Amanda Hu

To decrease its nine-year carbon footprint, Yale is looking to partner with bus providers, parking facilities and other groups to share services and encourage environmentally-friendly traveling.

These proposals comprise one of nine parts of the Yale Sustainability Plan 2025 — a set of commitments released early this month. Applying findings from academic research to real life situations on campus, the plan puts forward concrete steps to enhance the walkability and bikability of Yale’s campuses by 2019, said Virginia Chapman, director of the Office of Sustainability. By developing new programming, the initiative aims to increase by 10 percent the number of Yale students using carpooling, bike-sharing, car-sharing and shuttle services by 2025.

“The alternative transportation initiative we have in mind as mentioned in the plan is a comprehensive set of solutions that we will explore over the next three years with other universities and businesses in the area,” Chapman said in an email.

By 2019, the University also seeks to have increased its number of partnerships with local and regional transportation providers.

To achieve these plans, Yale will collaborate with New Haven-based programs such as goNewHavengo, a local initiative that calls for more affordable and cleaner methods of transportation. Its most recent project is Bikeshare, a public program for short-term bike rental, said Doug Hausladen ’04, director of the Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking.

Hausladen added that the University and his department are trying to expand this system to a broader cross-section of New Haven residents.

“In a lot of communities, [Bikeshare] has been a well-utilized extension of transit,” Hausladen said.

Since the plan was unveiled only weeks earlier, the Office of Sustainability is still finalizing the details of how it will collaborate with city agencies, Chapman said.

The Office of Sustainability has a strong foundation of partnerships to build on, including several projects operated by the Office of New Haven and State Affairs, Chapman added.

“Through this partnership we work closely with the New Haven Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking, CTTransit and CTrides, among others, to promote sustainable transportation,” Chapman said.

Karen King, the ONHSA community affairs associate, said her office and the Office of Sustainability are partnering with several groups affiliated with the 2025 plan to reduce the number of commuters driving their own cars. She added that the University has already initiated programs like Yale shuttles and Y-Bike to encourage alternative traveling options.

“We will continue to partner with the City to encourage active, healthy and sustainable commuting options,” King said.

The University also had initiatives similar to Yale Sustainability Plan 2025 in place for 2010 and 2013.

AMY CHENG