Campus Master Plan Update 21 Bicycle Facility along Bob Bullock Loop Cycling El Metro stopping on Campus in front of STC El Metro is the primary public transit provider in the region. Route 16 provides direct connectivity between downtown Laredo and the TAMIU campus via Del Mar Boulevard (Figure 9). Route 16 operates at 90-minute headways on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9:10 p.m., 75 minutes on Saturdays between 7 a.m. to 6:55 p.m., and every 60 minutes on Sundays from 12 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Based on 2019 ridership data, Route 16 had the 5th highest ridership in El Metro’s system with 159,590 boardings across the route. Transit A standard adult fare is $2.00, while student fares are $1.50. A monthly pass is $120, while student semester passes ranges from $250- $280. Schedules, route maps, and real-time information is available via the El Metro smartphone app. Route 16 stops at three locations on campus: the Student Center, the eastern Residential Learning Community housing complex, and University Village housing complex to the west. Stops lack adequate passenger amenities such as shelters or schedule information. A single bench under a small canopy is available off to one side of the Student Center stop. 2 - ANALYSIS & OBSERVATIONS A New Bicycle Maintenance Station on Campus The closest bicycle facility to TAMIU is located along Loop 20, which is a 3.73-mile shared use, off-street bikeway. As part of the Bob Bullock Loop upgrade, a separated bikeway will be built parallel to the highway and be extended farther south to close a key bicycle network gap (Figure 10). However, the highway expansion project may create more challenging crossing conditions and increase the number of conflict points between pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles. An on-street bicycle lane on University Boulevard has been identified in the Laredo and Webb County MPO 2020 Active Transportation Plan as a future project, slated for design and implementation in the next 20 years. TAMIU allows bicycling on its campus grounds but has no on-street bicycle lanes or dedicated facilities. The compact size and flat topography of the campus provide strong conditions for biking on campus. The lack of high visibility crossings and expansive parking lots, however, can create stressful conditions. TAMIU has numerous bicycle racks located outside its buildings, and in 2021 unveiled a new bicycle repair and air station by the Kinesiology, Wellness, and Recreation Center. TAMIU Recreational Sports hosts multiple bike rides each month to trails across the county. Ridership analysis conducted by the Laredo and Webb County MPO revealed 830 bicycle boardings on El Metro Route 16 in 2019, averaging 17 boardings on a weekly basis. This suggests that some transit commuters carry their bicycles with them from home to campus.
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