Enforcement of Bike Racks throughout Penn State
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – A recent State College Borough press release is causing confusion and frustration amongst State College students and residents.
According to State College Police, on October 5th, the police will be tagging bicycles parked in the downtown area and removing any bicycle that not been checked on by the owner. If you have a bicycle parked in the ways provided below, State College Police will ensure that the bicycle be checked on or removed by the owner:
- A person may park a pedalcycle on a sidewalk, unless prohibited or restricted by an official traffic control device. However, no person shall park any pedalcycle against windows or parking meters or on the main traveled portion of the sidewalk, nor in such manner as to constitute a hazard to pedestrians, traffic or property.
- No person shall chain or secure a pedalcycle to any stop sign, parking sign or any other official sign, including trees in the street rights-of-way within the Borough.
- Bicycle/pedalcycle racks are to be used, where available. No person shall chain or secure a pedalcycle to a bicycle/pedalcycle rack within a street right-of-way in excess of 72 hours. No person shall chain or secure a pedalcycle to a bicycle/pedalcycle rack in a municipal parking facility in excess of 30 days.
Although the Borough sees a direct problem with the bicycles/pedalcycles, some college students don’t think the guidelines are being implemented in the way they should be.
“I have left my bicycle in front of Forum Building and I’ve never gotten in trouble for leaving it unlocked. So, I don’t think it’s really implemented as it should be versus the talks of it being implemented,” Penn State student Yacayra Morales said.
Morales has been a resident of Treemont for the past 3 years. She has seen bicycles being left cluttered around, but no one claims or takes them.
While Morales personally rides a bike throughout State College, resident Nick Crawford doesn’t see how State College Borough will enforce and maintain these rules.
“I think one of the biggest issues with the new implemented rules on campus is the enforcement. I don’t think they’re going to be able to enforce somebody parking or chaining up a bike for more than 72 hours. However, I think the priorities should be about people abusing bikes on campus as far as taking up the sidewalks, going too fast, or ignoring pedestrians rather than just the issue of where to put the bike on campus,” Crawford said.
While the Borough continues to enforce these new guidelines, Penn State students must be more cautious of where bikes are being parked and left. Only time will tell if students will take these new rules seriously, and the extent to which the Borough will go to enforce them.
