Bike infrastructure
Bikes are very common in the USA for various reasons like transport, exercise, fun and sport. The bike users are also road users who need to be well catered for on the roads. The need for signs, regulations and good infrastructure for bicyclists cannot be left behind; however, their welfare should be addressed just like other road users and motorists. Michigan State is one region that has taken an initiative to revisit the issue of bicyclists to improve the efficiency of the infrastructure of the non –motorized road users.
One of the basic traffic laws is the bicycle infrastructure that is used by the cyclists, which involve the network of streets, roads, bike paths, bike lanes and bike racks. It also includes the signs and the signals that are used to inform the users of non-motorized means of transport. These sighs should be clearly and easily understood by the bike users so that there is the proper usage of the roads by the bike users. Having good bike facilities in place, will attract more people to prioritize on bike using because they will feel secure using them when the signage is well designed for the bicycle routes and lanes.
Bike signage is useful in indicating the proper usage of the bicycle facilities using the designated routes. It is used to give a warning to the motorists that the bicyclists may be using the full lane. Besides, these signs can be used to encourage the motorist to change the lane if they need to overtake the bicyclists. In Western Michigan University, the use of non-motorized means of transporting has highly been recommended and one of its major projects in this decade. It is putting a lot of effort to encourage its residents to use bicycles by improving the bike infrastructure and teaching people the usefulness of using bikes. Bicycling reduces the problem of congestion and ensuring the pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized users move safely and smoothly. The University is aiming at improving the health of the community by reducing the use of motor vehicles and other automobiles by using alternative methods such as cycling and walking (Western Michigan University Master Plan, 2008-09).
The Western Michigan University, the city and the Michigan Department of Transportation are working together to ensure that the roads, paths, and routes are successfully designated in the entrance and exits to campus to take care of the huge volume of traffic. The university has several bicycle lanes are located in different parts in the campus that make it easier for the cyclists and pedestrians give way to the motorized vehicles. When people have better designed bike signs will be more confident to continue using the bikes since the signs are crucial in ensuring safety for the road users.
The University does not allow cycling on the side paths and strictly only on the designated paths for the cyclists. This move reduces the collision effect between the bicyclists and the motor vehicles along the path, especially when running at high speed (WMU Master Plan, 2008 - 09).
Several bike lanes are designated using strips, signage, as well as the pavement markings to indicate the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists. Bike lanes often go in the same direction of traffic, but they can also be configured in the contra-flow direction more often on the low-traffic corridors to a particular bicycle route. These stripes need to be visible and clearly seen by the bike user and the motorists so that they can know when to take a particular direction. The left-side lane, especially where there is frequent parking turnover or other conflicting right side of the bicycle lane paths is recommendable (Martini et al., 2013).
There are signs showing the reserved paths for the physically challenged people to enable them to pave the way to the cyclists and the motorists hence reducing the chances of an accident occurrence. It encourages people to feel free to use the bike routes without fear of being hit by vehicles or the speeding motorists. These signs also reduce the traffic jams along the non-motorized vehicles as the path is clearly indicated thus one is aware that there will be individuals moving with wheelchairs and other cycling facilities.
The road connecting the Western Michigan University to the Kalamazoo College campuses is very busy and congested almost at all times of the day. This road has very unfriendly intersections for pedestrians and bicyclists within the city. There are very many bike signages that are very destructing especially to the motorists, which make it difficult to change the road configuration. By improving the bike signage will reduce this confusion and the bicyclists will use the road more efficiently and their safety guaranteed.
There are also directional signs and route markers in Western Michigan University that help to notice a bicycle facility and be able to give clear information on the direction, distance, and the intended destination. These signs are essential in making sure the motorists and cyclists are aware of the upcoming turns; take the desired routes without colliding with each other hence cycling becomes more interesting.
The Open Bike Shop located on Michigan Avenue is an improvement in the bicycle usage to and fro the campus. In this shop, there are peer mechanics that provide information to the staff and the students on safe riding and local use of the bicycle routes within the campus. This information helps a lot in reducing the accident occurrences among the pedestrians and the bicyclist (WMU Master Plan, 2008 - 09). The use of Bronco bikes helps to reduce the traffic jam along the campus bike routes and the bike lanes. The research was done at Western Michigan University, several participants such as the University of Washington, UC Santa Barbara, and UW-Madison emphasized the importance of having enough infrastructures.
