Casper police considers deploying officers on bicycles downtown
January 18, 2015 8:00 am • By TOM DIXON Star-Tribune staff writer
Eight months after a cyclist was killed in downtown Casperon his way to work, police are considering putting officers in the same line of fire.
“I’d like to see officers on bikes downtown enforcing the laws, not to mention that they’ll be out talking to people one on one, not just sitting behind the wheel of a car,” said Capt. Steve Freel, of the Casper Police Department.
The department has two officers on bicycles, but Freel said they are generally deployed on the Platte River Parkway to quell concerns regarding homeless people harassing pedestrians or other “inappropriate activities."
Meanwhile, local planners tallied 155 accidents involving motor vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists in Casper between 2008 and 2012.
Almost all resulted in injuries, sometimes serious. Many of those accidents happened in the downtown area, and 80 percent of them happened at intersections.
Police are drafting a proposal asking for training and equipment to increase the fleet of police officers on bicycles.
However, while local code and state statute are clear that bicycles must follow the same rules as cars -- including riding with traffic, staying off the sidewalk and following traffic signals -- there are few laws police can use to cite drivers who don’t share the road.
Bicycle advocates say a bill before the state Legislature that would create a 3-foot passing distance between cars and bicycles is a start.
“I think it’s terrific leadership to see this bill come forward with the goal to keep people safe,” said Tim Young, executive director of Wyoming Pathways. “It would help make the public aware of the importance of passing safely.”
Sponsors say the point of the bill is awareness and education, not punishment. The bill as it stands does not include any penalties for drivers who violate a cyclist’s space.
“I think people in Wyoming aren’t quite ready for (a penalty) yet,” said bill co-sponsor Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander. “Wyoming is a little bit behind the curve in terms of bike awareness and thinking about our transportation system, including cyclists. This is just an effort at moving that forward.”
As a cyclist, Case said it’s unnerving when cars crowd a rider on an otherwise wide road. In light of cyclist deaths in Casper, Cheyenne, Jackson and Sheridan in the past year, it’s time to educate both riders and cyclists, Case said.
Bill co-sponsor Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, said this legislation would spark discussion. Eventually, he’d like to see the rule be part of driver’s education materials, too. He did acknowledge that change was likely to come slowly in Wyoming.
Roy Buck said very little has changed in his 30 years as cyclist, much of that spent commuting by bicycle. Buck hears stories weekly at his Casper outdoor shop, Ragged Edge, from customers who experienced close calls.
“We need to have enforceable rules and regulations, because Casper is not a bike-friendly city. It’s terrible,” Buck said. “I hear all the time about how (customers) are nervous. They’re leery to ride on city streets. That’s why our mountain bike riders far exceed our road bikers.”
Buck said he’s seen very little progress toward making cyclists equals with cars on Casper’s roads. He said it’s gotten worse since the Casper Classic, a road race that used to draw hundreds of cyclists to the city’s streets, shut down decades ago.
Creating a safe cycling environment means writing enforceable rules and developing safe routes, Buck said.
However, bike lanes, traffic signals and paths cost money, and cyclists are still the minority user of Casper’s roads.
“There are things that can be done that are relatively inexpensive and not difficult,” said Casper Mayor Charlie Powell. “Things that are achievable in the short term are things like striping at intersections to make it clear there are safety zones where pedestrians should be.”
The city has set aside $300,000 each of the next four years for pedestrian projects, Powell said. A trails, paths and bikeway master plan approved by the Casper Area Metropolitan Planning Organization highlighted $2.1 million in recommended improvements over the next five years. The city has not adopted the plan.
Powell said he would like to see an education campaign teaching both drivers and riders the rules of the road. To that end, Freel is planning what he called a “bike rodeo," which would include obstacle courses for children, safety equipment checks and education talks.
The city also instituted a regular “slow ride” last year designed to show off downtown Casper and create a mass of riders to increase the visibility of cyclists on city streets.
Powell called cyclist safety a priority for him as mayor, but he cautioned that the city would have to be mindful so that the steps it takes don’t cause unintended problems.