Tall white posts separated the bike lanes on Oak Street Southeast from traffic and parked cars as incoming freshmen moved into their new
Superblock dorm rooms last week.
Protected bike lanes like these help bicyclists feel safe, especially on the University of Minnesota campus, where bike traffic has been measured as the heaviest in Minneapolis. Protected lanes also put drivers at ease — there’s less need to be hyper-vigilant while driving near bikers if an extra barricade stands in the way.
While it’s great to see protected lanes near the Superblock, the city should explore similar measures for other bike lanes on campus, like the lanes on Pleasant Street Southeast and along 15th
Avenue Southeast.
Existing bike lanes in those areas are helpful because they give bicyclists more space. However, cars frequently pull to the side of the road, blocking the bike lanes and forcing bicyclists to merge awkwardly with car traffic. Drivers, too, are not immune to the chaos of these
encounters.
It is the University’s responsibility to promote safety in transportation both on and near campus in areas that are heavily populated by students. Administrators have already shown their commitment to safety by providing crisp, new bike lanes as part of the redesign of the Pleasant
Avenue circle.
We urge University transportation officials to consider pushing for protected bike lanes in more areas on and near campus for the safety and comfort of all transit.
