This week’s featured question was submitted for Merrill Police Chief Corey Bennett
The question reads:
“Hi I’m fairly new to town and am curious about the bike lanes around the city. First off, aside from the bike symbol on the roads, there is another symbol I’m not familiar with. It looks sort of like two half-triangles? What is that symbol and what does it mean? Secondly, are there any particular rules or guidelines I should know about for using the lanes either as a driver or bike rider? Thank you!
Answer as given by Chief Bennett
“The bike lanes around the city are similar to other cities in Wisconsin. They are designated lanes to improve bicycle safety and guide the motoring traffic away from the section of road used by bicyclists. The symbol you are describing is probably the directional arrow indicating the movement of bicyclists. Bicyclists have to follow the same rules of the road as the motoring public, such as moving in the proper direction.”
“I would remind the public:
· *Bicycles must display a headlight during hours of darkness. We recommend a tail lamp as well. Be visible in daylight or darkness.
· *A helmet is always a great idea to protect your “computer” from getting rattled.
· *Bicycles kept in the City are required to be registered at the Merrill Police Department. We now do this for free! This helps us return stolen/missing property to the lawful owner.
· *Always, always, always! be observant of the motoring public. If in doubt, yield to the motor vehicle. You never know if the driver has observed your smaller profile.
Have a question or concern you would like to address? Simply send your question or concern to [email protected] along with an indication of which entity your question or concern pertains to. Current participants are the Merrill Police Department, Merrill Fire Department, Tomahawk Police Department, Merrill City Administrator Dave Johnson, Merrill Area Housing Authority Director Paul Russell, Lincoln County Clerk Chris Marlowe, Lincoln County Forestry Land and Parks Director Kevin Kleinschmidt, Local DNR Conservation Warden Curt Butler and Merrill Area Public Schools (MAPS) Superintendent Dr. John Sample. Please note: Those who submit to the ‘Ask an Official’ feature remain anonymous.