University of Illinois Facilities and Services

CHAMPAIGN – Keeping bicycles safe from theft or vandalism is essential to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s efforts toward improving the bicycling experience on campus and increasing daily ridership as a primary means of travel.

This semester, the campus transitioned the existing bicycle registration process to Project 529’s national database system called 529 Garage. Joining the database will help riders to easily and securely register their bikes. The system also provides the capacity to broadcast a “Missing Bike Bulletin” to the 529 community and social networks that will enable identification and recovery of stolen bikes. Students, faculty, staff, and local residents may register their bicycles at https://go.illinois.edu/mybike. There is a one-time $10 fee per bicycle.

“Protecting bikes is a top active transportation priority of the university. The addition of the Project 529 bike recovery service addresses requests to provide a more user-friendly program that enhances the well-being of the bicycle community,” said Dr. Mohamed Attalla, executive director of Facilities & Services.

Each registered bike will receive a tamper-resistant shield with a unique registration ID; the shield can be picked up at several nearby locations and is easily installed. The identification information can be used to contact the owner or user in case of bike theft or if an abandoned bicycle is impounded. If individuals move to a different area, registered bicycles will still be included in this registry. The Project 529 community comprises more than 400 law enforcement agencies, universities, bike clubs, and bike shops regionally and nationwide.

Donna Williams, Project 529 customer success manager said, “Our team is proud to have been chosen by the university to provide a modern, cloud-based approach for managing and protecting bikes on campus. Staff will now have a dashboard for insights and easy access to data and functionality to increase the number of registered bikes and better engage with cyclists. Our solution will help the campus be a more data-informed organization regarding bikes, and we look forward to helping empower the cycling community to ride even more.”

The University Bicycle Ordinance (https://go.illinois.edu/bikeordinance) states that all bicycles parked and operated on campus are required to be registered. Bringing an improved registration system to the university was one of the recommendations made by the League of American Bicyclists. The campus is recognized as a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly University by the organization for its commitment to providing a bike-friendly environment. 

“At Illinois, we are always striving to improve our sustainable transportation network. The partnership with Project 529 will not only benefit the individuals who use their service but will also support others and allow for the expansion of future bicycle programs,” said Stacey DeLorenzo, transportation demand management coordinator.

Bicycle registration data enables the university to plan for capital infrastructure projects more accurately, such as complete street concepts and comprehensive bike rack installation upgrades. A portion of the bicycle registration fee will also contribute to educational initiatives that strive to strengthen bicycling culture on campus and encourage riding as a sustainable and efficient transportation option.

To learn more about on-campus activities and events, visit the Bike at Illinois website: https://bike.illinois.edu.