It’s that time of year again! Bike at Illinois is hosting another Bike Census. Each year the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign aims to organize a bike census where volunteers count the bicycles around campus. The Bike Census began in 2013 where Facilities & Services and Champaign County Bikes came together to support the University of Illinois Bicycle Friendly University status.
This year, the bicycle census will be held on Wednesday, April 28 from 10-11 am. This data collected during the bike census is uploaded to the university bicycle database. Volunteers will be assigned specific map blocks and will count the number of off- and on-rack bicycles. Additionally, volunteers will make note of the type of bicycle rack that the bikes are parked at. F&S will also be giving away 2 Illinois mugs to randomly selected student volunteers.
Once the information is uploaded into the database it can help recognize popular locations for bicycles. This helps improve safety measures in those areas. The database also aims to add additional biking amenities in highly populated areas such as additional bike racks. Facilities & Services were able to create a very detailed Campus Biking Map thanks to the bike census data.
Due to staff changes and COVID-19, bike census did not occur for the last 3 years. That makes this year’s census very important and insightful to see how the infrastructure changed in these years. It will also help us understand how the students, faculty, staff, and community members move on-campus during the pandemic. If you are interested in volunteering, fill out the Volunteer Sign up: Bike Census Spring 2021. Learn more at Bike Census Spring 2021.
Remember that before you go riding, register your bike. Besides being mandatory, registering your bicycle is one of the best ways to protect your bike. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please reach out to bike@illinois.edu. Connect with us on Instagram and Twitter @bikeatillinois and Facebook @bike.illinois. Make sure to wear a helmet and ride on!
