Wentworth Institute of Technology
OP-17: Support for Sustainable Transportation
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Debra
Shepard Sustainability Consultant N/A |
Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:
Through its affiliation with the Colleges of the Fenway, Wentworth participates in the "Blue Bikes" city-wide bicycle sharing program. Wentworth sponsors a Blue Bikes station in front of the Apartments at 525 Huntington Ave. residence hall.
Does the institution participate in a car sharing program?:
A brief description of the car sharing program:
Through the Colleges of the Fenway and Longwood Collective CommuteWorks program, Wentworth employees and students can join Zipcar at a discounted rate, and multiple Zipcars are located within walking distance of the main campus.
Does the institution offer preferential parking or other incentives for fuel efficient vehicles?:
A brief description of the incentives for fuel efficient vehicles:
Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:
While the campus does not have EV charging available at present, the new 600 Parker Street garage (currently under construction) will have more than 40 EV charging ports (including Level 2 and Level 3) when it opens.
Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:
Does the institution have other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting?:
A brief description of other programs or initiatives to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation and/or reduce the impact of student and employee commuting:
Wentworth's comprehensive commuter programs are managed by the Department of Student Engagement (https://wit.edu/student-life/commuters) and through Human Resources (via the Longwood Collective Commuteworks program: https://www.longwoodcollective.org/moving-around-the-lma/LongwoodTMA) for faculty and staff.
Approximately 430 bicycle parking spaces can be found across campus, including outdoor racks and indoor storage at the 525 Huntington residence hall. A centrally-located secure bike shelter is located next to Beatty Hall, with locker and shower facilities available in the building. There is a dedicated bicycle lane along Huntington Ave. and the Southwest Corridor bicycle path to the east of campus.
Wentworth also offers a $90 subsidy toward local MBTA bus/transit passes for faculty and staff, discounted MBTA passes for students, and preferred parking for carpool vehicles. Longwood Collective offers free local shuttle buses. As a transit-oriented university, Wentworth is served by thirteen bus routes as well as subway and rail service provided by the MBTA Green Line, Orange Line, and three Commuter Rail lines.
Events and campaigns to promote alternative commuting include periodic bicycle tune-ups on campus, bike-to-work week, bike safety training, commuter challenges/raffles, emergency ride home, CommuteSwap (an incentive that pays 3 months of subsidized public transit and other benefits for leaving your vehicle home and trying alternative modes), personalized commuting assistance, and RideAmigos to find the best commuting routes and carpool matches.
As shown in the commute modal splits, the majority of the campus community travels to/from campus using sustainable modes.
Website URL where information about the institution’s support for sustainable transportation is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.