Calling all bikers, walkers, drivers and bus riders: The inaugural University of Oregon Transportation Day is taking place Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Chapman lawn across from the Lillis Business Complex.
The UO Bike Program, Student Sustainability Center and student transportation and livability group LiveMove are organizing the day-long event in efforts to raise awareness about green transportation options available to students, staff and faculty.
“It’s really important for new students to know what their transportation options are and to get support, to get answers on how to get from point A to point B,” said Kelsey Moore, the UO Bike Program coordinator. “A lot of students have questions about how to get around and we’re trying to connect those dots for them.”
Representatives from Eugene bicycle businesses, local government offices, bicycle riders’ clubs, Lane Transit District, the UO Police Department and the UO transportation office will also be in attendance to promote safe, efficient and green travel options to and from campus. Participants can learn how to put bikes on bus racks, lock bikes properly and plan routes to and from areas around Eugene and Springfield, among other things.
“This is the first time we’ve brought a lot of community partners in,” Moore said. “They’re very, very excited to reach out and talk to students and staff. We really want to create a sense of community around walking, biking and taking the bus to school.”
The best part: Most everything at the event is free. Participants will be able to screen print a t-shirt courtesy of the UO Craft Center, register their bikes, take photos in a photo booth, interact with local bicycle businesses and take part in the “Why do you Walk/Bike?” campaign. Lots of free food, reflective stickers and other merchandise, music and minor bike repairs also will be offered.
In case you need further incentive, several prize giveaways will be peppered in throughout the day: Enter to win a waterproof jacket and pants from Showers Pass, bike lights from Planet Bike and coffee mugs and water bottle holders from Portland Design Works, to name just a few of the items up for grabs.
The overarching theme of the event is, of course, sustainability. The university prides itself on a long-standing reputation as a green campus, not only in its landscape and architecture but also in its approach to issues like transportation.
“We wanted to also promote the student sustainability fund, which is a student grant fund where students can apply for up to $7,500 to implement a sustainability project on campus,” said Eric Beeler, the Student Sustainability Center coordinator. For more information on the grant, click here — or better yet, stop by the event and ask about the application process.
“It’s a very comprehensive event and a really great celebration of being active,” said Dana Nichols, UO graduate student and president of LiveMove. “It’s all about finding out what options are available to you.”
UO Transportation Day is sponsored by the UO Office of Parking and Transportation, the UO Health Center, the UO Cultural Forum and the UO Craft Center.
— By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications