Special traffic rules for bicycles will be enforced by the University Police Department at the intersections of Green and Wright Streets and Goodwin Avenue and Illinois Street until Sept. 18.

“The goal behind the enforcement campaign is to remind all travelers, no matter what mode of transportation they choose, of the laws and best safety practices, so no one gets hurt,” said Patrick Wade, communications director for the UIPD, in an email.

Bicyclists put themselves at risk when they break the law, so the UIPD just wants to inform riders about safety, Wade said.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 840 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes in the country in 2016.

The UIPD reminds motorists to slow down, to not get distracted and to yield to cyclists and pedestrians. Bicyclists are reminded to obey traffic signals and to yield to pedestrians.

Wade said tickets and warnings will be given to bikers depending on the situation and the seriousness of the violation.   

“The goal of this effort is not to punish people but rather to remind them about the laws which are there to protect them,” Wade said.

The enforcement details are in partnership with Ride Illinois and the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“Of course, with thousands of bicyclists and motorists on our campus, this is not an issue we are going to solve overnight,” Wade said. “But it is enforcement efforts like these that keep people thinking about their safety and maybe think twice about breaking the law.”

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