Faculty and students are looking to join green agreement

Clean Commute Initiative aims to increase use of alternate forms of transportation

By: Nick Halter

Posted: 9/17/07

What started as a group of professors chatting in the hallways last spring has blossomed into an initiative signed by 186 faculty and staff members

The "Clean Commute Initiative," sent Sept. 4 to UW-Eau Claire's administrators as well as various city departments, encourages alternative methods of transportation to and from campus.

Associate professor of geography and anthropology and one of the founders of the initiative, Paul Kaldjian, called the Clean Commute a "spontaneous, grassroutes thing."

He said it started before Chancellor Brian Levin-Stankevich released his strategic planning initiative and called for a climate-neutral campus.

"Clearly, (the Clean Commute) benefits now from the strategic planning … it's mutually supportive," Kaldjian said.

The initiative calls for, among other things, a commitment to riding bikes, rollerblading, walking, taking public transportation and carpooling to reduce personal automobile use and an added infrastructure to ease the use of non-car transportation.

It also aims to make safer bike crossings over Hastings Way, Water Street, Brackett Street, Clairemont Avenue and State Street; and to develop a user-friendly bus terminal on campus.

Levin-Stankevich said he was surprised that the state of Wisconsin doesn't have an initiative in place to reduce road trips and commute times, but he is glad to see the initiative put forth by the faculty.

As far as the requests made in the "Clean Commute Initiative," Levin-Stankevich said the university has to determine the priority.

The Clean Commute also encourages students to join in with the faculty and commit to alternative methods of transportation.

Senior Katie Flehmer, president of The Conservationists, an Eau Claire student group, said she had not heard of the initiative, but after learning more about it, she said her organization is interested in the Clean Commute.

She also said she hopes all types of organizations on campus will look into it.

"It's a way to save money on gas and reduce emissions," Flehmer said.

The Clean Commute Initiative also proposes working with businesses, the chamber of commerce and Downtown Eau Claire Inc. to provide direct routes through downtown and bike parking and access throughout the city.

Kaldjian said that while having almost 200 signatures is a strong showing, not all departments have heard about the initiative yet, and he expects more to join in when they get the word.

"You'll be hard-pressed to get 200 faculty and staff to agree to much," he said.