Salt Lake City, UT: The first week of September, the University of Utah continued the phase one implementation of ongoing plans for the HPER Mall by installing asphalt bicycle paths. These new bicycle routes can be accessed north of the HPER Mall, west of Bailiff Road, and continue between the HPER Mall pedestrian plazas by Orson Spencer Hall onto the Marriott Library East plaza.

With the opening of the new bicycle paths, the University of Utah would like to raise awareness of the importance of cyclists and skateboarders yielding the right of way to other users on the shared sidewalk and plaza areas on campus. On all sidewalks, bicycles and other wheeled vehicles are expected to yield to pedestrians.  Safety and etiquette are of greatest importance to ensure all allowed modes of transit are safe and welcome.

Temporary signage, promoting safety and etiquette awareness, has been installed with indications to slow and yield to pedestrians as cyclists enter each of the plazas. The HPER Mall wheelchair access sidewalk ramps with handrails are affixed with signs for pedestrians only. Permanent signage will be installed in the near future.

In accordance with university policy^*, bicycle riders are expected to maintain a reasonable and proper speed, not to exceed 10 mph, and are encouraged to wear helmets. An American Journal of Public Health study found that riders with helmets had an 85 percent reduction in their risk of head injury and an 88 percent reduction in their risk of brain injury.

The goal for these new bicycle paths is to provide an additional option of safe and effective cycling on campus, accommodating the needs of the community.