--- title: "What You Need to Know for Fall 2021: Getting Around a ‘Refilled’ Campus" date: 2021-09-01T05:30:00-04:00 author: University of Maryland canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/what-you-need-to-know-for-fall-2021-getting-around-a-refilled-campus" section: Articles --- # What You Need to Know for Fall 2021: Getting Around a ‘Refilled’ Campus *September 1, 2021* — by [Chris Carroll](/author/chris-carroll) > Transportation Highlights Include New Parking Options, ‘Bike Concierge’ *Veoride 08282019 SC 6729 1920x1080 — E-scooters and bikes are vehicle-free options to zip across UMD, while road construction on Campus Drive (below) prepares for the light-rail Purple Line.* Goodbye to unimpeded commutes, near-empty campus streets and a bounty of open parking spaces, which all became a thing of the past this week as the University of Maryland revved back up to near-normal, with students streaming to in-person classes daily and faculty and staff re-inhabiting offices and labs. Add a full slate of building and transportation projects under construction on and around campus, and, to quote a million football coaches: Keep your head on a swivel. “Campus is going to be crowded—we’re going to have more pedestrians, bikes, e-scooters and cars on campus than we’ve had recently,” said Cara Fleck, DOTS assistant director for marketing and communications. “It’s going to be important to be alert when you’re moving around campus, and drive with great care.” Here’s more of what’s new in getting around: **BIKES AND E-SCOOTERS** If traffic’s got you down, consider that millions nationwide daily scoot onto a bike path or cruise along the bike lane to avoid vehicle traffic. Bike commuting might seem impractical at first, but think again—or let Tom Worth, UMD’s newly designated “bike concierge,” help you think it through. Whether it’s coming to class or work or just cruising around the neighborhood, he can advise on equipment, help you find the shortest routes and provide tips about riding in traffic. He’ll even accompany you on your fledgling ride and show you the ropes of bike commuting. “We just want to make it easier for people to use their bikes for mobility… sometimes getting that little initial assist is all it takes to set someone off on a whole new approach to bicycling,” said Worth, DOTS bike program assistant and a bicycle instructor certified by the League of American Bicyclists and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association. Contact him [through this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeuyuhUavzOYbCP8z1RExNq23o6kw9svsWXnFgp3zjcRhRYqw/viewform). DOTS has also introduced a “rainy day” incentive for bike commuters. Every 10 bike trips registered through the [Smart Commute](https://umd.rideamigos.com/%22%20%5Cl%20%22/) app, which is operational again this semester to promote sustainable commuting, earn cyclists a free one-day vehicle parking pass. Visit DOTS’ [BikeUMD and e-scooter page](https://transportation.umd.edu/bikeumd-escooters) for more information, and to learn how to register your bike or e-scooter, which helps DOTS stay abreast of bike infrastructure needs and provides access to services like lock-cutting, in case you lose your key or forget your combination. **PARKING** For faculty, annual and daily permits (available in five-packs for $60) carry over unchanged, but those who’ll be telecommuting some of the time have a new option to potentially save on some fees this fall: two- and three-day weekly permits, which offer 32 or 48 uses, respectively. Purchasers will use faculty-staff overflow lots rather than primary lots assigned to their buildings; carpool and green vehicle permit discounts apply only to annual permits. And in a blast from the past, campus parking gates became operational again this week. Visit DOTS’ [parking page](https://transportation.umd.edu/parking) for more information. **SHUTTLE-UM** All bus routes are operational, some with adjusted [schedules](https://transportation.umd.edu/shuttle-um%22%20%5Cl%20%22schedules). Masks are required on all Shuttle-UM buses this fall. In addition, NextBus app users have been receiving notifications that will transition to Umo Mobility for real-time arrival information this later this fall. A bonus: UMO includes trip-planning functionality that NextBus lacks. For now, NextBus is still the best app for receiving accurate real-time bus arrival information and service alerts. Visit DOTS’ [Shuttle-UM page](https://transportation.umd.edu/shuttle-um) for more information. **ROAD DETOURS AND CONSTRUCTION** **Baltimore Avenue Improvement Project**** The sidewalk on the west (main campus) side of Baltimore Avenue remains closed on UMD property as the Maryland State Highway Administration improves Baltimore Avenue from College Avenue to University Boulevard (Route 193); enhancements include a planted median with turn lanes, accessible sidewalks, updated pedestrian lighting and bike lanes. *Construction on Campus Drive near Metro* **Sidebar note:** **What You Need to Know** All week in Maryland Today, we’ll feature important information for the campus community this semester on the following topics: - Monday: [COVID-19 guidelines](https://today.umd.edu/what-you-need-to-know-in-fall-2021-covid-19-guidelines) - Tuesday: [Dining](https://today.umd.edu/what-you-need-to-know-in-fall-2021-dining-services) - Wednesday: Transportation - Thursday: Facilities - Friday: Mental health resources **Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community) **Tags:** [Transportation](https://today.umd.edu/topic/transportation) **Units:** [Department of Transportation Services](https://today.umd.edu/topic/department-transportation-services)