urban planning and transportation report

Running Head: URBAN PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION

Urban Planning and Transportation at Lehigh

Patrick Wendler, Lucas Van Dyke,

Matt Lucente and Kenji Harada

Lehigh University

Ariel Rodriguez

Pratt Institute

August 11, 2016

Author Note

This research was funded by Lehigh University’s Mountaintop Initiative and supervised by

Professor William Best.

Urban Planning and Transportation

i

Table of Contents

List of Figures……....………………….…………………………………………. ii

Abstract………………………………….………………………………………... iii

Introduction………………………………….……………………………………. 1

Proposed Solutions………………………………………………………………... 2

Campus Planning and Urban Design…………………………………....... 2

Packer Ave……………………………………………………....... 2

Redesigning the Corner Campus………………………………….. 3

Vertra Collaboration………………………………………………. 4

Transportation…………………………………………………………...... 4

App Development and Data Collection…………………………... 5

Mechanically Assisted Bikes…………………………………………....... 8

Pneumatic Motor…………………………………………………. 8

Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine………………………....... 10

Electric Motor…………………………………………………….. 11

Bethlehem Bikes………………………………………………………….. 12

Curriculum Integration……………………………………………. 12

Project Continuation……………………………………..………..………............. 13

Undeveloped Concepts……………………………………………………. 13

Aerial Tram.………………………….……………………………. 13

Stabler Campus Development.………………………….…………. 13

Emissions-Free Goal.………………………….…………………... 14

Outdoor Escalator.………………………….……………………... 14

Data Acquisition………………………………….……………………….. 15

Appendices………………………………………………………………………... 16

Appendix A: Campus Design and Urban Planning…....………………….. 16

Appendix B: Transportation………………………………………………. 18

Appendix C: Bethlehem Bikes……………………………………………. 19


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List of Figures

Figure 1: Packer Ave Pedestrian Bridge…………………………………………... 2

Figure 2: Packer Ave as a Permanent Greenway ………………………………..... 3

Figure 3: Observations of the Corner Campus Lot.………………………………. 4

Figure 4: Average Parking Usage During Fall 2015……………………………… 6

Figure 5: GPS Device for Bike………………………………………………….... 8

Figure 6: Pneumatic Motor Design with Friction Drum………………………….. 9

Figure 7: 3D model of Powerblock Assembly……………………………………. 10

Figure 8: Hydrogen Electrolysis Generator………………………………………. 11

Figure 9: Five-Year Financial Model for Pneumatic Bike Program……………... 13

Figure 10: Five-Year Financial Model for Electric Bike Program……………….. 13

Figure 11: Stabler Campus Design……………………………………………...... 14


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Abstract

As evidenced by 2012 Campus Master Plan, the cumbersome terrain of Lehigh’s campus

presents many challenges to campus planning and transportation. These challenges include

inefficiencies in transportation systems, issues in creating a more pedestrian-friendly campus,

and difficulties connecting campuses and the South Bethlehem community. This ultimately

hampers efforts to improve the student experience and Lehigh’s efficacy in student development

and community relations. The Urban Planning and Transportation Mountaintop team spent the

summer taking on these challenges in order to develop and ultimately propose multi-faceted

solutions. This proposal spans the focus of campus planning and design, transportation systems,

and community outreach. The solutions specifically take the form of the re-routing of campus

roads and bus routes, changes to the design of outdoor spaces, the introduction of mechanically

assisted bikes as an alternative means of campus transportation, and a new curriculum integration

and South Bethlehem community outreach program called Bethlehem Bikes. After research,

development, and faculty and staff feedback on the proposed solutions, the team has determined

that these solutions will be effective if further developed and implemented. The team therefore

has decided to pursue means by which the project can be continued.

Keywords: alternative energy, bikes, community outreach, transportation, urban planning


1

Introduction

As the Asa Packer, Mountaintop and Goodman Campuses continue to grow and change,

it has become necessary to reconsider the way in which they are connected. Lehigh has the

potential to become an institution of the future, but the fundamental issues which afflict our

campus and community must first be addressed.

Unsatisfactory transportation at Lehigh is a core issue which students and faculty

encounter on a daily basis. The bus system is slow, inefficient, and negatively impacts the

environment. Walking is even slower, and staircases and walkways are often made dangerous or

impassible by winter weather. Cars allow for a faster means of transportation, but the overlap

between bus, car and pedestrian routes increases the likelihood of accidents. The Lehigh

community deserves efficient, safe, and environmentally-conscious transportation services. To

achieve such a goal requires an innovative solution capable of addressing Lehigh’s current needs

while developing a framework for the future of Lehigh.

