A currently unidentified Colorado Mesa University student was struck by a car when she was riding her bike to cross 12th Street at the pedestrian crosswalk around 11:49 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

This is the second student to have been struck by a car while riding a bike across 12th Street in nearly two weeks. Christopher Walker, a track and field thrower for CMU, was struck at the same crosswalk on Sept. 25. He sustained no serious injuries.

On Wednesday, the female student was transported to a hospital by ground transportation and her injuries are expected to be non-life threatening, according to Grand Junction Police Sergeant Sean Crocker.

There are no citations or charges for either party at this time, but that may change as the investigation progresses, according to Grand Junction Police Public Information Coordinator Heidi Davidson.

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Crocker said he has seen “several” of these types of collisions so far this year.

It is city and state law for bicyclists to dismount from their bicycle before crossing at pedestrian crosswalks, if they do not do so, they are liable for a citation.

Walker was cited along with the driver after his collision in September.

Students have requested more signage near the crosswalk to educate students and citizens of the law.

“There’s no signs, I’ve never seen one person get off their bike,” Eli McMillan, a roommate of Walker, said in September.

“None of these kids get off their bikes, it’s dangerous,” Jackson Freismuth, another roommate of Walker, said. “Some public awareness would be especially cool.”

While downtown Grand Junction, specifically Main Street, has signs that instruct bicyclists to dismount, 12th Street has no such signs.

Crocker raised concern about the law being city-wide, so the cost-effectiveness of adding signs across the city would need to be considered. However, he does believe something could be done to affix signs similar to what is present in downtown Grand Junction.

“So, maybe we could work with city engineering to try to get some signs posted on the crosswalks or some sort of safety measures to prevent this from happening again,” Crocker said.

Crocker suggested education of the law could be helpful as well, such as through The Criterion and police officers at the university.

“You have to dismount your bicycle before crossing any roadway in the city of Grand Junction,” Crocker said.