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As the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh works to develop a transportation plan in support of its sustainability efforts, the campus has contracted with Schreiber Anderson Associates (SAA) of Madison for technical assistance.

The firm will help the University with its plans to improve bicycle and pedestrian facilities on campus. SAA also is working with the city of Oshkosh to update the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Circulation Plan.

“By working with the same firm at the same time, we can improve coordination with the city and ensure that conditions unique to the University, such as denser bike and pedestrian traffic, more demand for bike and scooter parking, and off-street paths and walkways, are studied in enough detail,” said Michael Lizotte, director of sustainability at UW Oshkosh.

“Transportation is the third-largest contributor to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, after building heat and electricity. Making it easier to walk or bike to campus is one of the best ways to tackle this problem, with added benefits for health and wallets,” he said.

Added Chancellor Richard H. Wells, “The University’s commitment to sustainability goes well beyond recycling. This plan will help UW Oshkosh reduce its carbon footprint by making it a more bike-friendly, pedestrian-friendly campus.”

The University’s Transportation Plan is part of the campus’s efforts to obtain carbon neutrality. Last year, UW Oshkosh partnered with Johnson Controls to analyze its carbon footprint. According to the carbon footprint study, the University emits 52,647 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually through building energy usage, student and staff commuting, solid waste disposal, fleet fuel consumption, business travel and refrigerant leakage.

“The carbon footprint analysis is just one component of UW Oshkosh’s efforts to be more sustainable,” said Tom Sonnleitner, vice chancellor for administrative affairs. “The University also has established a policy that all new campus construction will be built at least to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver standard.”