Bike lanes added to Washington Road to enhance campus safety

The University implemented new bike lanes on Washington Road in mid-September based on a study that “evaluated pedestrian and bike use along the Washington Road corridor,” according to University Spokesperson Jennifer Morrill.

This comes as the University banned personal electric vehicles (PEVs) at the start of the Spring 2024 semester. The University’s 2024 Personal Electric Vehicle Policy does not include electric bicycles in its definition of PEVs, stating that, “electric bicycles in ‘assist’ mode … are permitted on campus roadways, but not pathways and sidewalks.”

“The bike lanes on Washington road will be the first of their kind near campus,” wrote Morrill in a statement to The Daily Princetonian.

The Facilities announcement of the new bike lanes adds that the lanes connect the new Meadows Neighborhood to other graduate student living facilities, as well as the main campus itself.

Eli Jones GS lives in the Meadows Neighborhood and uses his bike to commute to Frick Chemistry Laboratory very often.

“I think [bike lanes] help a little bit. The hardest part is merging onto the bike lane, because getting on is dangerous at an intersection where cars are turning and can’t see you,” Jones told the ‘Prince.’

Jones explained that he prefers to commute to campus by bike when the TigerTransit shuttle is not available, especially on the weekends.

Morrill wrote, “[Transportation and Parking Services] did receive input from students requesting more bike-friendly infrastructure on Washington Road.” Since the lanes’ implementation, however, some complaints have arisen.

Harish Krishnakumar ’27 told the ‘Prince’ that “I did not think that the lanes were that useful, because it was such a small section of [Washington] Road” where the lanes are present. He added that he would consider biking more if the lanes covered the entirety of Washington Road.

“Flexible delineators are scheduled to begin being installed in the buffer between the vehicle and bike lanes the week of September 30,” Morrill wrote. Currently, the colored painted lines for the separate green bike lane and red bus lane both end at Lewis Library and do not continue up the hill of Washington Road.

“Having marked bike lanes definitely helps when I’m riding at night, but only the sections that are painted seem helpful to me,” Jayden Easy ’27 said.

Morrill stated that the paint choice for the bike lanes’ white and yellow striping is “industry standard” and used around campus. She added that Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) paint used for green and red markings “has not previously been used on other parts of campus, [though] it is standard choice for roadway markings.”