Active Transportation Programs
A Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Funded Program (CMAQ Grant)
The Office of Sustainability has worked to improve Bicycle and Pedestrian facilities since 2018 to reduce congestion from single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs) and improve our air quality. Active transportation and the reduction of SOVs on campus can improve the health and vitality of our students and the surrounding community. Active transportation is any self-propelled, human-powered mode of transportation, such as walking or bicycling, that gets them to their destination. To attain our goal of reducing SOVs and increasing active transportation, people need to feel safe and comfortable on the road. We achieve this by improving campus infrastructure and establishing design and construction standards.
Our reliance on SOVs is a primary contributor to, and catalyst for, Bexar County being in non-attainment for ground-level ozone. The EPA considers ground-level ozone harmful to public health and the environment. Short-term symptoms include irritation of the eyes/nose/throat and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure can lead to loss of lung capacity, decreased lung function, and development/aggravation of diseases.
Explore the below projects and programs we implemented to support active transportation.
Tito Bradshaw Bicycle Repair Shop
To keep ‘Runners rolling, the Office of Sustainability provides tubes, lubes and small repair materials funded by a 2020 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant from TxDOT. Located across from Ximenes Garage, the goal of the bike shop is to reduce vehicle congestion and improve UTSA’s walkability and bikeability by empowering students to repair their own bikes and assisting them should they need it.
For those needing assistance with repairs from our on-site Beakcycle mechanics, scheduling an appointment is recommended.
Repair Shop Hours
The student-operated bike shop is open Monday through Friday this semester to keep students rolling. Bikes, scooters, walkers and skateboards welcome. If the bike shop is closed, you can always schedule an appointment. The bike shop’s Spring 2024 hours are as follows:
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Tuesday |
4 p.m. - 6 p.m. |
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Wednesday |
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
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Thursday |
4 p.m. - 6 p.m. |
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Friday |
8 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
Tito Bradshaw was a strong, community-minded local bike shop owner in Southtown, San Antonio. He activated his community by organizing bike rides and allowing the community to use his shop after hours for meetings, but was tragically killed while riding in the downtown area by a suspected intoxicated driver. The UTSA bicycle repair shop was renamed after Tito Bradshaw as it seeks to embody the attributes of his legacy, bicycle advocacy, community, placemaking and to create a safer pedestrian experience for our students.
NOTE: Bike shop hours may change due to events or to accommodate our students’ schedules. We also have events that may change our hours. Bookmark this page and follow us on Instagram and Twitter for updates to our hours. Email the Bicycle Repair Shop for questions.
Mobile Bike Shop
TXDOT awarded the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant to the Office of Sustainability in 2021, and it was a perfect fit for our program. We were awarded $407,000 over three years to increase active transportation, and we used the funds to purchase the mobile bike shop. We carry tubes, tools and a mobile compressor to help students maintain their bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, skateboards, etc., while using the grant from TXDOT to reduce ground-level ozone. If you see us, wave us down. We love to show off what we can do!
Beakcycle
How many times have you seen someone waiting in the parking lot near the campus for a space to open up? Idling is a huge contributor to ground-level ozone. The Office of Sustainability is actively finding solutions to provide our students with a better commute on campus that will result in ozone reduction and healthier campus. One possible solution is Beakcycle, a pilot bike share program we are testing on campus. Kiosks will be placed this spring in student commuter lots and at the inner campus core. This will allow students to park in the outer lots and rent a university supplied bike from those lots to the core, or from the core to their cars. Riding can improve your health, and an idling reduction can improve the health of your fellow students.
Semester Bike Rental
Are you interested in biking to campus, but do not have a bike? Our free semesterly bike rental is for you! The Office of Sustainability secured a grant for Outdoor Pursuits to host a fleet of single speed commuter bikes that can be rented out for a semester. Apply early in the semester to ensure you get a bike!
Collaboration with Rec Center
The Outdoor Resource Center (ORC), located just inside Campus Rec's main entrance (at the south gate by the parking lot), is the best spot to connect with Outdoor Pursuits services. You can sign up for a trip, borrow gear, and learn more about local and regional outdoor adventure opportunities. They offer high-quality equipment FREE to use for all members. Staff is on hand to help you understand how to set up and use the equipment, and can even suggest a few spots to consider if you're looking for recommendations. Visit their website for more information.
Alamo Commutes
Past Bike Friendly Initiatives
In 2018, we responded to student requests for a trail that ran from the corner of Ximenes Avenue and Brackenridge Avenue to the Convocation Center by funding a trail built from decomposed granite. Prior to the trail build, students were walking across a green space that was uneven and muddy when it rained. The trail was built in one day with 150 volunteers from around the community. The trail is a small effort to make the campus more walkable.
Another project we funded that year was a striped path through the parking Brackenridge Parking lots. Eventually, we hope to add sidewalks and shared and protected pathways on campus. For now, the striped paths are improvements that benefit pedestrians and bicyclists.
