Bike Bunker project, two students honored

CSU Monterey Bay's work to promote alternative transportation has garnered three excellence awards from the Transportation Agency for Monterey County. The awards were among 10 presented at TAMC's board meeting on Jan. 22; they recognize individuals, groups and businesses for efforts to improve the way people get around in Monterey County.

The university’s Bike Bunker, which opened last year, was honored in the projects category. It provides secure, convenient indoor storage for 36 bicycles. All spaces are currently rented.

CSUMB’s transportation planner Megan Tolbert led the project team, which included students and staff members from across campus. Otto Construction and Telemetrix did the construction and electrical work and donated 10 percent of their time.

The design was based on a similar facility at Portland State University.

The project was paid for by a grant from the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District.

Students Richard Vasquez and Casey Andrews were honored in the individual category.

Vasquez has since graduated and works in web and graphic design for Cisco. For his senior capstone project, he created an identity package, marketing materials and façade treatments for the Bike Bunker. His work helped to create a bike culture and increase ridership at CSUMB and contributed to the success of the bunker. “Richard’s work helped us stretch our dollars in a way that made it aesthetically pleasing,” Tolbert said. “We’ve used Richard’s bicycle icon around campus.” Andrews worked on TRIPwise, an identity for programs, infrastructure and events that support a robust alternative transportation program on campus. His Transit Tree poster and website updates have led to an increase in transit ridership on campus – up 300 percent since his freshman year. A senior, he will graduate in May.

Since 2010, the university has worked to provide transportation options for members of the campus community. Options include free rides on Monterey-Salinas Transit for anyone with an CSUMB username card; a campus cycle center where students can rent a bike or get their bike repaired; a rideshare board; two electric vehicle charging stations; and a transportation information center on campus.

Tolbert is currently working on a Transportation Demand Management Plan for CSUMB, which has identified a need for r 500 more indoor bike parking spaces. It’s the second time Tolbert has been honored by TAMC. In 2010, she won an award in the individual category for her work on bicycle and mass transit prior to joining the university's staff, and for her achievements during her first year on campus.

“Ms. Tolbert has been a strong advocate for alternative transportation in Monterey County. Not only has she been an asset to TAMC as a transportation planner with CSUMB, but her work with Monterey Green Action has been key to promoting the use of bicycles as a viable transportation alternative . . . and her key role in educating the public on rail transit,” the agency’s website says.

*Top photo: (Left to right) Megan Tolbert, CSUMB's transportation planner; Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker; Dr. Ronnie Higgs, CSUMB's vice president of student affairs and enrollment services; Jerry Edelen, mayor of Del Rey Oaks. Photo courtesy of TAMC**At right: Casey Andrews with his Transit Tree poster. Photo courtesy of Megan Tolbert Below: Richard Vasquez, who designed the identity package for the Bike Bunker. Photo by Richard Green*