After 12 people were killed this year biking on San Diego County roads, local advocates are calling for more protected bike lanes and safer bike facilities.
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition is calling the city's 12 bike deaths this year "preventable" and "calling for more bike-friendly infrastructure across the region." In the latest tragedy, writes Brian White, "Laura Shinn was killed last week along Pershing Drive while riding her bike to work at SDSU. She was struck from behind by driver Adam Milavetz, who pled not guilty to charges including DUI and murder."
Advocates are demanding better infrastructure to protect people on bikes. "'Protected bike lanes help because there are physical barriers between a car and a cyclist,' said Elizabeth Mayer, Programs Manager for BikeSD. 'These greater infrastructures are going to allow, not just physical barriers, but also visual reminders for drivers to know that it’s a bike lane. It’s not a shoulder. It’s a bike lane.'"
Despite concerns about reduced parking for local businesses, numerous studies from around the world show that "replacing on-street parking with a bike lane has little to no impact on local business, and in some cases might even increase business." According to Mayer, having to park farther away from your business of choice is a small price to pay for protecting human life. "The priority of valuing our citizens no matter how they choose to commute is what our City of San Diego needs to do."
FULL STORY: 12 people have died riding their bikes in San Diego County this year, what bike advocates say need to change
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