The Hill and lower campus are only separated by a short distance, however, the reality of

building a university on the side of a mountain is that students, faculty and visitors are often

unable or unwilling to make the potentially arduous hike from say Packard to Sayre C. This puts

a strain on the bus system and forces more cars onto campus to compensate. If Lehigh is to move

towards a car-free campus, there must be a suitable replacement for the convenience of a car. A

simple increase in the number of buses might solve that problem, but it fails to make the

transportation system more efficient or sustainable. Herein lies the inherent difficulty in

overhauling anything as complex as a transportation system which must connect campuses on

and around a mountain: there are countless moving parts to consider, and altering any one will

produce a wave of seen and unseen side-effects. This challenge is magnified by campus culture

and an almost palpable resistance to change. All members of the Lehigh community have

worked hard and made sacrifices to be here, and so it is crucial that their voices are heard and

their needs met.

The 2012 Campus Master Plan outlined a series of challenges facing campus planning,

standards for success, and the overarching goals that guide campus planning projects. The plan

was driven by four key goals: facilitating interdisciplinary research and teaching, inspiring

learning and collaboration outside of the classroom, participating in the renaissance of South

Bethlehem, and expanding the student living and learning environment [1]. While developing a

more innovative and inclusive learning environment is integral to the success of the university,

improvements to the physical campus must not be neglected, as it exists to serve the Lehigh

community, and must be ever-improving. There are a great number of barriers to creating a

perfect learning environment on the side of a mountain, but that is why this challenge was and

remains a perfect fit for Lehigh students backed by the resources of Mountaintop.

After gauging the standards for success and challenges that needed to be addressed, the

team determined that the most appropriate general course of action would be to work towards

reducing motor vehicle traffic and making the campus more pedestrian friendly. The team’s


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proposed solutions target campus transportation and layout, with an additional focus on the

integration of the Lehigh and South Bethlehem communities. These solutions specifically take

the form of the re-routing of campus roads and bus routes, changes to the design of outdoor

spaces, the introduction of mechanically assisted bikes as an alternative means of campus

transportation, and a new curriculum integration and South Bethlehem community outreach

program called Bethlehem Bikes.

Proposed Solutions

Campus Planning and Urban Design

Due to the 2012 Campus Master Plan, Lehigh made a push for improving the urban

quality of life for students, faculty, staff and the people of Bethlehem. Not only was this

document important to help integrate these bodies of people but also to integrate green design to

create a positive impact on the environment [1].

Packer Ave. With these ideas in mind, the team began by looking at problematic

situations on campus and found that car culture was a large contributor to these problems.

Although Lehigh is made up of several pedestrian friendly walkways, cars permeate through

campus at an alarming rate, turning any pedestrian friendly zone into a traffic jam. A cross

intersection located on Packard Ave. has been an issue for both car owners and walkers due to

the amount of students passing through at peak hours. As a long-term solution, the team looked

at the possibility of providing a pedestrian bridge across this walkway, allowing cars beneath to

continue uninterrupted and allow students to cross freely (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Packer Ave Pedestrian Bridge. This bridge integrates grass to allow students to

utilise outdoor space.


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As an alternative method, the future campus may be able to turn Packard Ave. into a

greenway, which would redirect normal traffic to a new route. This greenway would only allow

pedestrians, bikers and emergency vehicles to pass through. In order to make this a possibility

and to test out the feasibility of this greenway, the team plans to implement a “Greenway Day” in

which Packard Ave. temporarily becomes a pedestrian-only-route, using tables, temporary grass,

and food trucks to encourage people to use outdoor spaces (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Packer Ave as a Permanent Greenway

As a means to improve the use of outdoor spaces, the team observed areas on campus that

were attracting large amounts of students to enjoy its environment, while other areas that

appeared equally as enjoyable were left untouched. This criteria set the team forward to then

look at these abandoned urban spaces on campus and tried to look at them as an opportunity for

growth of the campus community (Appendix A).

Redesigning the Corner Campus. One of the spaces observed was the Corner Campus

Lot (Figure 3), which is situated on the boundary between public city space and Lehigh facilities.

Working to redesign this area was not only an opportunity to bring students outdoors, but to

facilitate interactions between the Bethlehem community and Lehigh. Observations of this space

are limited due to the population of students on campus during the summer months. However,

one clear observation made was that although the space is pleasant to stay in, people only used

this area as a passing zone. Using previous observations from functional spaces on campus, the

team determined that the Corner Campus needed more seating and more inviting characteristics

to encourage people to enjoy this unique environment. The team approached the challenge of

garnering interest in Corner Campus by focusing on the reduction of traffic noise and expansion

of inviting seating areas; the result, was a design for a modular seating arrangement which uses


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the flow of an artificial stream over small waterfalls to produce pleasant background noise while

planters with large native shrubs and grasses will block the street noise (Appendix A: Figure A-

3).

Figure 3: Observations of the Corner Campus Lot.

