Bicycles and Skateboards

The University of Portland encourages students, staff, and faculty to use bicycles to commute to and around campus.  Bicycle parking is available outside most buildings and residence halls have internal bike rooms for storage of residents' bicycles.  If you plan to bring a bicycle to campus, make sure to register your bicycle with the Department of Campus Safety.  It's free!  

Bicycle Policy

Bicycles and other riding devices (including skateboards, scooters and rollerblades) must adhere to applicable state traffic rules and regulations. Pedestrians have the right of way; when passing a pedestrian from the rear a rider is required to give an audible signal. Motorized/electric bicycles and other riding devices are not to be ridden on sidewalks or pedestrian paths on campus.

 Bicycles must be registered with campus safety. Bicycles are required to be secured by a bicycle lock; Campus Safety recommends the use of a “U” type lock. Bicycles may only be parked at outdoor bike racks located around campus and indoor bike racks available to on-campus residents. 

Campus Safety encourages the use of the National Bike Registry. Registration is free and offers theft protection for ten years.

To minimize theft, bicycles are required to be secured by a bicycle lock to an approved bike storage rack while parked on campus. Bicycles may not be secured to handrails or stairwells, nor in doorways, ADA access, trees or shrubbery, or any areas designated by the fire code as egress. Bicycles may not be left secured to bike racks over summer or winter breaks. On-campus residents may arrange in-door storage with the hall director.

Any bicycle left unsecured and unregistered may be impounded or secured by campus safety immediately. Bicycles parked or impounded for more than 30 days may be considered abandoned even if registered. Every effort will be made to contact the owner of registered impounded bikes. Abandoned bicycles are donated to non-profit community organizations.

Violators may be subject to a fine.

Bicycle privileges may be revoked by the Director of Campus Safety for careless operation or repeated violations of the University bicycle parking/registration policy.

Bicycle U-locks may be purchased from Campus Safety.

Skateboard/Rollerblade Policy

Motorized scooters and motorized skateboards are not allowed on campus. Skateboard riders and rollerbladers are to show respect to pedestrians by:

1. Traveling at a safe speed when approaching high traffic areas containing any and all students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
2. Giving verbal indications of location when approaching pedestrians such as, “on your left” or “right behind you.”

Skateboard riders and rollerbladers are to safely interact with motorists by:

1. Stopping before crossing intersections or crosswalks to look for oncoming motor traffic.
2. Riding at safe speeds while on streets around campus that motorists frequently travel.

All violations of the above policy may result in a fine for each violation.