Bicycle Coordinating Committee

About the BCC

In recent years, the Texas Tech campus experienced a tremendous growth in student population and, consequently, bicycle use and interest. 

In late 2008, Transportation and Parking Services assembled a committee with various representatives on campus to formulate and then implement a bicycle master plan for campus.

The group consists of representatives (both cyclists and non‐cyclists) from students, faculty, staff, Student Government Association, Transportation and Parking Services, Texas Tech Police Department, Grounds Maintenance, University Student Housing and the Outdoor Pursuits Center. The BCC consulted with designers and experts and developed the resulting master plan.

Improvements to Cycling Infrastructure

During the planning process, it surfaced that ample bike parking would be a challenge as the campus continues to grow and interest in biking as a form of transportation increases.

Historically, the need for bicycle parking was addressed by placing racks outside each entrance of a building. In recent years, cyclists would frequently secure their bikes to handrails, trees and architectural features rather than seeking a space near another entrance when a particular set of racks was full despite of increased enforcement. On a number of occasions, this actually created a barrier for visually impaired students trying to access academic facilities.

Additionally, in many locations, we had reached the maximum number of racks that could be placed there. As a result, one of the recommendations that came out of the planning process was to construct a number of bicycle parking areas around the academic core of campus.

These parking areas would be within a short walk of the destinations they serve and would be constructed to provide ample bicycle parking with the possibility for future expansion. Due to the high volume of traffic in the areas, the first projects chosen were the bicycle parking area located at the intersection of the east/west and north/south pedestrian malls on the Engineering Key (just north of the Materials Research Center) and at the Library.

The new facilities include the following:

• A roomier design for moving between racks
• Easier accessibility from nearby streets and bike paths
• A new rack design developed by the committee that helps prevent bike damage
• A solid surface to prevent grass maintenance issues, and keep cyclists out of the mud and standing water
• Possibility for future expansion
• Compressed air stations

In addition to improving bike parking areas, the committee worked to improve biking on campus itself. With the help of industry consultants, designated bike lanes were placed throughout most of the Texas Tech campus. In May 2013, thanks to the BCC's planning and research, Texas Tech became a free-range campus, meaning cyclists could now ride on nearly every surface on campus with the exception of a few areas for safety reasons.

The BCC is always interested in suggestions from the campus community. Please feel free to share your ideas with the committee by sending an email.