UWM Names a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly University

The League of American Bicyclists, the oldest and only grassroots advocacy organization for people who bike, has honored the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a gold-level Bicycle Friendly University award in recognition of the institution’s achievements in promoting and enabling safe, accessible bicycling on campus.

“Congratulations are in order for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on its inclusion in an elite class of 48 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Universities nationwide,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the league. “By meeting one of the four award levels, universities and colleges demonstrate a commitment to not only fostering academic achievements, but also to developing model environments where people can safely bike and contribute to healthier, more sustainable outcomes.”

The Bicycle Friendly University program now includes 208 colleges and universities and is part of the League’s Bicycle Friendly America program, which also awards communities and businesses as part of its mission to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

“To renew at a gold level this year meant not only maintaining the programs that brought UWM to gold, but also meant that we were expected to build on our success,” said Kate Nelson, sustainability director at UWM. “Primarily, the focus has been on a collaboration with the City of Milwaukee to provide safe and healthy streets leading to our campus. UWM shared governance also just endorsed a bike hub study to plan for better routes and secure bike parking.”

Biking on campus brings together UWM’s community of faculty, staff, students and leadership, Nelson said. UWM encourages bicycling as an easy option for transportation and provides amenities such as discounted Bublr Bikes rental, free commuter showers and weekly summer rides.

As UWM continues to improve its campus accessibility by bike, it will have access to a variety of free tools, a library of resources and technical assistance from the league to become even more welcoming to people who bike. To apply or learn more about the free BFU program, visit the league online.

“More than 4 million students now attend Bicycle Friendly Universities in 47 states and Washington, D.C.,” said the league’s Bicycle Friendly America director, Amelia Neptune. “There is an increasing diversity of colleges and universities committed to creating campuses, from large to small, urban to rural, that enable and encourage people to use bicycles.”

About the League of American Bicyclists
For 138 years, the League of American Bicyclists has been leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. Its commitment is to listen and learn, define standards and share best practices to engage diverse communities and build a powerful, unified voice for change. Learn more at bikeleague.org.

About UWM
Recognized as one of the nation’s 131 top research universities, UW-Milwaukee provides a world-class education to 27,500 students from 91 countries on a budget of $689 million. Its 15 schools and colleges include Wisconsin’s only schools of architecture, freshwater sciences and public health, and it is a leading educator of nurses and teachers. UW-Milwaukee partners with leading companies to conduct joint research, offer student internships and serve as an economic engine for southeastern Wisconsin. The Princeton Review named UW-Milwaukee a 2019 “Best Midwestern” university based on overall academic excellence and student reviews, and the Sierra Club has recognized it as Wisconsin’s leading sustainable university.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.