An aerial view of students walking in the center of campus

University News

UMass Announces New Pedestrian-Only Zone to Enhance Campus Safety

Core campus will be restricted to pedestrians and select wheeled devices and vehicles

The Pedestrians Only sign instructing those with wheeled mobility tools like bicycles, skateboards and scooters to "walk their wheels"

UMass Amherst today announced the launch of a pilot safety initiative designed to create a safe, accessible, pedestrian-friendly environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus.

Starting Sept. 1, the core campus [from North Pleasant to Hicks Way and Haigis Mall to Goessman Laboratory] will be restricted to pedestrians and mobility devices used by individuals with disabilities. When needed, emergency or state/vendor approved maintenance vehicles will enter this zone.

Riders on wheeled devices such as bicycles and e-bikes, scooters and e-scooters, golf carts, skateboards, etc., will be asked to dismount and walk their device or will be redirected to North Pleasant St., Hicks Way, and the path connecting Whitmore Administration Building to North Pleasant between Haigis Mall and Bromery Center for the Arts.

The map of the campus Pedestrian Only Zone — Click the map to access the full-size downloadable PDF

“This pilot program prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and visitors who walk our campus daily,” said Jeff Hescock, assistant vice chancellor of Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management. “By asking riders to dismount in the core campus, we are creating a more accessible landscape that makes our campus more welcoming.”

The pilot was developed following conversations about pedestrian and rider safety held last spring with the Faculty Senate, Student Government Association (SGA) and Graduate Student Government (GSG). Other campuses nationwide including Montana State, Harvard University, Arizona State University, University of North Carolina, University of Maryland, and UC San Diego have adopted similar pedestrian-only zones on their core campuses.

To support the transition, signage, designated vehicle-dismount boundaries, and expanded parking zones at the perimeter of the restricted areas have been installed. Later this fall, outdoor solar-powered charging stations for e-bikes and e-scooters will be installed, as will lockable storage. Pedestrian and rider safety ambassadors will be stationed throughout the zone during the semester to educate the community, distribute maps, and guide riders to nearby storage racks.

Maps, frequently asked questions, and a survey to share feedback can be found at the website www.umass.edu/ehs/pedestrian-only-zone-program.

At the end of the semester, the university will review all feedback to assess next steps for the zone.