Badger football fans choosing bicycles as their mode of transportation will no longer have to worry about parking space after the University of Wisconsin introduced a free bike valet last Saturday.
The service, which aims to provide access to a free, secure parking space for Badger fans riding their bicycles, is sponsored by UW’s Transportation Services Department and provided by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
Associate Director of UW Transportation Casey Newman said the service has been in discussion since the first Badger football game of the year.
“We thought it would be a safe, efficient addition to the games,” Newman said.
He added a number of Madisonians will benefit from the service, especially with the current weather conditions.
“If you look around the stadium, the weather is nice; quite [a number of] people use [bicycles],” Newman said.
According to a UW statement, the bike parking space is located in Lot 114 at 1420 Engineering Drive, next to Computer Aided Engineering.
The corral is open to the public an hour before the game starts. Bicycles parked in the corral must be picked up before one hour after the game ends or the bikes will be impounded.
While bikes will not be locked, they will be watched by valet staff, the statement said. Newman said attendants will be held responsible for the bikes, but students should not leave valuable items with their bikes. A check claim must be presented to claim a bike.
The lot will not be open to vehicle parking during the hours it is reserved for bike valet services.
Newman said Saturday’s game was an opportunity for UW Transportation to gauge people’s response to the new service.
Associate Director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin Amanda White said the new service will provide students and fans the opportunity to start off game days with less stress, making the overall experience more enjoyable.
“The bike valet is hassle-free and located within a few blocks of the stadium,” White said in a statement. “Badger fans will arrive [at] the game stress-free and ready for fun.”