University of Louisiana at Lafayette students who ride bicycles to class soon will have more options for securing their bikes.
The University will add bike racks, bike shelters and lockers on campus. The improvements are expected to be in place by the Spring 2014 semester.
Five bicycle shelters, which accommodate 20 bikes each, will be installed. Three will be placed on the main campus; two will be located at the entrance to the intramural fields on Coliseum Road. A lighted parking lot will also be added there; it will accommodate 150 vehicles.
Seven uncovered bicycle areas will created on the main campus. These will have metal bike racks.
"In all, we'll be adding the capacity to secure more than 200 bicycles," said Bill Crist, director of Facilities Management for the University.
The University will install 10 bicycle lockers at the Oliver Tower parking garage and 10 others at the Taft Street parking garage. Each locker will hold one bike.
"Obviously, that's not a big number," said Crist. The lockers will be available as a pilot program to gauge interest.
More bike racks — 64 of them that will hold two bikes each — will be placed near the Student Union when its renovation and expansion is complete. The Union project is on track to be finished by the end of 2014.
Longer-range plans include bike stations, facilities for minor repairs and maintenance," Crist said.
“Bicycle shelters, lockers and bike racks will provide students facilities they requested when they approved the Master Plan student initiative fee,” Crist said.