{"id":44030,"date":"2016-10-13T14:12:58","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T19:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=44030"},"modified":"2016-10-15T08:07:39","modified_gmt":"2016-10-15T13:07:39","slug":"cyclists-demand-safer-streets-in-chicago","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/cyclists-demand-safer-streets-in-chicago\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyclists demand safer streets in Chicago"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Patricia Nabong<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anastasia Kondrasheva was cycling to work on Damen Avenue when a flatbed truck driving on her left turned right as she was also turning, and hit her.<\/p>\n

Twenty-three-year-old Kondrasheva was the sixth cyclist killed by a commercial vehicle in Chicago this year, according to Streetsblog Chicago<\/a>\u00a0which regularly monitors road accidents. The casualty occurred just a week after Chicago\u00a0was named the best bike city in the U.S. by Bicycling magazine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Demands for safer streets are getting louder.<\/p>\n

—–
\nFor related stories, see Divvy Bikes: a safe way to get around Chicago<\/a> by Caroline Kenny and Cyclists group urges more women to hit the road <\/a>by Sophie Zhang<\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to make street safety a priority,\u201d said Rebecca Resman, an organizer at Kidical Mass Chicago<\/a>, during Kondrasheva\u2019s memorial Sept. 30, which drew hundreds of cyclists and road safety advocates.<\/p>\n

\"Installing
Bike safety advocates and Anastasia Kondrasheva’s family and friends pay tribute to her during the installation of Kondrasheva’s ghost bike, which is chained to a pole on the intersection where she was killed. Oct. 1, 2016 (Pat Nabong\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t a cycling community problem. This isn\u2019t a problem for the pedestrian community. This isn\u2019t a problem for people that drive. This is everybody\u2019s problem, and we need to work together to solve it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safer streets for everyone<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

In light of recent events, the Active Transportation Alliance, which has worked with the city on various transportation-related ordinances, released\u00a0a petition<\/a>, which aims to eliminate accidents caused by trucks and other commercial vehicles.<\/p>\n

The petition requests that concerned government agencies \u201cenhance commercial vehicle regulation, reduce dangerous speeding, restrict right turns in dangerous locations, expand education for all, improve our infrastructure and street design and fairly enforce traffic laws.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLarger commercial vehicles have more blind spots, making it difficult to see people walking and biking,\u201d said Ted Villaire, communications director of the alliance. \u00a0\u201cAlso, they [commercial vehicles] are higher up, so it\u2019s more possible for [bikers] to get caught under the tires.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city has reviewed the petition and will work together to reduce accidents through improved infrastructure and education. This is part of\u00a0Vision Zero<\/a>, launched by Mayor Rahm Emanuel Sept. 6, which is a \u201cdata-driven, multi-agency\u201d plan that aims to reduce accidents with the goal of \u201celiminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Chicago by 2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to the larger size of trucks, anyone operating a truck or larger vehicle has an extra responsibility to be cautious and careful on city streets, especially when executing a turning movement,\u201d said Claffey. \u201cWe recommend wearing bright clothing and a helmet for added safety, and if you are biking at night, you are required to have lights on your bike.\u201d<\/p>\n

Infrastructure is the bare minimum<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

Chicago now has more than 200 miles of bike paths, including buffered, shared, protected and off-road lanes, according to the Chicago Streets for Cycling Plan 2020<\/a>. Infrastructure is increasing as the city aims to finish constructing 645 miles of bike lanes.<\/p>\n

Despite this, with six cyclist casualties, the total number of accidents that occurred in the first nine months of 2016 has already caught up with the number of fatalities in 2014. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation<\/a>, six cyclists were killed in Chicago in 2014; three were killed in 2013.<\/p>\n

To some cyclists, infrastructure is not enough to prevent accidents. Many accidents are caused by motorists who text and drive, don\u2019t signal their intentions, drive on bike lanes and don\u2019t watch out for cyclists before opening their doors, according to Brian Marquis, Maureen Gallagher and Kristen Green, all of whom have been commuting by bike in Chicago for years.<\/p>\n

While many cyclists are pressuring drivers to become more aware on the road, they are also encouraging bikers to do their part.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re a cyclist, it\u2019s not just about wearing a helmet,\u201d said Green, founder of\u00a0Ghost Bikes Chicago<\/a>, an organization that installs the white bikes, in intersections where cyclists have been killed. \u201cIt\u2019s about being a safe and predictable rider. And the same things apply to drivers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo at top: Kristen Green, founder of Ghost Bikes Chicago, brings Anastasia Kondrasheva’s bike to the intersection where she was killed. Oct. 1, 2016. (Pat Nabong\/MEDILL)<\/div>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n

Save<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Patricia Nabong Anastasia Kondrasheva was cycling to work on Damen Avenue when a flatbed truck driving on her left turned right as she was also turning, and hit her. Twenty-three-year-old Kondrasheva was the sixth cyclist killed by a commercial vehicle in Chicago this year, according to Streetsblog Chicago\u00a0which regularly monitors road accidents. 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