Grand opening of Bike Annex set for April 1

Employees and students at UW–Madison who bike to work or class will soon be able to take advantage of the Bike Annex, an on-campus facility that will offer free maintenance classes and an opportunity to work on bikes free of charge by checking out a selection of professional-quality tools.

The community is invited to attend an open house there on Thursday, April 1, from 4-8 p.m.

The Annex will be housed in the small building that sits in the middle of Lot 60, located across from the McClimon Track and Soccer Complex on Walnut Street. Initially, its hours will be 1-4 p.m. on Mondays and 4-8 p.m. on Thursdays. The building, which had been scheduled for demolition, will no longer be open to the general public for restroom use or shelter. Portable toilets will still be available at the lot on Badger football game days.

“The location is very convenient for bicyclists who use the Lakeshore Path, and we expect the Annex to be quite popular, especially among the large biking constituencies at UW Hospital and Clinics, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy and the lakeshore residence halls,” says Alison Carpenter, Transportation Services bike and pedestrian coordinator.

The Annex is a new component of the Bucky’s Ambassadors program offered by UW Transportation Services. Bucky’s Ambassadors are student educators who work to encourage bicycling and walking as forms of transportation and promote safety within those modes. They will be on campus in full force this spring.