Speeding bicyclists and intoxicated students crossing busy roads are a few of the campus-related problems University Police hope to improve through two state grants.

University Police received $6,000 from the state to conduct pedestrian and bicycle safety programs starting this weekend and ending in early May, University Police Officer Doug Hubbard said.

“The emphasis is to protect (people),” Hubbard said.

The pedestrian safety program begins Friday and the bicycle program next Monday.

The grants involve officers working overtime for a few hours at a time during the month watching for people violating pedestrian and bicycling laws, Hubbard said.

The biggest problem with pedestrians, Hubbard said, is when they are intoxicated and trying to cross a street in traffic. The main concern for bicyclists is how fast they ride down the campus hill, he said, which has a 15 mph speed limit.

The department’s goal with the programs, Hubbard said, is to educate students on safety issues and laws when they are found violating them. Police want to protect people and bicyclists from getting injured, he said.

The campus police department received two $1,000 grants last fall from the Department of Transportation to educate and improve the level of bicycle and pedestrian safety around campus.

“The problems, especially for pedestrians, was worse than we thought,” Hubbard said.

During 29 hours last fall, police made 103 contacts for pedestrian violations and gave 47 verbal warnings, as stated in the 2001 grant report.

In 20 hours of surveillance for bicycles, police average about 2.75 contacts an hour, stated in another report.

The department, he said, hopes to receive more grant money next year.