National Bike Month in Fayetteville

Resources available to students during National Bike Month in Fayetteville

In order to kick off the National Bike Month of May, Fayetteville is sponsoring a “Bike to Work Week” on May 11-15 this year. There are many convenient trails available for Fayetteville public use this spring, as well as free use of bicycles for UA students.

In preparation of hitting the trails this spring, students might consider bike availability, parking permits, trail options and reasons to choose bicycling to work and school, instead of other transportation means.

U of A Transit and Parking is in the process of changing their bicycle policy, according to the administrators of U of A Students Against Bicycle Parking Fees on Campus. In the future, bicycles must be registered and display a UA bicycle permit. Due to student protesting, the permit will not cost $15; instead the permits will be free.

Gary K. Smith, UA Director of Transit and Parking said once the policy is established, registration will be made easy, especially in obtaining permits. The new bicycle permits will be distributed either outside the Union Station or Arkansas Union.

The use of highways, the headache of street lights and crosswalks might discourage an interest in bicycling, but the Fayetteville Alternative Transportation & Trail Plan is developing an intricate set of trail systems that are more pedestrian and bicycle-rider friendly.

This is the sixth of 15 years in the FATT plan. The plan was developed to establish alternative modes of transportation and active recreation as an integral part of daily life in the City of Fayetteville, according to the FATT executive summary. The goal of the Trail Construction Program is to construct about five miles of new trail each year, which in FATT’s terms translates to a trail within a half-mile of every home.

The City of Fayetteville now offers ten miles of paved trails and will ultimately include 129 miles of trails and 163 miles of on-street linkages, according to the Trail Construction Program. The Frisco and Scull Creek trails are the base for this trail network. The two trails run north and south through Fayetteville and will have trails built from them extending east and west.

The Frisco Trail on Center Street near to the UA campus is 0.6 of a mile. It passes the Blair Library as well as the “Trailside Café and Tea Room”, and then opens onto Dickson Street.

Nearby, Scull Creek Trail begins on Gregg Street and passes through various Lindsey & Associates properties and the Washington Regional Medical Center in its four miles. The concrete trail is 12-feet wide, has benches along the way, and has many tall lamps to maximize safe riding hours.

Things to keep in mind when hitting the trail this spring include clothing choice, distance of your trip, weather, safety, and bicycle accessories. Loose-fitting, light-colored clothing maximizes the cyclists’ comfort. If you wish to change into work clothing after the ride, rolling the clothes prevents wrinkles. U-locks are optimal for parking and storing your bike while at school or work. A basket, rear-rack or pannier (a bag that fits onto a rear rack) are useful when riding destinations that require luggage.

Even if students do not have their bike in town, there are resources available at no charge.

Razorbikes is a group that distributes community bikes to UA students, alumni, faculty and staff, according to the UA Transit and Parking Department Web site. After registering with Razorbikes in the Parking Office, the bicycles are available for a full day at no fee and can be taken off campus. Basic Razorbike guidelines include wearing a helmet, following state and local bicycle laws and not sharing the combination with another person while using the bicycle. The first Razorbikes were supplied by the Regions bank and other businesses, but the program accepts donated bikes from students, alumni, faculty and staff.

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department outlines a few straight forward laws for bicyclists. Cycle on the right side of the road (never the left side or the sidewalk), obey all traffic signals and control devices, yield to crossing traffic, when changing lanes yield to traffic in the new lane, at intersections face the direction of your destination and also position yourself according to the speed relative to other traffic.