Colorado State University is recognized nationwide as a leader in sustainability and a supporter of alternative transportation.
And the campus community walks the talk. Nearly half of Colorado State University faculty, staff and students use alternative forms of transportation – taking the bus, biking, walking and sharing a ride – to get to campus, according to the university’s commuter survey. Using alternative transportation is good for physical and mental health, as well as the environment.
With this commitment comes additional attention to the safety aspects of mobility.
“CSU’s President’s Vision Zero Task Force is working to continuously improve the safety of our transportation system here at CSU for all road users,” Erika Benti of CSU Parking and Transportation Services said. “Task force members have helped secure grants for new infrastructure projects that will be completed over the next year and are working on a new mobile tool for the campus community to report any safety issues they encounter.”
Getting around campus, Fort Collins
• Bike/Walk/Scoot/Skateboard: Fort Collins has relatively flat terrain and a temperate year-round climate, making it easy for biking and walking by utilizing CSU’s separated trails. Most places on campus are near one another, so getting from Point A to Point B can be pretty quick: Getting across main campus typically takes about 10 minutes by bike/scooter/skateboard and 20 minutes by foot. CSU is a Platinum Level Bicycle Friendly University, and nearly half of CSU faculty, staff and students use alternative forms of transportation – taking the bus, biking, walking and sharing a ride – to get to campus, according to the commuter survey.
More than 18,000 bike racks accommodate student, employee and visitor bikes, and bike lanes/paths/ways are abundant across campus and throughout Fort Collins. The on-campus bike shop, The Spoke, is a student-led bike maintenance and educational training center that helps keeps bicyclists rolling by promoting best practices on bicycle maintenance, safety and repair with free interactive training and guidance, as well as fee-based services. The Spoke also offers long-term bike rentals for folks who want the convenience of having their own bike, but would like some help maintaining it and storing it during breaks.
No bike? SPIN e-scooter/e-bike share offers electric bikes and scooters to the public, available for rent by the minute via the Spin app, with discounted memberships available for Pell Grant recipients through the Spin Access program.
Free U-Lock bike locks (while supplies last) are available to students who register their bike through the CSU Police Department. For more information contact. CSUPD.
• Transit: CSU has worked closely with the City of Fort Collins to plan bus routes convenient for students, faculty and staff. With a CSU RamCard/ID, several free services are available through the municipal bus service Transfort to get around town, including the on-campus Around the Horn shuttle service and the MAX transportation line that runs along the five-mile Mason Street corridor.
• Zipcar: Instead of keeping a car on campus, Zipcar is a car rental program available to CSU students 18 and older to use for personal trips, recreation and errands.
• Safety/Education: Commuters on campus need to feel confident and protected. To help students feel safe when using alternative transportation, CSU has developed an online course, CSU Moves, which introduces students to local transportation options and key strategies for navigating campus safely and efficiently. Students can also be rewarded for safe bicycling practices through the Rams Ride Right positive reinforcement education program, which rewards bicyclists at CSU for following the rules of the road and using safe cycling practices. Additionally, the President’s Vision Zero Task Force examines all mobility and safety related to the many modes of transportation on and near the main CSU campus.
Leaving town
CSU helps students get out of town when they need to. It’s easy to go to Denver International Airport via shuttle services and to Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs and the Western Slope via RTD bus services, Bustang and FLEX Regional Service.
“We want to encourage and empower people to use alternative transportation by providing safe and efficient routes,” said CSU Alternative Transportation Program Manager Aaron Fodge. “We don’t want them to feel intimidated or afraid to leave their cars at home because of a bad experience or because they don’t know the safest route to take.”
Ski trips in the winter? CSU offers SkiSU, providing round-trip transportation between CSU and designated ski resorts for a minimal fee.
Resources
- Find out more about options for alternative transportation.
- Check out the Fort Collins bike map.
- View an interactive campus map of alternative transportation routes.
- Online campus bike registration.
- For one-on-one assistance with transit, biking, walking or long boarding, contact Erika Benti, CSU Parking and Transportation Services at (970) 491-7600 or benti@colostate.edu.
- Questions about parking can be answered by calling (970) 491-7041 or visiting pts.colostate.edu.
