Sustainability and Transportation

Index/ Table of Contents

Overview

 
1. Sustainability and Transportation  
2. The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment  
3. Colorado's Climate Action Plan

1. Shuttle service to/from Free Parking  
2. Ride Board  
3. Carpool Services  
4. City Bus (Mountain Metro Transit) Information  
5. Bike Routes & Racks  
6. FREX (Front Range Express)  
7. Other Useful Transportation Links

Sustainability and Transportation

Sustainability encompasses efforts which meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Stated differently, it is discussion of how to make human economic systems last longer and have less impact on ecological systems, relating most often to concern over major global problems relating to climate destabilization and natural resource depletion.

For more information about sustainability at UCCS, visit:
UCCS Office of Campus Sustainability
SEAS: Students for Environmental Awareness and Sustainability

The UCCS Commitments

The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, signed by Pamela Shockley-Zalabek in 2007, requires that UCCS work to reduce the amount of carbon emissions generated by campus facilities, activities, and vehicles. Included in this goal is the reduction of CO2 generated by student, faculty, and staff commutes to and from campus. Specifically, the Climate Commitment seeks to:

  "(e)ncourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution."

The Climate Commitment states:

  Emissions from campus fleets, commuting, and campus air travel are a major component of many institutions greenhouse gas emissions. To neutralize these emissions, institutions will have to:

• transition to more efficient campus fleets; fuel the fleet with non-fossil fuels like electricity, biofuels, or hydrogen; and use the vehicles only when necessary;
• implement transportation management strategies - including universal access transit passes, market-rate pricing, commuter benefit programs, telecommuting/flexible scheduling, bicycle sharing/rental programs, web-conferencing, car sharing, and educational outreach programs - to encourage commuters to use more sustainable transportation options;
• offset remaining emissions.

Colorado's first Climate Action Plan was recently unveiled by Governor Bill Ritter and calls for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Governor Ritter asked Coloradans to address climate change individually by pursuing sustainable transportation, called for the state to develop a program to limit emissions from new motor vehicles, and requested that the federal government accelerate development of clean coal technologies. State facilities such as UCCS are to reduce the energy consumption of state vehicles (to include all UCCS vehicles) by 20% by the year 2012. Already the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs has converted its shuttle busses to biodiesel (B-20 in summer, B-5 in winter), and purchased a hybrid vehicle.

The American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment Climate Commitment and Colorado's Greening of State Government Executive Orders represent the growing interest of public and private institutions to create strategies to slow the very real threat of global climate destabilization. These strategies, however, require the participation and commitment of individuals. Each of us should consider alternative means of transportation, such as bussing, carpooling, biking, and walking, as all are effective ways to

• help the environment
• reduce personal transportation costs
• lower stress
• improve physical fitness
• improve campus life by limiting asphalt parking and creating natural spaces

UCCS Sustainable Transportation Offerings

Shuttle Service to/from Free Parking:

Help reduce the amount of vehicle congestion on campus (and the need for more impermeable asphalt lots) and improve campus air quality by parking at Four Diamonds Complex. Not only will you save the environment, you will save yourself the expense of parking permit fees, and time! Take a few minutes to relax on the shuttle, instead of searching for campus parking spaces. Students may park FREE at Four Diamonds (just north of the intersection of Austin Bluffs Parkway and Nevada Ave.) between the hours of 7:00am 11:00pm Monday -Friday when classes are in session. Shuttle service departs the lot every ten minutes en route to the Science building in the center of campus.
If you want to get to campus by bicycle, but are daunted by big hills, the shuttles are equipped with bicycle racks! Ride to Four Diamonds, put your bike on the shuttle, catch your breath on the way to campus, and joyride to class.

Shuttle schedules and information

Ride Board:

The University Center (UC), located in the center of campus, maintains a ride board for the convenience of students who want to connect with other students for the purpose of sharing a ride to campus, and/or who need transportation to other areas of the state on weekends or over holiday breaks. The Ride Board is located on the first floor of the UC just to the right of the Information Desk. Check it out!!!

Carpool services:

The City of Colorado Springs offers several carpool services through their "Metro Rides" program. By providing your address and the days/times you come to campus, Metro Rides can match you with other commuters. They can also assist with bus route information and scheduling, as well as with local bicycle routes and lock up facilities. Many college students across the country are turning to cyber meeting places such as "Facebook", "MySpace", and "eRideshare" for carpooling connections. UCCS students are encouraged to use good judgment when coordinating carpools through such means.

Carpool Calculator
MetroRides Carpool Application

City Bus (Mountain Metro Transit) Information:

Mountain Metro Transit is the Springs area bus system, providing convenient and affordable city-wide service. Several routes serve the UCCS campus. Route and schedule information, as well as system maps, are available at the Information Desk (first floor of the University Center) or in the lobby at the Department of Public Safety. City bus passes are available for purchase at the UC Information Desk, the Mountain Metro Transit terminal in Downtown Colorado Springs, or online. For more city bus information, call 385-RIDE (7433).

UCCS Routes

E#2 --Falcon/Garden of the Gods
Rt#9 -Cascade
Rt#13 --Garden of the Gods
Rt#14 --East Library
Rt#19 --Austin Bluffs
Rt#20 -Circle

MMT Fare Information
MMT Schedule and Route Information
Purchase Bus Passes
Transit savings calculator

Bike Routes & Racks:

Various dedicated bike routes exist around the city of Colorado Springs. A printed version of the campus route map is available at the University Center and at the Department of Public Safety. Students, faculty, and staff who ride to campus must register their bikes with UCCS Department of Public Safety. This is a free service that aids in the recovery of your bicycle in the event that it is lost or stolen. A registration decal is to be affixed to your center post and is valid for the duration of your tenure at UCCS. The University has several bike racks located around campus for securing your bike. Note that bikes are NOT permitted inside any University buildings, nor are bicycles to be locked to features (such as fences, light posts, signs, etc) other than designated bicycle racks.

Bicycling to UCCS
Map of campus
City of Colorado Springs Bike Map
Interactive Urban Bike Map
Bicycle Colorado
More Regional Bike Maps

FREX

FREX offers bus service to/from Colorado Springs, Monument, Castle Rock, and Denver. These buses feature high-back cushioned seats, individual reading lights and air vents, bike racks, and free wireless internet service. FREX stops/park and rides in Colorado Springs are located at 1-25 and Tejon St (near downtown) and at 1-25 and Woodmen (northern Colorado Springs). One-way cash fare between Colorado Springs and Denver is $9.00. Fares to Castle Rock and Monument are less, depending upon location origination.

FREX fare information
FREX schedules and general information

Other:

Springs Traffic Cameras
Travel information from Colorado Springs to other state locations
Eco footprint worksheet
Regional Government Transportation Planning
Pikes Peak Mobility Coalition
American Public Transit Association