Vertra Collaboration. An important part of Mountaintop is the collaboration between

projects. The Vertra project is a group of students dedicated to creating a virtual reality campus

tour of Lehigh through the camera/phone app called Ricoh Theta. This 3D camera not only

allows Vertra to create a virtual reality tour but can also allow us to visually represent the

campus of the future. In collaborating with Vertra, the team created 3D renderings of future

campus layout using our urban design ideas such as the Packer Ave greenway. Through Vertra’s

technology Lehigh’s future can be easily viewed by prospective students and parents, allowing

them to see the possibilities of the urban development ahead.

Transportation

The challenging terrain on campus has led to the over-dependence on cars as a means of

intra-campus transportation. The widespread use of cars on campus roads, especially at peak


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hours, creates inefficiencies in transportation systems with heavy traffic congestion, poses safety

hazards as cars move through narrow, low-visibility roads often shared by pedestrians, and

increases the University’s carbon footprint with high carbon emissions. The overuse of cars on

campus thus poses a multi-faceted challenge that must be solved with a behavioral change on

behalf of the students. To reach a sustainable solution, this change must not only be implemented

in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable way, but also in such a way to preserve

student satisfaction and the rapport between students and the administration. We must therefore

keep in mind that without their own cars, students would have to sacrifice their cherished

convenience and independence by either confining themselves to a bus schedule or physically

exerting themselves to walk up the hill. However, with an alternative means of independent

transportation, this sacrifice would not have to be made. In order to stave off students’

dependence on cars to overcome the steep grade of campus, the team is proposing that

emissions-free mechanically-assisted bicycles be made available to the campus populace. Under

this plan, students will be provided with an alternative means of transportation that supports the

goals of the Campus Master Plan and preserves student satisfaction.

With the introduction of motorized bicycles on campus must come the establishment of

the pertinent facilities, infrastructure, and regulations. In order to ensure safe and efficient

bicycle travel, bike lanes will have to be added to campus roads. These bike lanes will exist on

pedestrian accessible roads as well as designated areas on “The Hill”, as shown in the Campus

Planning and Urban Design section above. Additionally, proper facilities must be introduced to

store, maintain, and refill the energy storage systems of the motorized bikes. This will take the

form of bike docking stations placed in front of Fairchild-Martindale Library and the island in

front of Pi Kappa Alpha at the intersection of Hill Rd. and Upper Sayre Park Rd. The docking

stations will be covered to protect against weather and allow for the mounting of solar panels for

off-the-grid powering of the battery charger or air compressor (see Mechanically Assisted Bike

section). Both docking stations will also come with a student ID reader to allow students to

unlock the bikes from the stations and choose a usage plan. The usage plans will be modelled

after the Citi Bike system used in New York City and features two usage and payment options: a

lower price for one fifteen-minute ride or a higher price for unlimited ten-minute rides

throughout the semester, with overage penalties for overtime use with either option. All charges

will be made to the students’ GoldPlus accounts.

App development and data collection. Improving the efficiency of parking lots on

campus first started by identifying the times and places where parking is most inefficient on

campus. This was done by coordinating with parking services and receiving several key pieces

of information about parking related issues on campus, such as parking locations, parking lot

usage, and the rules governing the various parking spots. Data showed that several parking lots

with spots allocated towards faculty and staff go underutilized throughout the school year,

particularly Zoellner parking lot (Figure 4). Parking spots on campus are typically separated

between faculty and staff, student, and general parking spots. These restrictions can create


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inefficiencies in parking lots, as different groups of people need more or less parking spots

depending on different circumstances. Lehigh already incorporates various systems in which

some staff and faculty parking spaces are opened to students during specific times, such as the

weekends. This helps to improve the efficiency of parking lots as there are less faculty and staff

coming onto campus over the weekend. This project hopes to further improve the efficiency of

parking lots by greatly expanding this practice.

Figure 4: Average Parking Usage During Fall 2015. This graph shows many spots are available;

however, it is still hard for faculty and students to find somewhere to park.

There were concerns that the constant changing set of parking rules can lead to confusion

among those wishing to park, so the team decided to develop a parking app that can simplify the

process. The purpose of the parking app was to clearly show which spots were available to the

person wishing to park, based on their user type. The app also simplified the process of checking

in and out of parking spots by use of a Lehigh ID card at a central parking kiosk. There were

also additional plans in the future to implement various hardware solutions such as pressure or

IR distance sensors to further simplify the process. The app also has functions to send out email

warnings to users who parked in pay as you go, timed parking spots, and to pay money to further

extend their stay if they wished. The app logged all the information into a database, which

would be used to further identify parking inefficiencies and trends across campus, with plans to


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implement functions that would collect the data and produce graphs and charts to help with data

analysis. Another approach to resolving parking inefficiencies involved incentivizing ride

sharing. This would involve multiple people registering a single vehicle for a special ride

sharing parking pass. Incentive packages could include subsidized parking passes or access to

special parking spots. This would fall in line with the mission to reduce the number of cars on

campus while also help to solve parking lot inefficiencies.

