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Tag: cyclists

  • Cyclist fatally struck by speeding driver in hit-and-run crash in West Philly

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    A bicyclist was struck and killed by a speeding driver in a hit-and-run crash Tuesday morning in West Philadelphia, police said.

    The crash happened around 9:50 a.m. on the 1600 block of Belmont Avenue, a section of Fairmount Park near the Please Touch Museum and the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center.

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    A black Dodge Charger and a black Chrysler were both speeding along Belmont Avenue as they approached Avenue of the Republic, where the cyclist was traveling east when he was struck by one of the vehicles, police said. The cyclist was thrown from his bike and later taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. He has not been identified.

    On the way to the scene, investigators spotted the Dodge Charger parked on the side of the 3200 block of Sedgley Avenue. Police said they observed a group of men who appeared to be inspecting the front end of the car for damage. Officers stopped to investigate and seized the vehicle. Authorities did not provide details on the whereabouts of the Chrysler and whether the driver of that car is sought in the investigation.

    No arrests have been made, police said.

    The crash marks the fourth time this year that a cyclist has been killed in a collision with a car in the city. There were three cyclists killed in crashes in Philadelphia last year, down from 10 in 2023. Earlier this year, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia reported that traffic deaths in the city have plateaued in recent years after spiking at 158 in 2020. There were 124 traffic deaths last year and 64 this year, including Tuesday morning’s crash.

    In this year’s budget, Philadelphia made a $30 million investment over the next six years in the city’s Vision Zero initiative to improve traffic safety. The increase in funding came a year after Mayor Cherelle Parker had made cuts to the Vision Zero program. The city saw an uptick in activism among cyclists after 30-year-old Barbara Friedes, a doctor at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, was fatally struck by a drunk driver in Rittenhouse in July 2024. The driver in that case was sentenced to spend between six and 20 years in prison.

    Police said anyone with information about Tuesday’s hit-and-run crash can call the department’s tip line at 215-686-8477 or submit an anonymous tip online.

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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  • As CDOT looks to replace I-25 bridges at Speer and 23rd, community differs on interchange ramp design

    As CDOT looks to replace I-25 bridges at Speer and 23rd, community differs on interchange ramp design

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    DENVER — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is working to replace the bridges over Interstate 25 at Speer Boulevard and 23rd Avenue. The department is also considering changes to the interchange ramps at 23rd Ave.

    CDOT has floated three options for the 23rd Ave. interchange ramps. Alternative 1 is a braid alternative at 23rd Ave.

    At the moment, a “weave occurs when vehicles are both entering and exiting in the same lane, creating unsafe conditions,” according to CDOT. The department said the braid would “eliminate this weave by having exiting and entering traffic cross over or under each other.”

    CDOT

    23rd Ave braid alternative

    “This alternative has northbound vehicles exiting I-25 to go under 23rd Avenue to get to Speer Boulevard. Those who want to get on and off of I-25 to 23rd Avenue will exit on more traditional ramps. This removes the existing weave for drivers going north on I-25 from 23rd Avenue and those trying to get off of I-25 to Speer Boulevard. A signal would be added to the east side of the 23rd Avenue bridge to improve non-motorist safety,” according to the CDOT project website.

    Alternative 2 would “remove the existing ramps to get off and on I-25,” meaning there would no longer be access to or from I-25 at 23rd Ave.

    CDOT OPTION 2.jpg

    CDOT

    Close 23rd Avenue Interchange with I-25 Alternative

    “Closing the ramps at 23rd Avenue would eliminate the weave on I-25 between 23rd Avenue and Speer Boulevard. This allows 23rd Avenue to serve bikes and pedestrians. Visitors to businesses such as the Children’s Museum, Aquarium, and REI will need to use Speer Boulevard or other roads. Access to 17th Avenue to and from I-25 will still be available,” according to the CDOT project website.

    Alternative 3 would “replace the bridges and ramps and install a new signal on the east side of the ramps.”

