Cyclist Tim Strauser said he became aware of the need for public awareness about a year ago after realizing people did not know how to ride their bicycles safely in traffic. After the accident, people called to find out how they could get involved, and their concern started the Alachua County Traffic Safety Awareness Campaign Committee, Strauser said. The committee had its first meeting in August, and it is trying to put together a campaign that will change the attitudes of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, Strauser said. UF is helping to create a safer atmosphere for bicyclists and pedestrians in and around campus, Strauser said. Ruth Steiner, assistant professor in the UF urban and regional planning department, said roads are for all users and must be balanced for the motorist, the pedestrian and the bicyclist.
Traffic needs to move at a slower rate to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians.
The use of traffic circles and traffic tables, which are long and slightly elevated sections of the roadway, can calm traffic. The traffic calming on these streets could funnel bicycle and pedestrian traffic to the campus safely, Steiner said. All rights reserved. No portion of The Alligator Online may be reproduced without the written consent of an officer of Campus Communications, Inc.