UNH Photographic Services

Pedal Power

Drivers in Durham have become accustomed to sharing the streets with a fleet of 50 yellow and purple bicycles. The bikes are helping UNH to address the long-standing problem of traffic congestion and parking shortages on campus.

"We're trying to show that there are options other than driving," says Julie Newman, director of the Yellow Bike Cooperative, which owns and maintains the bicycles. Co-op members, who pay an annual fee of only $5, can use the bikes anywhere within the town of Durham. Every member has a key that fits the locks on all 50 bikes, and any bike in a parking rack is up for grabs.

The bike co-op, coordinated by the Office of Sustainability Programs, is part of a larger plan to reduce reliance on cars in Durham. Shuttle buses, van pooling and satellite parking lots are all part of that plan. The idea is to use the existing roads more efficiently.

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