Concordia joins more than 150 visionary colleges and universities from across the country and is one of four BFU campuses in Minnesota.
Concordia’s increased encouragement for biking starts with the students. As the COBBikes Bike Share program was introduced on campus, organizers noticed a large amount of checkouts in the program, but also saw an increase of personal bikes on campus.
With the announcement of 51 new and renewing BFUs from 25 states, Concordia joins a group of colleges and universities across the United States transforming their campuses and the communities around them. There are now 164 BFUs in 44 states and Washington, D.C.
“In its fifth year, we’ve seen the Bicycle Friendly University program’s momentum continue to grow and reach even more campuses across the country,” said Bill Nesper, programs director. “We applaud this round of BFUs for raising the standard and being innovative in making bicycling a safe, convenient and enjoyable option for students, staff and visitors alike.”
The bike initiative at Concordia has gained momentum with the expansion of the COBBikes program, providing more bike racks on campus, offering bike education courses, and now through this recent achievement of becoming a Bike Friendly University.
“Concordia College feels that it is important to encourage biking for several reasons, not only to promote carbon emission-free transportation, but also to encourage physical wellness,” says Samantha Westrate, sustainability coordinator. “By improving our support for biking in the F-M area, we can showcase to students and the community how easy it is to commute around town on a bike. We don’t always have to hop in our cars to run our errands or meet downtown.”
“I think it’s cool that no matter who you are on campus, you can still ride a bike,” says Derek Ludwig ’18. “I like seeing my professors and peers in class riding around on bikes on their way to class. I think COBBikes is a cool way to give people a chance to enjoy bike riding and also encourages other people to do so.”
Through the award, Concordia will have access to a variety of free tools and technical assistance from the league to become even more bicycle friendly. To apply or learn more about the free BFU program, visit the league online.
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