The Denver B-Cycle station located on the northwest corner of Buchtel Boulevard and South High Street will be relocated to the northeast corner as part of a transit-oriented development project that is scheduled to break ground in November.

The major construction project, located on the northwest corner of Buchtel and High, will feature affordable senior-friendly housing and retail shops. As part of the development, the B-Cycle station will move to a location that is more noticeable and accessible for students, according to Alex Mehn, communications manager for Transportation Solutions, a nonprofit organization that manages transportation demands for DU.

“The new location will be more convenient and noticeable and we think the location will work well with the rest of the transit oriented development plan for the area,” said Mehn.

B-Cycle is a bike-sharing program that allows people to use their credit cards to rent bicycles at one station and drop them off at another. According to Mehn, the transfer of this particular B-Cycle station, which has had 2,227 bicycle rentals since January, will be completed by March 2013. He said it will not cost DU or B-Cycle any money to move it because it is under warranty.

“There was an issue with some paint rusting and they have to repaint and replace it anyway, so they can move it without any cost,” said Mehn.

Mehn also said Transportation Solutions and DU are glad the station will be moved because they want to promote more sustainable transportation practices. For every gallon of gasoline expended, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, which Mehn said is one of the biggest reasons he thinks promoting cycling around campus is such a necessity.

“Encouraging people to get out of their cars is important to us,” said Mehn.

Another B-Cycle station is located in front of Driscoll North and has had 1,748 bike rentals since January. Both stations will close for the season on Dec. 14 and reopen again in March 2013. Daily bicycle rentals cost $8 and annual passes cost $80. Mehn said Transportation Solutions has given away 100 free annual passes to students and has another 60 available. Passes were purchased by USG.

“You don’t necessarily need to own a bicycle to get the experience,” said Mehn. “The free passes give you the opportunity to see if cycling is for you.”

Students can obtain one of the free passes by visiting transolutions.org. The free pass code must be activated by December 31 and includes a year-long membership to use the B-Cycle bikes.

Mehn said Transportation Solutions is also working closely with DU and the Transportation Committee of the Sustainability Council to promote more safety for cyclists, especially because there have been three cyclist-automobile related accidents in the last year alone. According to Sustainability Council chair Fred Cheever, bicycle-automobile related accidents are causing concern around campus.

“We really have to get this done,” said Cheever. “It’s a huge issue.”

Mehn said they will submit a list of recommendations by late October to university architect Mark Rodgers as part of the annual land-use review, which is conducted each year by DU to decide how land and resources should be utilized. The recommendations are meant to promote infrastructure that makes cycling safer for students.

“Whether that means putting up more signage, putting paint down or increasing the number of bike racks, it’s anything that can promote cycling in a way that reduces lack of safety,” said Mehn.

Mehn said he will have a better idea of more specific recommendations they will make after The League of American Bicyclists gives DU a rating for their cycling efforts, which he expects to find out later this month. According to Mehn, Transportation Solutions, in congruence with the Sustainability Council, submitted data to the League last July, including information about bike-sharing, the number of bike racks, shower availability, infrastructure and more. The

League uses this information to assign DU a gold or platinum rating for their bicycle-friendly efforts.

“We will use the information and rating so we can say, ‘this is what needs to happen to make this university more bike-friendly and improve bike safety,” said Mehn.