Students are being asked to stop storing their bikes on access ramps to improve safety for people with disabilities on campus. 

Bicyclists at Syracuse University often block important access ramps at the Huntington Beard Crouse Hall, which is an ongoing problem, said Colleen Kepler, the building’s coordinator. Kepler said she feels the issue is a safety hazard, as well as an inconvenience for people who visit the university.

“You have to look at the whole picture and how many people use that ramp,” she said.

Kepler said she’s taken matters into her own hands, attaching signs onto bicycles locked on the ramp to raise awareness. The signs notified the bike’s owners that the ramp was an accessible entrance and requested that they use nearby bike racks instead of the ramp.

In addition to people with disabilities, delivery services also use the ramp to bring heavy packages to the front of the building, Kepler added. But with bikes locked onto the ramp’s handlebars, going up becomes a much more difficult task, she said. 

“That is our biggest concern,” said Cleveland McCurty, a Department of Public Safety detective. “Buildings have to be accessible to wheelchairs and such if there’s an emergency.” 

There has been minimal DPS intervention with locks being cut on a few occasions, McCurty said, but he added it’s not enough to resolve the matter.

He said DPS hasn’t had that calls about the issue this semester.

But awareness may not be enough, as students continue to park their bikes on the ramp without bothering to search for an open bike rack, Kepler said.

“During an incident yesterday, the kid didn’t even look for an open bike rack,” she said, recalling an incident last Wednesday. “At peak times I can appreciate that the bike racks are crowded, but that doesn’t justify blocking a handicapped ramp.”

Although bike racks may be crowded at peak times, Carlos Bonachea, a sophomore television, radio and film major said he feels there are enough racks to accommodate cyclists on campus.

“I always chain it up, it’s never been an issue,” he said. He added that he usually parks outside of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications buildings.

“You can go another 30 yards to the bike rack, there is space.” Kepler said.

Peter Castro, an associate professor of anthropology, who advocates for bike usage, said universities should encourage for more bicycles on campus. But cyclists, he said, also need to educate themselves on how and where to park.

The issue will become increasingly serious in the coming weeks, as winter approaches and conditions worsen, Kepler said.

Published on October 15, 2013 at 2:25 am

Contact Jesse: jlnich02@syr.edu