The Manitowoc Police Department wants to get a grant for bike and pedestrian safety.
The grant comes from the Wisconsin Bureau of Transportation and is not about arresting or citing motorists but about educating, saving lives, and preventing tragedies.
As part of the initiative, undercover officers will periodically utilize bikes and crosswalks to educate residents and inhibit dangerous driving behavior.
In Wisconsin, bicycles are considered vehicles and have the same rights on the roadways as motor vehicles.
If you’re driving a vehicle, you have to leave at least three feet while passing them and, if you can, change lanes to let a bicycle pass, especially in narrow lanes.
In 2023, within Manitowoc County, there were 23 crashes involving either bicyclists or pedestrians.
Of those crashes, there were 22 injuries and 1 fatality. 668 bicycle/motor vehicle crashes occurred in Wisconsin, claiming 14 lives and injuring 593 bicyclists.
