“Be Bright, Be Seen” is a collaborative effort between Oregon State University and the city of Corvallis that advocates for pedestrians to take every precaution necessary to be safe on the streets late at night.

Meredith Williams, explained that walking and riding bikes are great sources of exercise and are common means of transportation for students in Corvallis, making it all the more important to be informed of safety rules and regulations.  “Be Bright, Be Seen” aims to inform students of these regulations, according to Williams.

“The primary objective is to raise awareness for pedestrians and bicyclists to make good choices and be safe and be seen,” Williams said.

Daylight saving time ended Sunday, Nov. 6, thus leading towards the evenings getting darker earlier.

“It gets dark in Corvallis and not everybody wears reflectors and that can be dangerous,” Williams said.  

Sarah Bronstein, a Transportation Options Coordinator, expressed her interest to develop safety precautions for students commuting to campus.

“Transportation services encourages students to come to campus in ways other than driving whether that be biking, walking, transit or carpooling, and it is our job as a community to make sure we are being safe and effective,” Bronstein said. 

Not all the work has to fall on the bikers and pedestrians; motorist must also be aware of their environment when driving at night. According to the Finance and Administration Transportation Services website, motorists should slow down when passing a bicyclist and be aware of passing when making an immediate right turn.

In addition to the “Be Bright, Be Seen” campaign, the Student Transportation Services are working cooperatively with the Corvallis Police Department to register bikes through a new app called Project 529.

“One the biggest issues we see in town is bicycle theft, and the easiest ways you can protect yourself from a stolen bike is by registering your bike through Project 529,”  said Trevor Anderson, a police officer in the city of Corvallis.

Bornstein is excited about the future of bicycle transportation advancements in technology, programs and awareness in the community, and has already had success in launching and promoting these programs.

“We launched the Beaver Bike rental program in the fall where student are able to rent bikes for a term and are actively working on getting ‘Pedal Corvallis’ on campus,” Bornstein said. “We are very excited to continue promoting these advancements.”

For more information regarding the “Be Bright, Be Seen” campaign and bike safety, contact the Transportation Services on campus, or visit the Finance and Administration Transportation Services website.