However, while developing the app the team discovered that parking services had hired a

contractor to develop their own parking app. It seems as though the contract app will be limited

functioning around parking spots with meters, warning users when their meters are about to

expire and to remotely add money to the meter. While the app the team envisioned developing

had additional functions to find empty spots as well as fulfilling data analysis roles, it was

decided that having two Lehigh parking apps would create redundancies while being overly

cumbersome, so the development of the parking app was put on hold. However, once the

contract app is released, the team plans to study the capabilities of the app and discuss what

functions can be added or improved. The team also plans to obtain data on usage of the app

among students and faculty and learn what functions are in most demand.

Instead of continuing development of the parking app, the app development side of the

project merged with the powered bike portion of the project. As stated before the eventual plan

is to implement a bike sharing system similar to the Citi Bike system in NYC, except using

powered bicycles so that students will be able to better cope with the steep inclines around

campus. To make the future bike sharing system more accessible, the team decided to develop a

bike-sharing app. The bike sharing system revolves around checking out and returning bikes to

pre designated bike racks around campus. Users to check the availability of bikes at bike racks

around them, as well as for finding open racks to park a bike after someone is done using it will

primarily use the app. There will also be additional functions to create and manage a bike

sharing account, as well as a few administrative functions to register, edit, and delete bikes and

racks. Most of the actual computing will be done backend, with the database recording who is

riding each bike, how long a bike has been taken out, as well as the location of each bike.

Many of the app’s functions are still placeholders as there are still many uncertainties as

to how the system will be implemented on campus. There are still questions on how users will

be charged, or if they will be charged at all, and the technology behind the bike racks and if they

will be “smart racks” that can automatically notify the database that a bike has been returned. As

the project continues and there are plans to collect more feedback from the public on the wants

and needs of a powered bike sharing system around campus, as well as speaking to the

administration to see which system they see as most practical. As this new information comes in

the features of the app will change to reflect this.

The team also developed an arduino based GPS device to be used with the powered bikes

(Figure 5). The GPS serves three purposes for the bike sharing system. The first is as an anti-

theft device. When a bike is reported as stolen, either by a user or from the database recognizing

a failure to return a bike, a database administrator can notify the authorities on the exact location


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of the bike so that it may be recovered. The second is as a research tool that the team can use to

track biking habits around campus, which will prove useful to future improvements and

expansions of the system. GPS can help identify which locations bike racks are needed the most,

as well as be used to decide where new bike lanes can be built. Finally, the GPS device can be

used as part of the bike app itself, by having check in, check out procedures be based on

geographical location. All a user would have to do would be to bring a bike to a pre-designated

area and the GPS should automatically recognize that the bike is in an approved bike drop off

location and set the bike status as returned.

Figure 5: GPS Device for Bike

Mechanically Assisted Bikes

After studying the current transportation system at Lehigh it was determined that it is

necessary to provide students with an independent form of transportation that is energy efficient,

carbon emissions-free, and cost effective in order to make campus easier to traverse. The

proposed solution involves developing mechanically assisted bikes through three methods of

power-supply: pneumatic motor, hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE), and electric

motor.

Pneumatic motor. As an alternative to high-cost electric bikes and low-safety hydrogen

engines, the team decided to explore the feasibility of pneumatic motors as a means to power

bikes up the hills on campus. The design concept that was ultimately agreed upon and pursued

involved the use of a concave wheel (a “friction drum”) to transmit power to a bike’s tire through

friction. With wood parts and other scraps found throughout the Mountaintop bays, an air

compressor, a 3D-printed friction drum, and a .75 hp pneumatic motor, the team created a proof


9

of concept model (henceforth referred to as the “powerblock”) in order to determine the efficacy

of the proposed design concept (Figure 6). The proof of concept was successful, as the

pneumatic motor and friction drum were able transmit enough power to move the bike forward;

however, in proving the concept, many shortcomings of the design were also exposed.

Figure 6: Pneumatic Motor Design with Friction Drum

Among several broad challenges identified in the initial design concept, including

insufficient power from the input air and inefficiencies in the design of the motor itself, the

challenge that provided the most opportunities for improvement was the fact that many

inefficiencies existed in the assembly of the powerblock. The team determined that the greatest

contributor to inefficiencies in the powerblock was the vibrations that occurred during its

operation. These vibrations were mainly caused by the existence of too many degrees of freedom

of the assembly - a result of hasty design and construction - and uneven weight distribution of

the friction drum on the bike tire - a result of the motor being mounted on the side of the bike

with no counterweight on the other side.

