As alternative methods of transportation, including bikes, scooters, long and short boards, and rollerblades, maintain a large scale campus premise, Columbia facilities is working to accommodate riders.

According to the Executive Vice President for Facilities Joe Ienuso, the number of bike racks on campus has more than tripled in the past 1 1 to 18 months.

Julie Raskin, CC ’08, is one of those rack users. After overcoming her initial fear of biking in the city, Raskin, who grew up in “the biking city” of Chicago, bought a ride off of Craigslist. She used it to participate in Critical Mass, an event that takes place on the last Friday of every month in cities around the world, in which bicyclists take over the streets.

Raskin admits that, at first, “I was clueless about traffic, ... more clueless than I should have been,” citing a time when she cycled down Broadway during rush hour. Now, she said she is more experienced, but still thinks that “it is not very safe to bike here.”

Bike storage is a frequently heard complaint from riders. Raskin keeps hers outside, locked to parking meters, but “is always worrying about it.” In some cramped housing conditions, bike owners suspend their bikes from the ceiling.

Ari Gardner, CC ’08, who describes himself as a “naturally impatient individual,” started riding his scooter last year as a faster way of getting around within a 10-block radius. Gardner warns that, “It is something you have to get used to in order to make it not be awkward.”

Using his scooter has become more convenient since College Walk was repaved this summer. Gardner uses it to run errands on campus and to cut through campus to travel faster. “It used to take 7-8 minutes to get to Café Nana. Now it takes two,” he said.

Noam Harary, CC ’08, uses long boards and short boards to go around campus, get to class, and get groceries. He also bikes longer distances. “It makes much more sense to bike to the East Side. Cabs generally go 20 miles per hour cross-town, while a bike can go about 15,” Harary said. Inclement weather poses problems for him, though, because once his bike is wet, he has to get a cab and leave his bike locked up and retrieve it later.

Harary said he would like to rollerblade, but that “it is not as versatile, because ... you get to your destination and have no shoes.” But regardless of the type of transportation being used, “Wheels makes Manhattan much smaller,” Harary said.

Ali Krimmer can be reached at news@columbiaspectator.com.