Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Grant Enforcement

The La Crosse Police Department and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Police Department have recently been awarded a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation(DOT) to place additional patrols in the community to focus on pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic laws and safety.  The La Crosse Police Department will be using high visibility pedestrian and vehicle enforcement in areas of the City that were determined to be areas of concern in the City of La Crosse’s 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.  The UWL Police will be enforcing in areas of concern in and around the UWL campus.

Besides the start of the Pedestrian Safety Grant, the La Crosse Police Department will continue its involvement in the upcoming months with other DOT grant work with other law enforcement agencies in La Crosse County on Seatbelt, Distracted Driving and OWI grants. The goals for these grants are to reduce traffic related injuries and death; to gain voluntary compliance with existing laws and ordinances; and improve the safety and coexistence of all modes of transportation.

April deployments for Pedestrian Safety include:

• Thursday, April 7th – 7:00AM through 10:00AM – West Avenue & Vine/Pine Street area
• Wednesday, April 13^th – 12:00PM through 3:00PM – La Crosse St @ Myrick Park Ln.
• Monday, April 18^th – 3:00PM through 6:00PM – West Avenue & Vine/Pine Street area

Both agencies will be using additional officers at peak times and locations to enforce pedestrian, bicycle, and traffic laws.  Some of that enforcement will include bicycle patrol, foot patrol, pedestrian and traffic enforcement, with both uniformed and plain clothes officers.  The goals for these grants are to reduce traffic-related injuries and death; to gain voluntary compliance with existing laws and ordinances; and improve the safety and coexistence of all modes of transportation.

Prior to deploying these additional officers, we would like to remind the community of some of the rules and regulations that are specific to pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists:

Motorists

• Must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists crossing within a crosswalk area.
• Cannot turn right on red in front of a pedestrian or bicyclist.
• Must yield to pedestrians and bicyclists when entering a roadway from an alley or driveway.

Bicyclists

• Shall obey traffic control devices – traffic lights, signs, and symbols.
• Must yield the right of way to any pedestrian on a sidewalk/bicycle path and shall give an audible signal when passing such pedestrian.
• Bicycling on sidewalks is allowed throughout the city; HOWEVER, it is prohibited in the downtown business district.
• A bicyclist’s speed shall be no greater than reasonable and prudent when operating on a sidewalk or bicycle path.
• When riding in a street, bicycles shall ride with traffic in the same direction, as far right as practicable. The three exceptions are for: overtaking and passing another vehicle in the same direction, making a left turn, and when necessary to avoid unsafe conditions in the roadway.
• Use of hand signals is required when turning and stopping.
• Bicycling at night requires the use of a white front headlight and a red rear reflector. Front light must be visible to others from 500 feet away and the rear red reflector must be visible between 50 and 500 feet away.
• Bicycle registration is required.
• It is illegal to carry extra passengers on a bicycle (except a tandem).
• Although it is not a law or ordinance, wearing a helmet while riding your bicycle can prevent death or greatly reduce any injuries incurred if involved in an accident.