The area surrounding the Baton Rouge lakes is a beautiful place to relax, rife with students and residents enjoying exercise or down time. Scenic as the lakes may be, accidents and incidents are always a possibility.
Since 2011, there have been 55 traffic crashes handled by LSU Police Department involving a bicycle or pedestrian, said LSUPD spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde.
Logan Pearce, University of Louisiana Lafayette cross country athlete, said he always runs the lakes when visiting his uncle in the area.
“It’s beautiful out here,” he said.
Nearly every evening, the area flourishes with runners, walkers and cyclists, students and non-students.
Varsity Sports owner Jenni Peters said the lakes contain routes of various distances. University Lake, the larger of the two lakes, has a four-mile-long circuit, while running around both the University Lake and City Park lakes will exceed six miles in distance, Peters said.
Some believe running the lakes can be dangerous because of traffic, and Pearce said the abundance of cars whizzing past and bicycles unexpectedly appearing from behind intimidate him on occasion.
“It can get very tight back in the neighborhoods,” he said.
Peters said safety is paramount when running or cycling anywhere.
“Runners should always go toward traffic,” Peters said.
Gary Graham, director of Parking, Traffic and Transportation, said in most of the reported instances, the bicyclist is at fault. Traffic crashes often result from cyclists riding in the wrong lane or running a red light, despite the fact they must follow the same laws as automobiles, Graham said.
“In Louisiana, bicycles are considered vehicles. Therefore, they should ride with great care,” he said.
Graham said runners and cyclists should be well lit at night, using reflective materials to make themselves as noticeable as possible.
He said everyone holds the responsibility of knowing his or her surroundings.
Peters said being visible is not the only concern, as lighting in certain areas around the lakes is lacking, leading to considerable issues for runners. The blacktop bike path running from Milford Wampold Memorial Park to sorority row is particularly rough, she said, leading to many falls in the dark when runners cannot watch their footing.
“We’ve had many falls in that spot in our running group,” Peters said.
Being aware of footing when running in the dark can help prevent these issues, Peters said.
Another issue in the dark is the bench on May Street, which cyclists and runners are known to collide with, said Peters.
In spite of perceived risks, Peters said she continues to enjoy the Baton Rouge lakes, practicing safety along the way. She believes the beauty of the lakes keeps runners and cyclists active.
“I’ve ran competitively around the world,” she said. “The lakes stand up to the world’s prettiest courses.”
A jogger runs around the University Lake on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014.
