How’s the commute around UCF? Can I ride my bike to campus?

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Tivoli
Tivoli is conveniently located biking distance from UCF.

Driving to campus can be a hassle. I know how it feels to get stuck behind the bus and not finding parking on time for class. It’s the pits…especially when you spend so much on gas to be driving around in circles and stopping every 15 seconds. Living and commuting from the different UCF apartments of East Orlando shouldn’t be so difficult and we at 407apartments.com get that.

Being economically and environmentally friendly is a big deal in today's day and age. It's no longer a rare sight to see co-workers, peers and strangers biking, carpooling or using public transportation. You can save money on gas, reduce traffic and be easy on the planet. So why not try the new alternative?

If you're thinking of commuting to UCF from your apartment, consider where you live in relation to campus. How long of a drive is it? What time do you head to school? How bad is the traffic at that hour? Apartments near UCF can be up to a 15 to 20 minute drive away. You've got to make sure that all these factors are understood before deciding whether or not bike to campus.

Is your UCF apartment in between the UCF and Full Sail area? On University Boulevard? University Boulevard gets pretty congested in the early morning and in the afternoon toward UCF. Students going and leaving campus can cause a nice delay, no matter how big the campus. Also, there are a lot of businesses and people working in the area nearby. Biking through traffic means you have an advantage, thanks to those sweet bike lanes. Your commute doesn’t have to be as long as it would be if you stayed driving your car. Do however, add extra time for your bike ride as you might not be as fast as the guys in the Tour de France.

Apartments by UCF, but closer to Avalon, are not excluded from traffic jams. With school zones and popular streets (Alafaya Road and SR-50/Colonial Dr.) for commuters working all throughout Orlando, certain times of the day, especially around 5 p.m., are extremely busy. But if you do live out past Colonial Dr. and more toward the Avalon/Timbercreek area, biking would be exhausting and you’d have to leave hours before your class started to get to campus. Biking wouldn’t necessarily be your best option.

Here’s some extra tips if you’re going to ride your bike to campus:

  • Record your commute time to campus on a day before classes start. The weekend is a great time to see how long it’ll take you to get there. If you have class early in the morning, just add a few minutes just in case traffic slows you down. But in this case at least you know how long it’ll take you to get there.
  • Wear a helmet and abide by the city laws for bikes. You may be the next Tour de France winner, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a ticket or get hurt. Riding your bike side-by-side cars in traffic can get a little risky.
  • Make sure your tires are full of air and all your gears are working fine. Hate to catch a flat on your way to class!
These are the opinions of writers and not the opinions of 407apartments.com or any of our advertising partners.