yes
None
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
WPI has eight dual port Chargepoint Electric Vehicle charging stations located in the Park Ave Garage and Gateway Garage that are available to members of the WPI community as well as visiting vendors and Worcester community members at no cost. WPI was recognized by an official citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate for participation in MassEVolves program to help more people gain access to clean transportation.
Telecommuting and Condensed Work Week Programs
No
None
A brief description of the telecommuting program:
There is no formal policy at this time, but it is set to consider a policy in 2020. Nonetheless, there are employees who telecommute on a regular basis. During the COVID19 pandemic, all faculty and staff are telecommuting.all faculty and staff working at home are able to use WPi sponsored Zoom and Team meeting platforms and use WPI-owned computers.
Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
No
A brief description of the condensed work week option:
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Other Strategies to Reduce the Impacts of Commuting
No
None
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
---
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:
Some of the most convenient parking spots in WPI's parking garage are those with electric vehicle charging stations. WPI offers numerous alternatives to community members to reduce the impact of commuting. Carpoolworld, a ride share program, ZipCar, vanpool, shuttle service, and a free bike-share program are offered. The van service offers free transportation to other city colleges as well as shopping and entertainment venues.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.wpi.edu/student-experience/resources/safety/campus-transportation
https://www.wpi.edu/student-experience/resources/safety/campus-transportation/student-night-assistance-patrol
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.