    CDOT OPTION 3.jpg

    CDOT

    23rd Avenue Bridge Replacement Only Alternative

    “This alternative does not improve the short northbound I-25 weave between the 23rd Avenue on-ramp and the eastbound Speer Avenue Boulevard off-ramp. This alternative provides improved safety for non-motorized users by adding a signal on the east side of the 23rd Avenue bridge. This will improve non-motorist safety by removing the “free-flow” ramp movements. Access to and from I-25 from 23rd Avenue would remain,” according to the CDOT project website.

    Jill Locantore, executive director of Denver Streets Partnership, said she and others are pushing for Alternative 2.

    “The city has put in a lot of work to add a safe and comfortable protected bike lane on 23rd on either side of I-25, but the chain is only as strong as the weakest link,” Locantore said. “We think it’s important for them to hear from people who regularly use 23rd Avenue as a cyclist, as a pedestrian, also people who live in this area and regularly drive in this area, what they would like to see in terms of a safer street network for everybody who’s trying to travel through this space.”

    That’s where neighborhood residents and cyclists like Allen Cowgill and David Chen come into play.

    “I probably go down this three or four times a week, just going into downtown, running errands and things like that,” Cowgill said. “I think my biggest concern is that the safety won’t go far enough.”

    He and Chen believe the full closure of the ramps is the best solution.

    “We’ve had a lot of close calls coming up this bridge, especially during rush hour when drivers are especially impatient,” Chen said. “Closing those ramps would be a huge, huge deal for the West 23rd Avenue protected bike lane.”

    Cowgill and Chen frequently cycle with their children to nearby amenities, including the Children’s Museum of Denver Marsico Campus.

    In a statement, the Children’s Museum said it supports Alternatives 1 and 3.

    Full statement:

    The safety of our guests, staff and community is a top priority for us. We have been working with CDOT and stakeholders in our neighborhood on solutions to improve safe access for cyclists, pedestrians and other multimodal transportation options.

    We believe that Alternatives 1 and 3 proposed by CDOT will support these outcomes.

    Michael Yankovich, president and CEO of the Children’s Museum, told Denver7 that while he understands cyclist and pedestrian patron concerns over safety near the interchange ramps, he doesn’t believe a closure is the right call.

    “Some of the concerns we have with some of the options, particularly Alternative 2, is one of the things is by removal of the ramps, we’re concerned about first responders being able to access not just our neighborhood but also the Children’s Museum,” Yankovich said. “The second one is we’re worried about, you know, if those ramps are removed, does that really push hundreds of thousands of cars, buses, delivery vehicles, into the neighboring community?”

    “The other one that we’ve been thinking deeply about are the Children’s Museum serves over half a million community guests and friends every single year. If those ramps are removed, our concern is the additional distance that they will need to come to get to the Children’s Museum,” Yankovich continued.

    Chen hopes more residents and cyclists speak up and submit input to CDOT. He also hopes museum officials change their minds.

    “I think that’s short-sighted because they’re not actually taking into consideration the patrons that use the bike lane to get to the museum, which we do,” he said. “I think the museum can be convinced. I think their hearts are in the right place. They want safety for the kids that come to their museum, but they need to kind of get out of their car..”

    The project is still in its study phase. Comments can be submitted through this link.

    In a statement, CDOT said it is “assessing the needs and opportunities to include additional improvements to the interchange system and how to support broader goals for the I-25 mainline and those of the surrounding community.”

    Full statement:

    CDOT is in the study phase of the I-25: Speer & 23rd Bridge & Interchange Project. A key focus of this project is replacing the bridges at Speer Boulevard and 23rd Avenue over I-25 in Denver. The bridges do not provide adequate clearance over I-25 and the girders have been damaged by truck hits. CDOT is also assessing the needs and opportunities to include additional improvements to the interchange system and how to support broader goals for the I-25 mainline and those of the surrounding community. The goal of the project is to improve safety and operations for motorists on I-25, and improve safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.

    Coloradans making a difference | Denver7 featured videos

    At Denver7, we’re committed to making a difference in our community. We’re standing up for what’s right by listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the featured videos in the playlist above.

