PSU Director of Transportation Teresa Davis and landscape architect Thomas Flynn presented Penn State’s new campus bike/ped traffic plan at CRBC’s January meeting. If approved and implemented, Davis and Flynn said the plan should improve safety and better connect campus destinations while improving links to the regional bikeway network. The current campus ban of bicycling on sidewalks would be eliminated, but bikes would not be allowed on sidewalks adjacent to roads. Bikes traffic would mix with motor traffic on campus streets.
The plan includes:
• Bike climbing lanes for steep uphill road sections (Burrowes and Shortlidge Streets).
• Showering and changing facilities within a five minute walk of all major campus destinations.
• More Bike racks on campus
• Covered bike parking within five minutes of major destinations.
• Large bike parking courts at major destinations.
• Secure bike parking rooms in residence halls.
• Bike paths along Park Avenue and University Drive .
• On-road bike lanes or separated paths around the periphery of campus.
• More effective snow clearance from paths and around bike parking.
• A new path to connect campus to Millbrook Marsh and the Puddintown extension of the College Township Bikeway.
• An education program for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers to ensure the plan works effectively.
CRBC has suggested a mandatory bicycle education class for all entering freshmen, similar to the successful online course in use at Cornell University. This course could be given along with the new alcohol education course required for entering PSU freshmen. CRBC members and PSU officials traveled to Ithaca three years ago to study Cornell’s bike education program and declared it a useful model for Penn State. When asked if an effort will be made to enforce the 15 mph campus speed limit since the plan forces cyclists to mix with motor vehicle traffic, Davis and Flynn said they were advised that 15 mph speed limits are not enforceable in Pennsylvania. It was pointed out that 15 mph is enforced in school zones and that PSU is a school.
