The Bike-friendly Campus

Western Kentucky University received Bronze Level status in November from the League of American Bicyclists. Madonna L. May, coordinator of WKU’s Big Red Bikes program, left, and Dr. Jennifer Tougas, Parking and Transportation director, beam while holding WKU’s award, “Bicycle Friendly University.” The award is based on five categories of bicycle friendliness: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation. The program evaluates university efforts in sustainability, transportation options, and quality of life, while improving bicycle-friendliness. Tougas says, “We’ve worked with the city adding bicycle lanes in the community and also to connect main campus with south campus. Bike racks have been added throughout, we have a bike shop, and self-serve ‘fix it’ stations, making it a viable transportation mode.” May says, “Our improvements on campus have been helped with funds received from the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission’s Paula Nye Memorial Bicyclist and Pedestrian Education Grant.”