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    Veronica Acosta

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  • New pedestrian bridge near ‘dangerous’ Reston crossing is helping cyclists, runners feel safer – WTOP News

    New pedestrian bridge near ‘dangerous’ Reston crossing is helping cyclists, runners feel safer – WTOP News

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    There’s a new pedestrian bridge over Wiehle Avenue near Sunset Hills Road in Virginia, and runners and cyclists who have already used it said it’s making them feel safer.

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    New bridge in Reston helping cyclists, runners feel safer along bustling Wiehle Avenue

    Whenever Joel Kuester or one of the hundreds of other cyclists with the Reston Bike Club talked about having to cross the street at a busy and sometimes dangerous part of Wiehle Avenue, they compared it to a game of Frogger.

    The crosswalk wasn’t at an intersection, so it wasn’t a point at which drivers were used to stopping. The crossing didn’t have a dedicated signal either, and cyclists and pedestrians had to count on several lanes worth of traffic stopping. There are “turns in all different directions,” so it was also confusing, Kuester said.

    Supervisor Walter Alcorn, whose Hunter Mill District includes Reston, said he knows two people who have been injured at the crossing, and he’s heard of many others that have either been involved in an accident or a near-miss there.

    But now that there’s a new pedestrian bridge over Wiehle Avenue near Sunset Hills Road, many of those concerns have been addressed. The bridge opened July 24, and many people who have already used it said it’s making them feel safer.

    “It improves safety,” said Kuester, who’s vice chairman of the Reston Bike Club. “It allows us to continue on our rides without having to slow down and navigate the crossing. It just makes riding in this part of the town much, much easier and safer.”

    The $12 million project has been years in the making. It was complicated, Alcorn said, because it involved multiple property owners. The bridge primarily sits on Northern Virginia Parks property, but the county had to get easements in land rights from adjoining property owners.

    Then, earlier this summer, when it appeared the bridge would be ready to open, it was discovered that “there was not sufficient grounding for lightning strikes on the bridge,” which delayed the opening a few extra days, Alcorn said.

    There’s still lingering work to finalize some parts of the project, such as removing the mid-block at grade crossing that Alcorn described as dangerous for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.

    The Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail is closed on the west side of the new pedestrian bridge to finish road upgrades and build a new shared-use path along Wiehle Avenue. The sidewalk on the west side of Wiehle Avenue is also closed.

    A ribbon cutting, Alcorn said, will be scheduled for sometime in the fall, but “for purposes of using the bridge, it’s all good to go now.”

    Community members are already taking advantage.

    John Koss, president of the group Reston Runners, called the area a “major superhighway for outdoor recreationalists.”

    “Even though most of the motorists here are very courteous, sometimes they’d stop, sometimes they wouldn’t,” Koss said. “And if they did, you would only go halfway across to the middle island. You had to figure out what was coming the other way. But now this bridge simplifies everything.”

    Bruce Wright, with the group Fairfax Alliance for Better Bicycling, said there have been many crashes at the site of the old crossing because it was close to a traffic signal.

    “There has been probably at least one crash a year at that intersection,” Wright said.

    Wright called the new bridge a “great way to get across Wiehle Avenue.”

    “We don’t have to worry about it; the motorists don’t have to worry about us,” he said. “So, it’s kind of a win-win.”

    Alcorn said the pedestrian bridge is one of the most expensive and advanced ways to avoid conflicts between cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. However, he said, the Board of Supervisors is working with Virginia’s Department of Transportation and other agencies to improve crosswalks and the visibility of crosswalks.

    The board, Alcorn said, has committed $100 million over six years to improve bike and pedestrian safety around the county.

    More information about the Wiehle Avenue pedestrian bridge is available online.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • Driver who fatally struck cyclist Barbara Friedes allegedly was drunk, speeding

    Driver who fatally struck cyclist Barbara Friedes allegedly was drunk, speeding

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    The driver who fatally struck cyclist Barbara Friedes last week in Center City allegedly had a blood-alcohol concentration that was twice the legal limit in Pennsylvania and was driving as fast 57 mph when he hit her from behind, sending her body at least 150 feet from where the collision occurred, prosecutors said Thursday. 

