Even though the temperatures are beginning to drop, students are still diligently bicycling to class. An increased number of protected bike lanes in Minneapolis and repainted lanes on the University of Minnesota campus have made commuting on campus easier. However, in some areas, a limited amount of space to park bikes has resulted in tension.
Due to a limited number of bike racks or hoops, some students have taken to parking their bikes in prohibited areas, such as the Washington Avenue Bridge’s guardrail. The problem primarily affects high-traffic areas such as outside Bruininks Hall and Blegen Hall.
As a result of the parked bikes, University staff members have taken to posting red warning citations urging students to utilize only designated parking areas.
Moreover, mixing large numbers of parked bikes, students and commuters in high-traffic areas has generated large amounts of congestion as students rush to classes, especially during afternoon hours.
Boasting more than 6,500 racks or hoops, plenty of bike lanes and the bike-sharing program Nice Ride, the University has made a commendable effort to separate bike traffic and provide essential infrastructure for commuters — but space is becoming limited in certain areas.
While it is unreasonable to ask for lanes and lights akin to those installed on Washington Avenue, we feel that the University should make an effort to provide more racks or hoops in high-traffic areas or at least to cease writing citations. We hope the University will rectify this problem as the new school year continues.