Addressing the challenges identified in the initial design of the powerblock, the team

decided to create a Mark II design to allow for more even weight distribution, more resilient

assembly, and sounder mounting to the bike. In order to avoid hasty design and construction, the

team prioritized perfecting the Mark II design over completing Mark II construction before the

August 15th deadline. The Mark II design that the team created consists of an aluminum housing


10

with the pneumatic motor and friction drum mounted within, the motor mounted directly above

the friction drum and transmitting its power to the friction drum via a flat belt. This constitutes

the powerblock. The powerblock is mounted to the seat post of the bike via vertically sliding

rails and a horizontally telescoping arm to allow for adjustment when mounting to different bike

models. A 3D model of the design can be seen in Figure 7 below.

Figure 7: 3D model of Powerblock Assembly

Hydrogen internal combustion engine. Hydrogen engines are a powerful and efficient

alternative to electric motors; however, there is minimal research on small hydrogen internal

combustion engines. The team chose hydrogen as a viable option because hydrogen does not

depreciate in energy levels overtime whereas batteries discharge at greater rates as their cycle life

increases; hydrogen also has a high energy density. The first step in creating a hydrogen engine

was to convert a larger 2.5hp 4-stroke gasoline engine to run off of hydrogen as a proof of

concept before moving into the process of designing a smaller, better equipped engine. It was

determined that the best method for combustion would be to use a hydrogen gas/air fuel mixture,

although a pure hydrogen/oxygen fuel mixture would achieve an ideal stoichiometric ratio (Two

moles of H2 to one mole O2) and run more efficiently. Using a pure hydrogen/oxygen mix would

be more expensive as well as posing safety concerns for mobile storage and increasing the

likelihood of pre-ignition at hot spots in the intake manifold [2].


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The team took apart the engine, removed the carburetor and routed a 4mm copper tube

into the intake manifold facing the intake valve. A double valve system with nettle adjustment

valve for idle gas and a 0%-100% throttle valve in parallel was needed to connect hydrogen input

to the manifold. The progress on the HICE was stalled after it was determined that better

equipped facilities were needed to safely produce and store hydrogen. However, the team

designed and built a working small scale hydrogen generator which posed little to no danger at

the small quantities being produced (Figure 8). The generator used electrolysis to separate water

into hydrogen and oxygen while also pressurizing the gas by use of gravitational force on a

vertical water tube [3]. This vertical water tube provided a way to measure the pressure of the

gas (27.7 inches of water is equal to 1 psi).

Figure 8: Hydrogen Electrolysis Generator

While the hydrogen engine had to be put on hold, the team believes that hydrogen is

capable of becoming a mainstream renewable fuel due to its high density energy and its

relatively straightforward production method. The exhaust contains no carbon by-products and

little or no toxins when running at hydrogen/air fuel mixture; however, the biggest deterrents of

using hydrogen as a fuel source are the storage problems, re-fueling issues, and production of

cheap hydrogen a larger scale.

Electric motor. Electric bike motors are the most mainstream method of powering bikes;

however, the well-designed systems can go well over $1,000 and often do not include a bike.

This cost gap can be bridged by building a bike from the ground up so that it would function


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better while allowing for the addition of an integrated regenerative brake system, which reverses

the polarity of the motor when braking in order to generate electricity and recharge the battery.

When designing motorized bikes one of most important parts is the energy storage

system. In order to find the correct battery, factors such as cost, specific energy density, cycle

life and thermal runaway (safety) had to be considered. Lithium ion batteries are currently the

most effective system with a good balance between energy and size, as shown by their

widespread use in the electric vehicle and bike industries; however, within lithium ion batteries,

a variety of viable chemical compositions exist [4]. LiFePO4 (LFP) and LiNiMnCoO2 (NMC)

were determined to be the two best options based on high energy density and long cycle life [5].

However, LFP is a more commonly used battery which helped reached a more feasible price

point and makes it the best choice for the monetary constraints that surround the bike design.

The second step was to determine how the motor would power the bike: a back-wheel

hub drive motor, mid-drive motor or a friction drum. Friction drums do not efficiently convert

energy but are easy to install. Hub drives are cheap, but also heavy and inefficient which causes

a decrease in handling due to the offset weight in the wheel. While more expensive, mid-drive

motors are the best solution to take on hills. Mid-drives allow bikers to use the bike transmission

as the motor's gears, so that the electric motor can always be functioning in its optimal RPM.

Due to the fact that mid-drives are more efficient, they are usually more lightweight since as they

provide higher power at smaller volumes.

The team was not able to focus on the actual building of an electric bike because time

constraints; however, this is an area that is important to further study during the continuation of

the project in the fall semester.

Financial Justification. In order for a mechanically-assisted bike program to be

implemented sustainably at Lehigh, it must not only be environmentally friendly and socially

inclusive, but also financially feasible. Regardless of the environmental and social benefits of the

program, total sustainability won’t occur unless the program can generate financial returns on

investment and promote economic growth. To gauge the financial feasibility of the program, the

team created a base-case financial model to account for the costs and revenues of the program

throughout the first five fiscal years of its implementation. The model was applied to the case in

which pneumatically-powered bikes are used as well the case in which electric bikes are used. In

both cases, the model yields a net present value of about $111,000 after five years, showing that

overall, either program would be financially feasible (Figure 9, 10).


