Dear relevant members of Duke Administration,

Campus is inaccessible. From inconsistent curb cuts, lack of accessibility buttons outside of doors, narrow bikelanes, limited scooter usage – forms of navigating campus that are not driving are constantly being limited by infrastructure.

We, the undersigned, seek a more accessible, pedestrian-friendly, car-alternative oriented campus, and seek that Duke meet the following objectives:

Accessibility

• Curb cuts should be implemented where people go. If a curb is under construction, it should have new curb cuts.

• All buildings should have accessible entrances. Accessibility buttons should be outside all doors. Many dorms have broken buttons, or buttons not on certain entrances, or only have buttons on the inside of the building.

• Buildings should be retrofitted with elevators, and stairs should be accompanied by ramps. All floors should be accessible to all members of the community. 

Safety

• Work with NCDOT to add 4 crosswalks to Swift Ave: two across the highway ramps, one between Pettigrew St and W Main St, and one across Swift Ave at the CSW bus stop

• Traffic calming measures are needed on Towerview Rd and Science Dr (e.g. speed bumps, radar speed signs). All crosswalks on these roads should be raised crosswalks.

Transit

• Restore bus services to pre-pandemic levels, including C1 hours to 2 AM. 

• Restore bus routes that were cut during / before the pandemic, including the C3 (East Campus to Science Dr) and the Bull City Connector (West Campus to Downtown) or provide suitable alternatives. 

• Carshare (Enterprise, Zipper, or other) needs to return to Duke.

• Bus stops should be covered and shaded.

Cycling

• Campus Dr and other university-owned roads need bike paths or lanes that are at least 5 ft wide

• Dockless bikeshare needs to return.

• More bike racks are needed throughout campus. Bike racks should be covered from rain.

Impact

These changes make campus more easily navigable. Better bus and bike infrastructure push people away from car use. Considering the climate commitment, Duke should make it a priority to encourage modes of transportation with lower carbon emissions. Cars have a much higher carbon emission than biking or busing. Better infrastructure allows people who cannot drive or cannot afford a car to have a more equitable experience getting around Duke and Durham.

Signed,

The Various Students of Our Urban Future