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Marking a major step forward in campus transportation, the highly anticipated campus cycle track has been completed. Designed with safety and convenience in mind, the track accommodates bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards, offering a dedicated, bidirectional path separated from vehicular traffic.  

The cycle track improves the current campus micromobility infrastructure and promotes eco-friendly commuting options for students, faculty, and staff. It will also enhance: 

• Safety. By separating micromobility users from vehicular traffic, the risk of collisions is significantly reduced. Permanent curbs and realigned intersections add extra layers of protection. 

• Connectivity. The track links key parts of campus, from the Campus Recreation Center and Tech Parkway along Fifth Street to Tech Square. This creates a smoother east-west route through Midtown and the �鶹�� Tech campus. 

• Sustainability. Supporting micromobility helps reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion. 

A grand opening celebration is planned for Wednesday, Aug.13, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., during . Following the opening ceremony, a bike and micromobility ride — named the “critical swarm” — will take place to familiarize both new and returning students with navigating the cycle track and seeing how it connects campus to surrounding neighborhoods. Proposed by students, the idea of a “critical swarm” ride is an effort to establish the event as a yearly campus tradition.  

Students are, in fact, the reason the cycle track now exists on campus. Many were inspired by former �鶹�� Tech Associate Professor Kari E. Watkins, a leading expert in the field of transit, who educated scores of students about alternative transit options, often traveling to the Netherlands for research and inspiration.  

Today’s cycle track originated from a 2019 award-winning senior capstone project by civil engineering students Kimmie Hernandez, CEE 2019; Danielle Kronowski, CEE 2019; Poonam Patel, CEE 2019; and Rachel Still, CEE 2020, whose research demonstrated the safety benefits of protected bike lanes.  

“Our team was excited about the opportunity to partner with �鶹�� Tech, allowing us to apply the community-driven engineering concepts we learned in a meaningful way on campus," Still said. 

“Designing this project as a student made it very personal,” Hernandez added. “I had four years of firsthand experience navigating the campus and seeing opportunities to improve mobility and safety. That experience gave our team a unique perspective and a genuine excitement for creating thoughtful student-focused solutions.”  

Institute Landscape Architect Jason Gregory and Landscape Project Manager Jerry Young have guided the project from its start in late 2023 to this grand opening event, accumulating a few grey hairs along the way.  

“We started this project by asking the capstone students, ‘How can we make our streets safer for micromobility and pedestrians?’ After years of planning, design, and construction, we are optimistic that these projects will make the campus safer for everyone,” said Gregory. 

Both Kronowski and Patel now work for Kimley-Horn, the design firm behind the cycle track. For Kronowski, the project was “extremely rewarding,” and she’s thankful to have worked with experienced designers and been able to “integrate engineering solutions into our original design during the first few years of my career.”   

As Patel put it, “Becoming a transportation engineer was always about shaping the world and infrastructure around me. Working on this project as both a student and an engineer has made that dream a reality, especially since it's for a school I love and a roadway I traversed daily." 

As the �鶹�� Tech community welcomes this new addition, the Institute prioritizes safety and etiquette: Helmets are highly encouraged, pedestrians have the right of way, and micromobility users must follow traffic laws. Violations may result in citations or mandatory training. 

With its thoughtful integration into the campus landscape, the cycle track is poised to become a vital artery for movement and connection. It’s a win for sustainability, safety, and the spirit of innovation that defines �鶹�� Tech. 

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