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Figure 9: Five-Year Financial Model for Pneumatic Bike Program

Figure10: Five-Year Financial Model for Electric Bike Program

Both cases of the financial model are based upon the team’s assumptions about cost,

realistic pricing, and realistic demand for the program. These assumptions guided the team to

$(150,000.00)

$(100,000.00)

$(50,000.00)

$-

$50,000.00

$100,000.00

$150,000.00

0 1 2 3 4 5

Ne

t P

rese

nt

Va

lue

Time (years)

NPV, pneumatic bikes

NPV

$(150,000.00)

$(100,000.00)

$(50,000.00)

$-

$50,000.00

$100,000.00

$150,000.00

0 1 2 3 4 5

Ne

t P

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nt

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lue

Time (years)

NPV, electric bikes

NPV


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educated estimates for capital costs of components that had not yet been designed and labor costs

for construction, marketing and operations and maintenance that the team hasn’t fully

ascertained [6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. The results above are therefore not an exact calculation, and the team

will need to conduct further research and contact the pertinent faculty and staff members to

obtain more accurate numbers as the project continues. However, though the absolute values of

the numbers used may change, the overall trend of the financial model is expected to remain the

same as most of the costs in the program are incurred in the development stage and revenue is

expected to overtake operations and maintenance costs after the development stage is over.

Therefore, the team has concluded that the introduction of a mechanically-assisted bike program

will therefore generate a profit for the University in the long-run.

Bethlehem Bikes

Following along with Lehigh’s 2012 Master Plan goals of extending learning outside of

Lehigh’s campus and facilitating learning in the Bethlehem community, the team decided to

pursue the creation of an educational, non-profit organization called Bethlehem Bikes. The

organization’s mission is to increase interest in engineering and design by providing youth with

an opportunity to learn about bike mechanics and design. Each youth participant will be guided

through the process of creating a bike from scratch during an 8-week program. At the end of the

process, they will be able to keep their finished product and be given opportunity to join the next

session of the program as a mentor. This will provide them an opportunity to step into a

leadership role from a young age and help them become more proactive with their education and

aspirations.

As of right now, the program is in preliminary stages with a completed course syllabus

and an application for potential participants (Appendix C). There is an ongoing attempt to

partner with Broughal Middle School and potentially the local Boys and Girls club. An important

facet of the development which has not been pursued yet, is establishing legal safeguards

including waivers, insurance, and non-profit status.

Curriculum integration. This program provides an opportunity to integrate Lehigh’s

curriculum with the community, as well as bringing students from different disciplines to join in

the Mountaintop way of thinking. A possible method to integrate different disciplines through

course work would be a joint sociology and engineering course. The course would focus on

community development as well as integrating engineering principles and the basics of bikes

function. Students in the course could spend time working at Bethlehem Bikes as well as

working to make it more community friendly in order to strengthen the relationship between the

Lehigh and South Bethlehem communities.


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Project Continuation

This project will continue into the fall through ME 310, a directed study under the

direction of Professor Best. At the end of the summer two team members will no longer be at

Lehigh, so it is important to recruit new team members who can be here in person; however, it is

our hope the past team members will be able to continue to contribute to the project in some

capacity. For continued funding, the team hopes to have unused portion of the budget to roll over

to continuation of research and design.

In the fall, this project will focus on the mechanical engineering of bikes, specifically

research on the development of electric powered bikes since it is a category that was unable to be

fully explored during the summer. Part of the bike program that need to be designed is the

charging/filling stations that will be placed at different locations on the hill so that students can

easily access bikes. Also, the development of the Bethlehem Bikes organization is a priority. The

next steps for the organization are to build up a relation with Broughal Middle School and other

local organizations as well as secure a location in order to host the program with a goal to begin

the first session of the program by the midpoint in the semester, since it is an 8-week program.

Undeveloped Concepts

These are concepts the team briefly looked into and now believe are solutions worthy of

consideration; however, the time frame on their development is much longer, so they are

referenced here to consider.

Aerial tram. A potential method to quickly connect Asa campus with Mountaintop

would be through an aerial tram. Based off of elevation maps and building locations, the most

effective place for the lower tram station would be on the green area between Sayre Dr. and

Taylor Rd, next to Coxe Hall, the rail would pass in between Grace and Price Hall directly to

Mountaintop. This could provide a much more environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient

method to reach Mountaintop without having to drive an almost empty bus up the mountain.

