Cycling

In Pennsylvania, a bicycle is considered a vehicle, and you must obey all of the laws that apply to other vehicles. There is also a set of rules that apply specifically to bicycles. If you ride in violation of the traffic laws, you greatly increase your risk of a crash, and will likely be found at fault in the event of an accident. Millvale Police enforce laws of the road indiscriminately.  

Millvale Police participate with surrounding Municipalities each year in Commonwealth Representative Dom Costa's Children Safety event which includes a bike rodeo.

Millvale also has a Bike and Pedestrian Committee which works under the Millvale Community Development Corporation to improve safety, awareness and provide parking and safe routes for pedestrians and and bicyclists. The committee also has provided confident cycling courses in Millvale through Bike PGH.

Cycling Safety

• Every bicyclist is responsible for his or her personal safety and welfare while remaining alert and mindful of the conditions of the roads or trails.
• Always wear a helmet: Pennsylvania law requires all cyclists under age 12 to wear an approved bicycle helmet.
• Obey traffic laws: Under Pennsylvania law you are a considered a vehicle when you ride a bike. Ride on the right side of the road. Obey stop signs and red lights and never ride against the flow of traffic.
• Be predictable: Ride in a straight line, with at least one hand on the handlebars. Check to be sure your path is clear and change directions without swerving. Use hand signals to indicate when you are turning.
• Make yourself visible: Wear bright cycling clothes. Put reflectors on your wheels and on the front and rear of your bike. At night use a headlight and an active red light and reflector on the rear of your bike.
• Pedestrians have the right-of-way on sidewalks and bicycle paths. You must give an audible signal as you approach and pass a pedestrian.
• You are not permitted to ride a bicycle on a sidewalk in a business district (except where permitted by official traffic control devices), or where there is a bicycle-only lane available.
• Parking, you can park your bicycle on a sidewalk as long as it does not impede pedestrian traffic. You can park your bicycle at the curb or edge of the roadway where parking is allowed as long as it does not obstruct other vehicles.
• Bicycles are not permitted on freeways in Pennsylvania without permission of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
• All traffic signals must be obeyed in accordance with standard vehicle laws. If a traffic signal does not detect your bicycle, try positioning the bicycle directly over the saw cuts in the pavement that detect vehicles. If the signal still does not detect you, you may treat the red signal as a stop sign and proceed through the intersection after yielding to all intersecting traffic (including pedestrians).
• Hand and Arm Signals
• To signal a left turn, extend the left hand and arm horizontally.
• To signal a right turn, extend the right hand and arm horizontally, or extend your left hand and arm upward.
• To signal a stop or decrease in speed, extend the left hand and arm downward.