CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – Cycling deaths rose by 5% in 2021 and are continuing to rise, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“We’re seeing an increase throughout the state, and, anecdotally, definitely heard of an increase in Charlottesville,” City Councilor Michael Payne said.
The city has seen pedestrian and biking fatalities this year.
“There was someone who was walking a bike across the road who was hit earlier. There were pedestrians in Albemarle County, across [Route 29] who were hit,” Payne said.
A spokesperson for the county says there was a total of 36 crashes involving bicycles between 2019 and 2022.
“It speaks to the fact that when you have cars and pedestrians and cyclists together on the road without adequate infrastructure protection, it’s dangerous,” Payne said. “In our streetscape projects, we’re installing bike lanes, improve sidewalk infrastructure, but that’s really the main thing is we have to build out more bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and I think it’s really important for the city to start building protected bike lanes so there’s a physical barrier between cars on the road and pedestrians and bicycles.”
Avoiding all accidents is ideal.“Richmond has set a goal of zero,” Payne said. “You want to get to a place where we see zero pedestrian and bike deaths.” Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here . Copyright 2023 WVIR. All rights reserved.
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