Stabler campus development. Stabler Campus should be designed around

transportation. Based off of Jacque Fresco’s “Future By Design” concepts, the team created a

campus design consisting of concentric circles as seen in Figure 11 [11]. Outside the outer ring

are satellite parking lots because the campus will be car free other than delivery and emergency

vehicles. The outer ring consists of residential buildings, just inside that ring is a bus loop that

connects the large ring. The next ring consists of academic buildings. Throughout the campus

will be bike stations allowing students and faculty to quickly travel from place to place

especially from the outer to inner rings along the four radial paths. The purpose of this campus is

not only to facilitate community interaction with the central square and multi-purpose buildings

at the center, but allow everyone to easily traverse campus as pedestrians or bikers.


16

Figure 11: Stabler Campus Design

Emissions-free goal. The team believes that Lehigh should strive to have a completely

emissions-free transportation system to set a global standard for universities. This can be

accomplished by transitioning to electric vehicles. However, a completely emissions free

transportation system is a long term goal, so there should be a push to use B20 (20% Biodiesel

80% Diesel) as fuel and eventually B100 if determined feasible for engine use. Biodiesel is not

by any means emission-free; however, it reduces the number of particulates and is cleaner and

better for the environment. Although B100 is not the best choice to use in the winter because

current B100 fuels can gel in cold weather. Use of high quality fuel sources as well as treating

for winter use can help alleviate some of these issues.

Outdoor escalator. The escalator was invented at Lehigh but it became something

entirely different when, in 2011, a massive 384m long outdoor escalator was installed in the

Colombian city of Medellin. Mention of building such a thing here seems often incites laughter,

but after some research, the magnitude of its beauty, simplicity and convenience become

glaringly apparent. When someone drives a sedan or SUV, the energy expended not only has to

move the driver's mass, but also the much larger mass of a car; however, a hill assist device has a

smaller mass so its energy usage is more efficient as well as being emissions-free if powered by

renewable energy. With that cars’ inefficiency in mind, the team began hill assist device designs,

combining aspects of other real world examples. While the technology is widely unutilized,

every instance of its implementation -- from South America to Scandinavia -- has had a huge

impact on personal transportation in the surrounding area.


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Data Acquisition

Below are data sets that the team believes will be useful to the continuation of the project

and thus will work to obtain through Lehigh’s administration and other outlets to further

progress.

● Traffic at Packer Ave and on the hill

● Parking permits

○ What demographic buys the most parking permits? Based on age, geographic area

of their dorm, extracurriculars

■ Do more athletes, Greeks, members of certain clubs have more permits?

● Buses (fuel used, miles travelled, passengers, O&M costs, etc.)

● Regular parking records (at least two weeks per season)

● Student transit destinations

○ What percentage of students who get on the bus at Packard get off at each stop?

● Space usage

○ What outdoor spaces are populated most by students outside of class? Indoor

spaces?


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References

1. Lehigh University (2012). Campus Master Plan: From Strategic Plan to Campus Vision

(Rep.).

2. Mazloomi, K., Sulaiman, N. B., & Moayedi, H. (2012, April 1). Electrical Efficiency of

Electrolytic Hydrogen Production. International Journal of Electrochemical Science, 7,

3314-3326.

3. College of the Desert. (2001, December). Hydrogen Use in Internal Combustion Engines.

4. "Understanding the Life of Lithium Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles." American

Chemical Society. American Chemical Society, 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 July 2016.

5. Nitta, N., Wu, F., Lee, J. T., & Yushin, G. (2014, November 24). Li-ion battery materials:

Present and future. Materials Today, 18(5), 252-264. doi:10.1016/j.mattod.2014.10.040

6. Max Air 35 Electric Compressor - Three Phase 220V / 230V. (n.d.).

7. NEW Hanalei 36 Volt Lithium Powered Electric Step-Through Beach Cruiser Bicycle.

(n.d.).

8. Pennsylvania - May 2015 OES State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates.

(n.d.).

9. Super price on Schumacher - INC812A at ToolTopia.com. (n.d.).

10. Unistrut 10ft Channel w/Hole (RP1000T10PG50) - Power Struts - Ace Hardware. (n.d.).

11. Gazecki, W. (Director), & Harvey Vengroff, H. (Producer). (2006, June 10). Future by

Design [Video file]. Retrieved May 23, 2016.


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Appendices

Appendix A: Campus Design and Urban Planning

Figure A-1: Observed Spaces on Campus

The figure above depicts various courtyards and green spaces on campus. It details the

reasons why each location is or is not useful as well as what activities currently occur at each

respective location.


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Figure A-2: Corner Campus Observations- Surrounding Programs

The figure above shows different reason why various people would be around the corner

campus lot in order to determine how to make it a more effectively used community space.

Figure A-3: Bench Design for Waterfall Installation

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This drawing shows the design plans for a bench which is intended to be part of a

waterfall installation to increase pedestrian use of green spaces on campus.

