Purdue again urges bicycle, pedestrian safety

August 21, 2012  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With the opening of the academic year, a new campaign aimed at keeping pedestrians and bicyclists safe is again under way at Purdue University.

Strategically placed crosswalks and bicycle paths are located on and around campus, and Purdue police want people to use them instead of crossing streets at improper places. Members of Purdue Student Security Patrol also will be placed at areas in which heavy pedestrian and automobile traffic mix for a few weeks.

Purdue police Capt. Eric Chin said it is the responsibility of pedestrians and motorists to be aware of the laws pertaining to crosswalks. Message boards are at key locations to alert people about crosswalk locations in areas of high pedestrian traffic. Police can warn or cite pedestrians for jaywalking.

Another police focus, Chin said, will be on bicyclists. The main complaints Purdue police receive are about bicyclists disregarding traffic lights and stop signs, and that they're seen going the wrong way on one-way streets. Bikes also should have the proper equipment, such as headlights and taillights, and cyclists should wear helmets and visible clothing.

Campus regulations do not allow bicycles in university buildings unless approved by the appropriate authority. Bicycles may be ridden on designated drives and bike paths but not on sidewalks unless otherwise posted. Cyclists are encouraged to dismount their bikes at crosswalks and walk them to the other side of the street and do the same in crowded pedestrian areas.

The university requires that bicycles on university property be registered with the Purdue Police Department. Registration is free and is valid for five years. Details on bicycle registration are available on the police department's website.  Bike owners can pick up a sticker at the police department, 205 S. Martin Jischke Drive.

West Lafayette city residents must register their bikes with city police.

City ordinances also stipulate that:

* No person age 16 or older shall ride a bicycle on any sidewalk in the district.

* No person shall ride a bicycle on a sidewalk in a business district.

* A person riding a bicycle on a roadway has all the rights and responsibilities that apply to those driving a motor vehicle.

Writer: Jim Bush, 765-494-2077, jsbush@purdue.edu

Source: Eric Chin, 765-494-8221, ehchin@purdue.edu

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