The benefits and pitfalls of biking at UGA

Emily Karol
Slug: Be careful biking
Headline: The benefits and pitfalls of biking at UGA
September 11, 2009

ATHENS, GA.—Pedaling through the burning in their calves, the sweat rolling down their cheek, the angry driver screeching up behind, bikers face many obstacles each day to arrive to campus promptly for their first class. However, when talking to a few of the University of Georgia’s cycling fiends, they hardly complain about the aesthetics. The disjointed bike lanes, the myriad potholes, the overwhelming motor traffic, combine to create a strenuous and even dangerous commute.

“There’s a whole lot more to do to make biking safe, easier and more convenient on campus,” said Kevin Kirsche, assistant director of planning at the UGA.

From East Campus Road to Cedar Street to Milledge Avenue, the routes to and on campus are lacking a connected network of bike lanes that allow bikers to move easily and safely to their destination. Kirsche considers Cedar Street to be one of the most dangerous intersections on campus because bikers are riding with out a safe lane that separates them from the other motor traffic.

“It’s important to have a clearly marked infrastructure,” said Brent Buice, a volunteer board member for Bike Athens, a non-profit organization promoting alternative transportation in Athens. “People are more inclined to bike and walk then.”

Similarly, East Campus Rd. has a spotty bike path that abruptly ends at the hill going past Sanford Stadium causing a dangerous mixture of bikes, buses and cars. Milledge Avenue also lacks a biker-friendly infrastructure.

“Milledge can get pretty dicey at times,” said sophomore cell biology and Latin majors Rebecca Marshburn. “You never know when to pass or ride up on a sidewalk.”

Bike Athens is working on updating their map of Athens’s bike routes. The map will include color-coded streets denoting level of safety, the topography of routes and the safest routes to take to campus.

However, on campus Kirsche and his planning team have many ideas for bike routes from adding more bike lanes to creating greenways and multi-purpose paths. Currently, their obstacle is funding for these projects. While the Georgia Department of Transportation trans-enhancement grants have provided support on some projects, Kirsche is seeking other grant opportunities.

“We’re trying to come up with creative ways in a resourceful manner,” Kirsche said.

As for Milledge Avenue and other heavily biked roads off-campus, Kirsche is working with the county to provide better bike connections to campus. He is specifically working on a greenway network plan along the Oconee. A greenway is a multi-purpose path that engages people with the river and natural environment around.

The lack of bike paths and lanes isn’t the only obstacle in cyclists’ way. The spattering of potholes and rubble that obstruct the paths cause bikers to be extra vigilante. Brandon Nesmith, a senior biology major at UGA, suffered minor scrapes and bruises after hitting some gravel near the Veterinary building on September 4, 2009.

“I just lost control of the handle bars and flipped over my bike,” Nesmith said.

Meghan Just, a senior interior design major at UGA, also witnessed a bike accident caused by poor road conditions.

“At the North/South bus stop [by Morton Street], I saw a guy flip over after hitting a pot hole,” she said.

Even through the disconnected lanes and numerous potholes, bikers brave the Athens and UGA streets for many reasons that counterbalance the obstacles.

“It’s ridiculous for me to pay to park in East Campus deck when I live close enough to bike,” Just said.

Nesmith agrees, “I ride because of convenience. Sometimes the bus takes a while, especially since I have to go to the vet building. It’s hard to catch a bus over there in time.”