Appendix B: Transportation

GPS Bike Device Code

<!DOCTYPE html>



<html>

<head>

<?php

header("refresh:5; url=admin.php");

?>

<meta charset="UTF-8">

<title>Add Rack</title>

<script src="jquery-1.12.2.min.js"></script>

</head>

<body>

<p>

<?php

//connect to database

require_once("../login/login.php");

//retrieve info from previous page

$name = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'name');

$spaces = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'spaces');

//check if space number is valid

if (!is_numeric($spaces)&&($spaces>=1)) {

echo 'MUST INPUT A NUMBER FOR SPACES';

die(mysql_error());

}

//add new rack into database

$sql = 'INSERT INTO rack (name,space_num,num_open) VALUES ("' . $name . '","' .

$spaces . '","' . $spaces . '")';

$result = mysql_query($sql);

if ($result === FALSE) {

die(mysql_error());

} else {

$sql2 = 'SELECT ID FROM rack WHERE name = "' . $name . '"';


22

$result2 = mysql_query($sql2);

$row2 = mysql_fetch_array($result2);

$id = $row2['ID'];

//add spaces into new rack

for ($i = 0; $i < spaces; $i++) {

$sql1 = 'INSERT INTO space (rack_id,space_num) VALUES ("' . $id . '","' . $i . '")';

$result1 = mysql_query($sql1);

if ($result1 === FALSE) {

die(mysql_error());

}

}

echo 'Rack Successfully Added';

}

mysql_close($db);

?>

</p>

</body>

</html>

Appendix C: Bethlehem Bikes

Course Syllabus

Mission Statement:

At Bethlehem Bikes, our mission is to facilitate hands-on learning, while garnering interest in

engineering and design. Young students will be given the opportunity to design, build and ride

their very own custom bicycle. This program fills an important hole in the age old promise that

you can do anything you set your mind to; it grants aspiring makers and doers the chance to see a

finished product, wrought by their own hard work and imagination. The 8 week program focuses

on both the creative and technical aspects of product design and is broken down as follows:

Volunteer preparation:

New volunteers will be introduced to the basics of bicycle form and function; topics will include

the frame, drive-train, gear shifters, brakes, wheels, and seat/handlebar connections. Both tire

and cable repair and replacement will be covered as well.

It is important that volunteers have a solid understanding of bicycle components, as the

bikes we work with are often plagued with problems. These should be considered as learning

opportunities and labeled as challenges, which the students will diagnose and overcome.

Week 1: (Introduction)

Volunteers and admitted students will be introduced and given a basic run through of the

upcoming 8 weeks. Volunteers will then lay out the basic expectations for the students. Students

will then be allowed to choose a donated bike, which they want to work on. It is important to

ensure their chosen project addresses their needs accurately (correct size, type and condition).


23

We don't want a student to select a frame with serious structural issues or one which is too

large/small for their comfort. Next, students will be run through a quick version of the

preparation, which volunteers underwent.

Week 2: (Brakes)

Students will systematically diagnose and record apparent issues with their bike. Then, with the

help of a volunteer, develop a plan of action to address each of these issues.

The focus of this session will be the brakes, as they are the most important safety

consideration. Students will be given a quick demonstration of how brakes should operate, then

return to their own bicycles to perform a detailed assessment of their brakes (mis)function. Next,

they should use their newfound knowledge to begin repairs, calling upon volunteers should they

need assistance.

Week 3: (Wheels/Tires)

Students will be introduced to the tools needed to address tire and wheel issues; typical issues

include flat or popped tires, poorly greased/packed bearings and misaligned spokes. Students will

approach these issues in the listed order, as their importance and noticed effect is descending

importance.

Week 4: (Drive Train)

This session will be dedicated to the most complicated system on a bicycle, the drive train. The

students should trace the cables from the gear shifter mounted on the handlebars (or neck) to

both the front and back derailleurs in order to gain an understanding of how the chain moves

between gears on the cassette. This is also an opportunity to teach students about the concept of

torque and how it relates the gear size and desired output (which gears to use when going uphill,

etc.)

Week 5-7: (Free shop time)

At this point, students should have a strong understanding of their bike's function and should be

approaching the completion of basic repairs. This time may then be used to make any extraneous

repairs, followed by a deep cleaning and re-greasing of all moving parts. A bicycle's performance

can be greatly improved by simply removing grime and dirt from essential locations such as the

chain, cassette and axles.

This is also the time for students to take a more creative approach to the restoration

process. Based on our budget, students may work with volunteers to order new tires, handle bar

tape, seats, etc.

Week 8: (Graduation)

With freshly completed bikes in hand, students will be given a certificate of completion and a

new helmet. In addition to their bicycle and helmet, students will be allowed to return to the shop

whenever volunteers are available to repair any parts, which may need attention over the life of

the bike. At this point, they are also invited to join the program again, but as volunteers.

urban planning and transportation report

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