Keeping roadways safe is everybody’s business
With school out and summer travel season in full swing, Buffalo’s streets and trails are bustling with pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders. Kids are heading to the pool and the park, vacationers are enjoying our city’s beautiful trail system and foot traffic is just generally up all over town.
There has been a lot of discussion lately – both formally in city council meetings and more informally on Facebook pages and community groups – about the safety of e-bike riders. While all bike riders – regardless of how that bike is powered – are required to follow the rules of the road, there seems to be special concern about the safety of kids riding e-bikes.
Parents are kids’ first and most important teachers. For families, now is a great time to discuss the rules of the road.
Bike riders are to ride with the flow of traffic on the right-hand side of the street. Bike riders are also required to follow the other rules of the road, including obeying street signs and traffic lights and signaling when stopping or turning.
Bike riding is not permitted on sidewalks in Buffalo.
In Wyoming, there is no statewide law requiring bicyclists of any age to wear a helmet. However, if you are riding a Class 3 electric bike (which can reach speeds up to 28 mph), state law requires anyone under the age of 18 to wear a properly fitted helmet.
Safety is not just the responsibility of bike riders but by those behind the wheel of cars and trucks as well.
In the last couple of months, there have been several reports of vehicle drivers “bumping” pedestrians in crosswalks. We’re thankful that those bumps were nothing more serious, but they easily could have been.
Wyoming requires drivers to slow down or stop to yield to pedestrians crossing within any marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. If you are making a legal right turn on a red light, you must first check for pedestrians, and if they are in the crosswalk on your half of the road, you must give them the right of way.
It’s not always easy for everyone to share the road, but it’s essential. That’s especially true in the summer, when so many people choose to get around town on bike or on foot.
Ensure These Stories Are Told
Despite the challenges facing independent local journalism, what sustains us — and fills us with deep gratitude — is the loyal support of readers who believe our communities deserve accurate, trusted, and locally rooted news.
It is no exaggeration to say that we are here because of you. Every story we report, every local issue we follow, every public meeting we cover, and every community voice we lift up is made possible by readers who understand the value of an independent newspaper.
Your support does more than fund articles. It helps protect the independence that allows us to report honestly, ask important questions, and keep our community informed without fear or favor.
If you are able, please consider supporting the News Letter Journal by donating to our Unabridged Fund today. Whether your gift helps cover reporting time, printing costs, video, photography, editing, or distribution, every contribution helps keep local journalism strong in Wyoming.
All gifts are deeply appreciated. Your support helps ensure that local stories continue to be told, local decisions continue to be watched, and local voices continue to be heard.
Thank you for standing with independent community journalism.