Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.75
Liaison Cindy Shea
Submission Date July 24, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
OP-18: Support for Sustainable Transportation

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Amanda Simmons
Transportation Demand Manager
Department of Public Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution provide secure bicycle storage (not including office space), shower facilities, and lockers for bicycle commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the facilities for bicycle commuters:

The centrally-located Genome Sciences Building includes covered bike racks, lockers, and showers. Additionally, covered bike storage is available in the parking deck at the FedEx Global Education Center. Showers are available at both recreation centers and an increasing number of office and classroom buildings. Lockers are available at both recreation centers, as well as in various student lounges in academic buildings across campus.


Does the institution provide short-term bicycle parking for all occupied buildings and makes long-term bicycle storage available for students who live on-site (if applicable)?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle parking and storage facilities:

Bike racks are located within 50ft of all residence halls, libraries, and classroom and administrative buildings. In 2015, we have a count of 450 rack locations on campus with a total capacity of 5,552 bikes.


Does the institution have a bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy (or adhere to a local community plan/policy) that sets standards and practices for campus streets to enable safe access for all users?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle and pedestrian plan or policy:

An extensive pedestrian network, characterized by brick walkways and low stone walls, serves most parts of campus well. Improved crosswalks and streetscape improvements have made many intersections safer for pedestrians. The new Koury Oral Health Sciences Building anchors a pedestrian bridge across busy Manning Drive. Biannual lighting tours and improved LED lighting enhance campus safety. A capital project fee funds a priority list of pedestrian safety improvements.

Two Bike Master Plans were developed concurrently. The UNC effort, led by Facilities Planning in partnership with Public Safety, is focused on improving bike circulation, infrastructure, and parking on campus. The Town plan seeks to create a more connected bicycle network and make biking safer throughout the community. Both plans include surveys, maps, public feedback, and prioritized lists of projects with relative price tags.


Does the institution have a bicycle-sharing program or participate in a local bicycle-sharing program?:
Yes

A brief description of the bicycle sharing program:

Tar Heel Bikes (bike share program) was launched in August 2012 and provides 30 bikes for free, short-term loan to residential students.

A RFP was issued in 2017 for a next generation, commercial bike share program.


Does the institution offer free or reduced price transit passes and/or operate a free campus shuttle for commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the mass transit programs:

Free since 2002, the Chapel Hill Transit (CHT) system provides more than 7 million rides annually and offers real-time, online bus locators to reduce waiting time for riders. It is the second largest transit system in North Carolina, serving a 160-square-mile service territory. UNC contributes more than $7 million annually to operate CHT's fixed route and demand-responsive service within the municipal boundaries of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

Participants in the nationally recognized Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP) may choose to receive an annual "GoPass," conferring unlimited free rides on the Triangle's regional transit system, as well as on the Durham Area Transit buses. Alternatively, CAP participants may also choose a free annual pass on the PX route, connecting UNC to the town of Pittsboro. Program incentives also include access to 10 UNC and Chapel Hill/Carrboro park-and-ride lots, discounts at local merchants, entry into prize drawings, and emergency rides home. For more information about CAP: http://move.unc.edu/cap/

Additionally, UNC's Department of Public Safety runs a free shuttle service from 7:00 pm until 3:00 am around campus when school is in session. For more information about this program: http://move.unc.edu/p2p/after-dark/


Does the institution offer a guaranteed return trip program to regular users of alternative modes of transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the guaranteed return trip program:

For those who use alternative transportation, there are several programs that insure easy access to emergency transportation should the need arise.

For all CAP participants, UNC's Point-2-Point service offers the Emergency Ride Back Service (ERB). The ERB service is provided for sudden, urgent, unexpected, and unscheduled situations. CAP participants never have to worry about being stranded. The Point-2-Point vehicles provide campus-to-car and campus-to-home service to any park & ride lot served by Chapel Hill Transit and to any destination falling within the Carrboro and Chapel Hill city limits.

Triangle Transit has its own emergency ride program called Emergency Ride Home. Everyone, including non-CAP participants, may use the program and it can be used on any day that an alternative commuting method has been used - even one unaffiliated with Triangle Transit.

Share the Ride NC, the University-endorsed carpool service, also provides an emergency ride home when you or a family member gets sick or if either driver has an unexpected unscheduled delay or overtime.


Does the institution participate in a car/vanpool or ride sharing program and/or offer reduced parking fees or preferential parking for car/vanpoolers?:
Yes

A brief description of the carpool/vanpool program:

ShareTheRideNC is a free, statewide ride-sharing matching service for carpools and vanpools. This online service is offered by GoTriangle and the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation. Those who sign up for the CAP receive $20 per month off the cost of the vanpool and parking in driver's lot of choice.


Does the institution participate in a car sharing program, such as a commercial car-sharing program, one administered by the institution, or one administered by a regional organization?:
Yes

A brief description of the car sharing program:

Zipcar is a subscription-base service, now entering its 10th year, that enables member departments and individuals to check-out 9 cars (including 3 hybrids) parked on campus for a low hourly rate. The cars are available at convenient locations around campus. All UNC departments, individual staff, and students 18 years of age or older who are licensed drivers may apply to enroll in the program for business or personal trips. There is no fee for departments and the usage fee is $8.50 per hour. The UNC program is also available to the town of Chapel Hill.


Does the institution have one or more Level 2 or Level 3 electric vehicle recharging stations that are accessible to student and employee commuters?:
Yes

A brief description of the electric vehicle recharging stations:

The first four Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations were installed at the Cobb, Kenan-Flagler, and Criage parking decks and the Facilities Services Building. A new fee structure for parking permits covers electric vehicle owners seeking access to these dedicated spots.


Does the institution offer a telecommuting program for employees as a matter of policy or as standard practice?:
Yes

A brief description of the telecommuting program:

The University supports tele-commuting as a trip and parking reduction strategy, and it is an element of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program. Each departmental director or chair may set a policy regarding telecommuting for that department. If the department chooses to make telecommuting available for its employees, it must do so in very specific ways. "Managers are encouraged to be as flexible as possible in accommodating the work/life needs of employees, but the decision to set and/or adjust employee work schedules is made by management, not by the individual employee."


Does the institution offer a condensed work week option that reduces employee commuting (as a matter of policy or standard practice)?:
Yes

A brief description of the condensed work week option:

The University’s Office of Human Resources strongly encourages departments “to be as flexible as possible in allowing for alternative work schedules.” As a part of these flexible work arrangements, the University accommodates “compressed” work schedules that meet "the overall needs of the organization, the supervisor, and the employee."


Does the institution have incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the incentives or programs to encourage employees to live close to campus:

Fare free buses make commuting free for employees. Participants in the nationally recognized Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP) may choose to receive an annual "GoPass," conferring unlimited free rides on the Triangle's regional transit system, as well as on the Durham Area Transit buses. Alternatively, CAP participants may choose a free annual pass on the PX route, connecting UNC to the town of Pittsboro. Commuters who forego campus parking also avoid hundreds of dollars a years of parking fees.


Does the institution employ other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting (e.g. preferred parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, cash-out of parking programs)?:
No

A brief description of other strategies to reduce the impact of commuting:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.