The presence of route map signs on the bike routes may be essential to the bike user whereby they have can additionally find their way. These maps help users to make decisions on the way to follow to reach quickly the intended destinations. Bicycle route maps if designed very well can be very attractive to the people especially in the highly populated areas of the Michigan University. This is because they are quite sure that they still can arrive at their destinations safely without delays on these routes they take (Federico & Lewis, 2009).
The cycling means of transport is necessary to provide viable transport alternative to those people without driving licenses and have no access to motor vehicles. It will improve safety, to the physically handicapped, the old and the children who often rely on the non-motorized means of transport. It is also an important move towards environmental sustainability by reducing the noise, water, and air pollution that is associated with automobiles that can lead to the negative impacts of the climate change. It is also very essential in minimizing congestion and the traffic jams on roads and parking places.
The bike signals are specially designated specifically for the bicyclist in places where they may be subject to different traffic control than automobiles, or where additional guidance is needed for bicyclists in areas with complex intersections. The bike signals can be used together with cycle tracks and bicycle boulevards to clearly separate bicycle and automobile traffic. They are very useful in areas where it is necessary to give bicyclists a direction in circumstances where the bicycle facility is taking another route.
It is also important to use the special traffic lights in cycling especially where there are intersections of the roads. The red, yellow and the green lights placed on the bike routes can make cycling and walking safer and attractive if used properly as priority signaling for bikes. The yellow flashing lights may be used to alert the motorists when to cross the roads often at zebra crosswalks. If these flashing lights are active, they can make cycling easier and safer hence boosting the confidence of the bike users and others interested in cycling (John & Lewis, 2000).

There is a need to ensure that the cycle tracks are used separately with the traffic along the car parks accompanied by the bicycle signals. These signals will make people understand when to cross the lane, take a different path or when to stop where need be. The bike lanes should be colored and buffered to separate the non-motorized routes from the motorized. The color of the signs indicating these paths should be conspicuous and visible by far to avoid confusion and accidents from using the wrong paths. The shared bicycle lanes should be well directed to allow good turning point for the motorists and the bicycles and avoid confusion that may lead to head-on collisions (Lusk, Morency & Miranda, 2010).
Conclusion
The Western Michigan University is one of the public universities that has quality bicycle infrastructure and improved bicycle signage. The implementation of this bike signage has been supported by the community, the county and the university commitment to climate neutrality by 2065 together with the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. The university needs to focus on establishing designated shared-use pathways instead of changing the existing rules on cycling in the campus mainly on the sidewalks. It will be more appealing to road users to shift into cycling since it will be easier for them to use the paths the right way.
It is a good move by the Michigan State community and all the concerned parties to improve the situation of the bicyclists in Michigan so that people can see the need for using bikes instead of motorized vehicles. Every road user has the right to enhanced infrastructure to make them able to enjoy using the roads equally as a common provision of the state. The above review of the issues of the non-motorized road users should be emulated in the entire country to give every person a chance to use the roads effectively. References
A View of the Future: Western Michigan University 10 Fundamental Master Plan Concepts., Page 6. (2008-09).
Kevin, M., Matthew, H & Harold, G. (2013) Best Practice Study of Bike Friendly Universities: Sidewalks & Signage Policies.
Schneider, J., Ryznar, M., & Khattak, A. (2004). An Accident Waiting to Happen: a Spatial Approach to Proactive Pedestrian Planning. Accident Analysis and Prevention.
Lusk, A., Morency, P., Miranda, J. (2010). “Risk of injury for bicycling on cycle tracks versus in the Street.” Injury Prevention.
Pucher, J, and Dijkstra, L. (2000). Making Walking and Cycling Safer: Lessons from Europe. New Brunswick, New Jersey.
Fedorico et al. (2009). Development of immortal Mapping Populations, Molecular Markers and Linkage maps for Cycling. Springer, Verlag.