SIU Carbondale renews status as 'Bicycle Friendly'

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) - Southern Illinois University at Carbondale has earned its second recognition as a Bicycle Friendly University.

The League of American Bicyclists awarded SIU with a silver designation. That's an improvement from the bronze designation it received with its first five-year award in 2016.

The league evaluates campuses based on engineering and planning, education and encouragement of biking and enforcement.

Karen Schauwecker is SIU's sustainability program coordinator. She said bicycling is a sustainability measure 'œthat hits the triple bottom line: Social health, environmental benefits and economic prosperity.'ť

Schauwecker said it provides great exercise, a way to get to know a community and transportation that is free of carbon emissions.

She says the silver award is the result of campus-wide collaboration among leaders in academics, extra-curricular activities and other units.