Beaufort joins state program to make walking and bicycling safer

A coastal community has recently joined a state program to keep pedestrians and bicyclists safer while out enjoying the town.

The announcement was made on Wednesday that the town of Beaufort would be the latest community to take part in the Governor's Highway Safety Program called "Watch for me NC."

The program is centered around education, making sure all parties involved know and follow the rules of the road.

It encourages safety for pedestrians and bicyclists while also making sure that drivers know to be on the look out for them.

David Cartier with Hungry Town Tours said, "People are very friendly and they are very caring and do look out for bikes and pedestrians but i think this will take it up a notch."

That extra focus on safety is coming as Beaufort joins the "Watch for me NC Program."

Town officials are excited about taking part in the program and say this follows in line with their goal of making Beaufort more walkable and bikeable.

Beaufort Police Chief Paul Burdette said, "Essentially it's an educational campaign that towns and communities can join and engage with their community and bring forth both pedestrian and bicycle safety measures."

Local business owners, who take customers on bike tours, say they hope this will keep everyone safer while out walking or riding.

The next step for the town will be for three of Beaufort's police officers to attend training. After that, the town will have a planning and action meeting.