The City of Williamsport has instituted a resolution with UPMC for installation of bicycle safety lane matters, leading to a more in-depth discussion on the plan and bicycle safety education and programs ahead of the peak bike season in 2026.

Valerie Fessler, executive director of the city Department of Community and Economic Development, presented the resolution to City Council on behalf of colleague Scott Williams, city planner with specialty background in transportation.

“We’re one year out from the suggestion from Councilwoman Liz Miele that council put something in the budget for a bike lane,” Fessler said. Council Vice President Eric Beiter then also suggested the city explore the use of Community Development Block Grant funds for his purpose.

“We’ve done that and we are developing this project,” Fessler said.

The city will be installing pavement, markings and signs on about four miles of low-volume city streets connecting neighborhoods to Shaw Park, Brandon Park and the pedestrian bridge at Third Street, over Interstate 180 and at Watertower Square, she said.

The plan is to complete the bike lane designation at the time it is finishing up the Williamsport Bike Park, a combination mountain track and pump track at Shaw Park.

Additionally, Loyalsock Township is in the process of completing a pathway called Millers Run Greenway, which is going to run parallel to Northway Road.

The township is doing that to connect their parks and schools as well, so the most direct connection between Shaw Park and Millers Run Greenway would be through the UPMC Divine Providence campus.

Mayor Derek, Bill Scott, city engineer, and Williams have been meeting with UPMC officials and representatives from the township to discuss the best way to accomplish this task.

The township is doing a similar payment marking and sign program on their section.

Work that the city is doing will be strictly on the city-owned streets and done using CDBG money. A portion of that will be on the UPMC Divine Providence campus, Fessler said.

A bike safety conversation

The memorandum outlined the expectations of the city and UPMC.

Miele said she wanted to ensure that the city enforce bicycle safety “full stop.” The talk generated discussion on the recent tragic fatality involving what was described as an e-bike on Market Street.

Jason Bolt, of the Williamsport Bureau of Police, was at the council meeting.

Miele asked Bolt about a specific part of the city ordinance that is included in the MOU, and it was regarding bicycle law enforcement. She then asked if the police department was enforcing issues such as lights on bikes, lights on e-bikes and bike helmets.

“We need to figure out a mechanism … and it goes both ways … because there’s a lot of drivers with great animosity toward cyclists,” Miele said.

“With the officers that are working, we actually do address a lot of the bicycle issues, specifically not lighted at night,” Bolt said. “So, you’ll see officers stopping, reinforcing what laws there are and making sure that we do have bike safety.”

“Again, we do have a police department that is running from call-to-call,” Bolt said.

“Plus, we have (officers) who are on bikes that are out addressing these concerns and issues more and more, especially in the summer months,” Bolt said.

“Thank you,” Miele said, adding she was very glad to hear that.

“And we will continue to do so,” Bolt said.

Miele reiterated how she believed that it does cut both ways.

“There are obviously people who are cycling without proper protections but the bigger threat obviously are the people in the cars,” she said. “If they are moving too quickly on city streets or going over the speed limit, and while enforcement comes from the police, it doesn’t exclusively need to come from the police and that can happen from the city developing and implementing a bike safety program,” Miele remarked.

She then suggested that there be a program that works in concert with the schools to teach students about bike safety, because she has observed people biking the wrong way down city streets and kids biking right up the middle of streets.

Moving parts, with police assistance

“There are a whole bunch of moving parts in this plan and it doesn’t just fall on the police,” Miele stressed.

“I wholeheartedly agree and, honestly, I’d love to help spearhead an education program for that with the other entities that are involved,” Bolt said.

Miele suggested before the city hits peak bike season to sit down with the school district and Bolt added that could be done along with community groups and other folks.

“Exactly,” she said. “I think if we broadened it and tried to get Firetree (Place), you could begin to train the next generation of cyclists who are going to be on city streets to do it better.”

City police also have a partnership with an organization that is an entity through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that frequently holds bike derbies and provides helmets, reflectors and bike safety tips – having worked with the city Bureau of Police in the past.

“I can imagine that it is a pain … for police to have to address a bicyclist without a bike light,” Miele said.

But Bolt replied – “It’s no problem for officers, if it can keep the rider from getting hurt.”