The 2021 HWCP, redacted by the University Mobility Manager and the mobility management unit of the Sustainability Service (Area Campus Life), was approved by the Academic Senate on 19 July 2021 and by the Board of Governors on 27 July 2021.
The plan is the result of a participatory process which saw the involvement of several professional figures that participated in gathering of the necessary data and supplied their expertise.
The document after the analysis of the current legislation, follows with the territorial and infrastructural context of the campus focused on the mobility options available and subsequently the transport demand analysis based on the 2019 Mobility survey.
Based on the results of the aforementioned survey, the plan outlines the areas of intervention to focus on (introductions of measure to reduce the incoming flows to the University; infrastructural enhancements; agreements and service offerings; incentives and benefits) along with the individual actions proposed for the promotion of sustainable mobility, after listing what the University has already implemented.
The proposed actions aim to reach the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) for the UN 2030 Agenda and promote sustainable mobility choices by encouraging a change in individual behaviors and discouraging the use of private motorized vehicles, with reference to what is outlined in the University’s CO2 Emissions Mitigation Plan. The HWCP also includes several proposals for improvement of the University’s surrounded areas, already submitted to the relevant authorities in the summer of 2020.
The results of the survey presented in the HWCP highlight the necessity to implement different measures depending on the distance traveled to reach the Politecnico di Milano. In particular:
Over 7 km:
- external measures: engage with public transport (PT/LPT) operators and institutions for the introduction of “pay-per-use subscriptions”; facilitate the use of train stations and trains by cyclists by making the infrastructure suitable for bicycles; promote provincial Bicycle Plans (Biciplan) to create intermunicipal cycling links to train stations.
- internal measures: expand the categories of POLIMI users eligible for the public transport (PT/LPT) subscription subsidy and increase the subsidy; promote carpooling; install electric vehicle charging points.
Under 7 km:
- external measures: engage with public transport (PT/LPT) operators and institutions for the introduction of “pay-per-use subscriptions”; engage with local authorities to create cycling paths and implement measures aimed at reducing traffic near the campuses.
- internal measures: implement bike racks and create bike stations; build showers and changing rooms; grant mobility credits to those who commute between home and university by bike.
Regarding the measures directly under the responsibility of the University, an internal survey was conducted in September 2020 to assess the interest of the polytechnic community in the five actions identified as priorities. Respondents were asked to express their level of interest on a scale from 1 (not important) to 10 (very important). The results of this survey, shown in the figure below, reveal that users consider interventions related to bicycle use to be the most urgent: firstly, infrastructure, including increasing the number of bike parking spaces and creating bike stations, followed by incentives for those practicing bike-to-work and the introduction of services for cyclists, such as the creation of changing rooms equipped with showers.
The details for each of the actions identified as priorities (for which a total investment of 1.5 million euros is planned) can be found below:
1. Infrastructure for cycling mobility (projected investment: 550,000 euros)
Proposal: construction of 5 bike stations with controlled access and equipped with bike repair stations (in addition to the one funded by the Sustainability Service, currently being completed in the Leonardo campus) at the Bonardi, Bassini, Golgi, La Masa, and Candiani campuses. It is also proposed to install bike racks/stands to achieve a total of at least 1,300 bike parking spaces in Leonardo, 600 in Bovisa, and about a hundred at each campus (500 in total).
2. Incentives for bike-to-work users (projected investment: 400,000 euros)
Proposal: for Polimi employees who cycle to the campus, the opportunity to participate in a voluntary certified tracking program (e.g., Pin Bike system) with the introduction of benefits/rewards (e.g., discounts at Polishop’s Green Line).
3. Infrastructure and services for sustainable mobility (projected investment: 250,000 euros)
Proposal: construction of rooms equipped with showers and changing rooms, preferably near the proposed bike stations mentioned in item 1. It is also suggested to build department-specific showers and changing rooms.
4. Infrastructure for electric mobility (projected investment: 200,000 euros)
Proposal: Installation of 20 additional electric vehicle charging points (columns/wall boxes) to be evenly distributed across the campuses (in addition to the 20 already funded, whose project is being followed by the Energy Commission) and 300 charging points for electric scooters/bikes, to be placed in study, refreshment, and recreational areas of the campus (in addition to those recently installed at the Leonardo Gardens and the Leonardo bike station under construction).
5. Incentives for the use of university carpooling (projected investment: 100,000 euros)
Proposal: for users of the Polimi carpooling service, currently being tested, introduction of benefits/rewards (e.g., discounts at Polishop’s Green Line).
The full planning document and a summary infographic are available here.