    Michael Vahey, 68, has been charged with vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol and related offenses, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a press conference. He surrendered to police Wednesday night following his release from the hospital and an investigation into the July 17 crash. 

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    Friedes, 30, a third-year pediatric resident at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, was riding in the designated bike lane on the 1800 block of Spruce Street around 7 p.m. when Vahey’s blue 2018 Volkswagen swerved into the bike lane and hit her, police said. Vahey allegedly was attempting to get around other cars at the time of the crash. Video evidence shows he ran over multiple plastic bike lane dividers, crashed into several parked cars and nearly struck a pedestrian, prosecutors said.

    A toxicology report found Vahey allegedly had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.16, prosecutors said. 

    Vahey, who was injured in the crash, spent days in the hospital during the investigation, but he had been released as of Monday, police said. He is expected to be arraigned Thursday, and prosecutors intend to seek bail at $1 million.

    “Despite the fact that this defendant has no prior record, obviously the crime is horrible,” Krasner said. “The outcome is almost unspeakable.”

    The crash drew outrage from traffic safety advocates and cyclists, who say the city has fallen short of its commitment to safe streets and should have installed concrete barriers to prevent cars from entering bike lanes. The plastic flex posts installed along Spruce Street and many city bike lanes can be run over by cars.

    “In 2009, we also recommended a protected bike lane on Spruce and Pine, and that request was rejected,” Nicole Brunet, policy director for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, said at the press conference.

    The crash that killed Friedes coincided with two pedestrian collisions elsewhere in the city on the same day, including one that killed a 38-year-old man in Kensington. Two more pedestrians were killed in crashes over the weekend, police said.

    Cycling advocacy groups held a vigil for Friedes at the scene of the crash near Rittenhouse Square on Sunday. They and others have criticized Mayor Cherelle Parker for decreasing funds for Vision Zero projects by about 60% in the city’s latest budget, despite her public commitment to the initiative in March. Vision Zero seeks to end all traffic fatalities by 2030.

    “We are again asking our city officials and decision makers to invest in Vision Zero and build protected bike lanes — real protected bike lanes — all over the city for vulnerable users, for drivers, for the safety of all Philadelphians. We are also asking our state officials to stop dragging their feet and allow parking-protected bike lanes on state roads.”

    The charges against Vahey also include involuntary manslaughter, recklessly endangering another person and speeding.

    Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said it took more than a week to file charges against Vahey, because crash investigations are complex and methodical.

    “The immediacy is not about blowing into a breathalyzer,” Bethel said. “We have to have a much more complex process to make sure that we have a strong case.”

    Krasner said the charging guidelines for crashes run up against a “fuzzy line” when determining what crimes were committed. He said additional charges could be filed against Vahey based on further investigation.

    “We understand that there are crashes that are more accidental in nature and then others that are more criminal in nature,” Krasner said. “But recklessness can be criminal. Negligence can be criminal.”

    The district attorney added that there is “little doubt” that if the bike lane on Spruce Street had a cement barrier or was separated from the traffic lanes by a row of parked cars, Friedes would not have been killed.

    Through the first six months of 2024, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia recorded 52 traffic-related deaths in the city. That’s the lowest total for the first six months of a year since 2019, when there had been 48 fatalities. Friedes is the first cyclist to be killed in a crash in Philadelphia this year. Last year, 10 cyclists died in crashes in the city, officials said.

    In the wake of Friedes’ death, the Bicycle Coalition also has called on city leaders to end the practice of allowing cars to park in bike lanes on weekends and to replace “No Parking” signage with “No Stopping” signs in bike lanes.

    Krasner said he’s hopeful the city will take steps to protect the safety of cyclists and pedestrians in Philadelphia.

    “The consequences are horrible and we intend to prosecute this case justly and vigorously — and to do what we can to not only make sure there is accountability in this case, but do what we can to make sure we do not have these accidents in the future to the extent we can,” Krasner said. 

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    Michael Tanenbaum

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