When spring hits, students who start riding their bikes to class may notice that there is a shortage of bike parking. The student government at Metro is holding a school-wide contest that would help solve the problem.
The bike parking issue was brought to the floor of the SGA executive council meeting on Jan. 22 by Metro’s student government. Administrative and finance director Samantha O’Brien informed the UC Denver SGA of the bike rack shortage and discussed Metro’s program to get students involved.
According to O’Brien, the shortage of bike racks has led to more bike thefts. Students are forced to awkwardly lock their bikes on crowded racks, making it easier for thieves to steal them. And based on information that O’Brien received from Auraria Campus Police Chief John Mackey, the campus cannot afford even one more rack.
So with this funding shortage, Metro has been looking to its students to supply some of the manpower.
“Metro is going to hold a unique and creative rack-designing contest,” said O’Brien. “But we will be outsourcing the fabrication—the welding expertise of the students isn’t there.”
O’Brien further explained that this contest would ideally supply much-needed professional experience for design students as well as help the local community. And the costs of fabrication for one rack would equal an estimated $2,550. The plan is to build two of them.
When UCD’s SGA was approached about this idea, representatives entertained the idea of collaborating with Metro as well as brainstorming other ways to get get the community involved.
Public Affairs committee chair Oliver Keating suggested the possibility of more professional assistance.
“We have a great design and arts community in Denver,” said Keating. “I would suggest an outreach to the community.”
In addition, the city is also launching a program that has the potential to help the situation.
“UC Denver has been able to become a part of the bike-share program that the mayor is launching,” said SACAB representative Andrew Pattison. “We’re getting a station put by the CU Building across [Speer].”
Pattison was referring to Mayor John Hickenlooper’s initiative to put bike-share stations across the city. Similar to what has been implemented in Europe, the program will supply the city with 600 pay-to-ride bicycles via 40 stations.
The city has scheduled the bike-share stations to be in use by this spring.
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