The Alternative Transportation Fee Advisory Board at Colorado State University is now accepting infrastructural and programmatic proposals for alternative transportation improvements on campus.
Qualifying projects must directly benefit students. Projects will also be evaluated using a rubric including several criteria: enhancing transportation safety; meeting project design benchmarks such as an extended lifecycle and construction and maintenance costs; and environmental benefits. Requests for matching funds for grants will also be eligible for funding. A full list of project criteria is available on the board’s website, along with the application process and proposal form. Construction proposals are due Friday, Dec. 8; programmatic proposals are due Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.
About ATFAB
Established in 2015, ATFAB has focused on a variety of transit and capital improvements, including new bike trails, bus routes and support for transportation programs to ensure safe and reliable transportation options for Colorado State University students. The board reports to the Associated Students of Colorado State University Student Fee Review Board and recommends how student transportation fee dollars are spent on campus.
“We aim to award student funds equitably to improve mobility in and around campus for current and future students,” said Zachary Cramton, ATFAB Vice Chair. “I enjoy seeing people from so many different backgrounds come together to share perspectives and invest in our campus.”
ATFAB’s work involved funding a wide variety of projects, including the Transfort contract, The Spoke bike shop on campus, the SkiSU bus to Colorado resorts, and several educational programs aiming to improve transportation safety and accessibility both at CSU and around Fort Collins.
Recent projects
Most recently, the Board funded construction of a raised crossing on Hughes Way, to slow cars and improve bicycle and pedestrian safety at the high-use crossing between the Academic Village and the intramural fields. The Board has also funded construction of new covered shelters at Transfort bus stops around CSU over the past several years. One project nearing completion is the Pitkin Street bike roundabout, aiming to improve bike infrastructure on Center Avenue and make the intersection safer for all. Other projects include new bike trails, bus routes and supportive programs, all with the goal of ensuring safe, equitable and reliable transportation for CSU students.
This year, the board hopes to receive a wide variety of applications, from infrastructure to programmatic proposals. As Colorado State University celebrates the Thematic Year of Democracy, community members are encouraged to get involved with leadership to propose new ways to advance alternative transit on campus.
Fair, equitable process
“Student mobility and accessibility needs are at the forefront of the board’s mind during the selection process,” Cramton said. “Many of our most successful projects are proposed or designed by students to solve the challenges we all interact with daily. SkiSU and the Spoke were both imagined by students and remain among our most successful programmatic investments.”
Examples of projects that will be considered include, but are not limited to, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, covered or secure bike parking, enhanced transit service and transportation-sharing projects. Project proposal forms and more detailed criteria are available on the ATFAB website at atfab.colostate.edu.
