Dear Columbia University Community,
Want to escape from the crowds in the subway or the hassles of finding a parking spot? Bike to campus! Bicycling is one of the most healthy, economical, fun and environmentally friendly ways to commute.
This year, Columbia University Facilities and the Department of Public Safety have teamed up to make it easy and safe to park and lock your bike on campus.
MORE BIKE RACKS ON CAMPUS
Facilities has recently installed an additional 50 bike racks across campus. There are now nearly 100 bike racks on campus to accommodate close to 200 bicycles, and another 50 racks are scheduled to be installed this spring. Check out the Morningside Campus bike rack locations at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/bikeracklocations.htm
PROTECTION FOR YOUR BIKE
The Department of Public Safety offers the following services to help ensure your bicycle is secure and protected while on campus:
- Free Bicycle Registration: The NYPD and Public Safety will register and engrave your bike to assist with recovery in the event it is stolen.
- Bike Locks: Public Safety offers discounted prices on Kryptonite bike locks.
You can visit the Public Safety office in 111 Low Library to take advantage of these benefits, or call Public Safety Crime Prevention at 212-854-8513 for more information.
NEW BICYCLE PARKING POLICY
Extended Storage
In order to ensure the availability of sufficient bike parking, bicycles that are stored at bike racks for extended periods of time will be subject to removal by Public Safety/Facilities personnel. Individual notices will be posted on bicycles that are potentially subject to removal and a 21-day grace period will be offered. Thereafter, those bicycles will be removed and stored at the Department of Public Safety. Persons wishing to reclaim their bicycles may do so by providing evidence of ownership and paying a storage fee of $2.00 per day.
Illegally Secured Bicycles
To ensure that bicycles are not locked where they can impede pedestrian use (such as handrails, posts and trees), signs proscribing illegal locking of bikes will be posted at problematic locations. Thereafter, illegally locked bikes will be secured with an additional lock by Public Safety personnel. Owners will then have to go to the Public Safety office in order to have their bicycles released.
You can read the full bicycle parking policy at: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/publicsafety/bikerackpolicy.htm
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
New York is a great city for riding! Check out the NYC bike map and safety tips at: http://home2.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/bike/cwbm.shtml
We are confident that increasing the number of bike racks, offering bike protection services, and implementing a responsible bike parking policy will help to provide a more bike-friendly environment at Columbia.
Sincerely,
Matthew L. Early
Chief Operations Officer
Columbia University Facilities
James F. McShane
Associate Vice President
Department of Public Safety