Make the Richmond Region a bike-friendly community | Richmond ...

Credit: Sandra Gayle Wade

By: TOM SILVESTRI | tsilvestri@timesdispatch.com
Published: August 12, 2012 Updated: August 12, 2012 - 12:00 AM

No more deaths.

Whether it's for recreation, commuting or sport, the Richmond Region should pedal faster toward demonstrating it is a bike-friendly community.

Lanie Marie Kruszewski's death in a hit-and-run accident on July 29 and other cyclist fatalities in recent years create a significant rallying call for changes that protect safe biking.

Let's end the "get out of the way" mentality that welcomes tragedy.

Let's scrap our impatience on the road.

Let's put in place an organized path that allows both motorists and bicyclists to use our streets ? or at least designated roads.

Kruszewski's death is a new reason to act.

But other strong points support why Richmond needs to be bike-friendly:

• It's another smart way for the region to prepare for the 2015 World Cycling Championship, which gives us an unusual opportunity to showcase our qualities.

• It advances emerging initiatives to establish Richmond as a physically fit region, countering the disturbing rankings about obesity.

• It proactively embraces the trend that more young people of driving age eschew car ownership, instead favoring other means to commute and to get around their hometowns.

On the latter score, that's what Kruszewski was doing when killed: bicycling from work to her boyfriend's home.

* * * * *

I'm a bike advocate, having devoted space here to the issue as more people recognize the positive contributions a robust cycling community would make to our cities, counties and towns. Well, because of Kruszewski's death, I'm back with this initiative.

The Times-Dispatch now asks each of the localities in the Richmond Region to answer three basic questions:

1) What have you done to make your municipality a better place for bicyclists to safely use the roads for recreation, commuting and sport purposes?

2) What plans are in the works for further improvements?

3) By 2015, how many miles of your roads could be considered bike-friendly?

A copy of this commentary will go to the nine major localities in the Richmond Region asking them to send us in writing the answers to these three questions. (The questions are being sent to Richmond, Ashland, Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent and Powhatan.)

The responses will be published in Sunday Commentary in the order they are received.

Other localities in Central Virginia and throughout the commonwealth are welcome to participate. We'll add their comments to the mix.

* * * * *

Information abounds on how motorists and cyclists alike can ensure each safely gets to where they're going. An online search yields several poignant safety pledges.

For cyclists, it's all about following the same rules and regulations as motor vehicles, riding in the same direction as traffic, obeying road signs and signals and wearing helmets and reflective gear after dark.

For motorists, it's leaving enough space when you pass, slowing down when you go by a cyclist and realizing cyclists can be unpredictable.

In the end, it's all about avoiding another death.

At a memorial for Kruszewski last week, Bike Virginia chairman Tom Bowden urged Virginia to adopt what he called Lanie's Law, which would require motorists to leave at least 3 feet of space when passing cyclists.

Note to the General Assembly: Pass Lanie's Law.

Being bike-friendly shouldn't divide. It should unite.

Here's why:

It's about life and death.

Source: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/commentary/2012/aug/12/tdcomm01-make-the-richmond-region-a-bike-friendly--ar-2123469/

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