Two Cyclists Died In the Past Month: Take Action Now to Make Oakland Safe for Bicycling
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From: Your Name <you@example.com>
To: jbrunner@oaklandnet.com, pkernighan@oaklandnet.com, nnadel@oaklandnet.com, jquan@oaklandnet.com, idelafuente@oaklandnet.com, dbrooks@oaklandnet.com, lreid@oaklandnet.com, atlarge@oaklandnet.com
Subject: Two Cyclists Died In the Past Month: Take Action Now to Make Oakland Safe for Bicycling
Honorable Members of the Oakland City Council,
I am writing today to express my concern and condolences for two cyclist fatalities in the past month. On May 1, Pete Webster, 60, owner of Guitar-o-rama, a local Oakland business, was fatally struck by a car at the intersection of 52nd and Market. Just one week after Bike to Work Day, Erik Fitzpatrick, 34, of the Laurel neighborhood, was struck by a bus while trying to avoid a collision with an open car door. Had these streets conformed to minimal bicyclist safety standards, Pete and Erik would still be here.
The lack of safe, connected bicycle access in Oakland puts thousands of cyclists at risk on a daily basis. The Alliance for Biking and Walking released a 2010 Benchmarking Report that shows that this lack of investment in biking and walking contributes to higher traffic fatalities across the United States. The report found that 12% of all trips in Oakland are made on foot or by bike each day. Yet, pedestrians and bicyclists experience 28% of traffic fatalities in our city, further illustrating the disproportionate risk incurred by bicyclists and pedestrians in Oakland.
Oakland can be a world class city to walk and bike in - the city should work not just to prevent further tragedies, but also to increase the livability and vitality of the city in which I am proud to live and work. I am writing to state my desire that the City of Oakland steps up its commitment to these issues and works to make Oakland one of the most walkable, bikeable and livable communities in the U.S.
Thanks to the work of dedicated city staff, Oakland has a blueprint for a robust network of safe bicycle routes and facilities. The City's Bicycle Master Plan includes improvements along the stretch of MacArthur Boulevard on which Mr. Fitzpatrick was riding when killed. The recently released Oakland Energy and Climate Action plan calls on the City to accelerate the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plans within the first three years of the plan as a top strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The city should implement these plans within the timeline recommended; waiting any longer to do so will almost certainly mean more cyclists will be needlessly killed.
Further, there are laws in place to protect bicyclists, whether they are riding on designated bicycle facilities or not.
I am calling on you as leaders to:
1. Accelerate completion of the Bicycle Master Plan to the recommended three-year timeline in the Energy and Climate Action Plan. Street accommodations for bicyclists are among the least expensive and most beneficial street improvements possible.
2. Revise the City of Oakland's approach to the new California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as they relate to the expedited implementation of the City's adopted Bicycle Master Plan. The California Natural Resources Agency has specifically stated that the new CEQA guidelines shift the focus from the capacity of the circulation system to the project's consistency with applicable plans and policies that establish objective measures of effectiveness. It's time to establish new measures of effectiveness of Oakland's roadway network and make it work for bicyclists and pedestrians.
3. Initiate a citywide marketing campaign to ensure all road users understand safe and proper road behavior -- particularly how motorists and bicyclists should legally and safely share the road. The following public agencies have already expressed similar interest: the Alameda County Department of Public Health, Alameda County Transportation Improvement Agency, and the City of Berkeley.
4. Work with the police department to enforce Vehicle Code 22517: "No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers."
5. Recognize Erik Fitzpatrick, Pete Webster and the other bicycle riders who have been killed while riding in Oakland.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
p.s.
Your Personal Statement
--
Campaign (<em>2054</em>): <em>Two Cyclists Died In the Past Month: Take Action Now to Make Oakland Safe for Bicycling</em>
Learn more about this campaign here: <em>http://www.citizenspeak.org/node/2054</em>
--
This campaign was created with CitizenSpeak. Visit us online at http://citizenspeak.org
To: jbrunner@oaklandnet.com, pkernighan@oaklandnet.com, nnadel@oaklandnet.com, jquan@oaklandnet.com, idelafuente@oaklandnet.com, dbrooks@oaklandnet.com, lreid@oaklandnet.com, atlarge@oaklandnet.com
Subject: Two Cyclists Died In the Past Month: Take Action Now to Make Oakland Safe for Bicycling
Honorable Members of the Oakland City Council,
I am writing today to express my concern and condolences for two cyclist fatalities in the past month. On May 1, Pete Webster, 60, owner of Guitar-o-rama, a local Oakland business, was fatally struck by a car at the intersection of 52nd and Market. Just one week after Bike to Work Day, Erik Fitzpatrick, 34, of the Laurel neighborhood, was struck by a bus while trying to avoid a collision with an open car door. Had these streets conformed to minimal bicyclist safety standards, Pete and Erik would still be here.
The lack of safe, connected bicycle access in Oakland puts thousands of cyclists at risk on a daily basis. The Alliance for Biking and Walking released a 2010 Benchmarking Report that shows that this lack of investment in biking and walking contributes to higher traffic fatalities across the United States. The report found that 12% of all trips in Oakland are made on foot or by bike each day. Yet, pedestrians and bicyclists experience 28% of traffic fatalities in our city, further illustrating the disproportionate risk incurred by bicyclists and pedestrians in Oakland.
Oakland can be a world class city to walk and bike in - the city should work not just to prevent further tragedies, but also to increase the livability and vitality of the city in which I am proud to live and work. I am writing to state my desire that the City of Oakland steps up its commitment to these issues and works to make Oakland one of the most walkable, bikeable and livable communities in the U.S.
Thanks to the work of dedicated city staff, Oakland has a blueprint for a robust network of safe bicycle routes and facilities. The City's Bicycle Master Plan includes improvements along the stretch of MacArthur Boulevard on which Mr. Fitzpatrick was riding when killed. The recently released Oakland Energy and Climate Action plan calls on the City to accelerate the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plans within the first three years of the plan as a top strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. The city should implement these plans within the timeline recommended; waiting any longer to do so will almost certainly mean more cyclists will be needlessly killed.
Further, there are laws in place to protect bicyclists, whether they are riding on designated bicycle facilities or not.
I am calling on you as leaders to:
1. Accelerate completion of the Bicycle Master Plan to the recommended three-year timeline in the Energy and Climate Action Plan. Street accommodations for bicyclists are among the least expensive and most beneficial street improvements possible.
2. Revise the City of Oakland's approach to the new California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines as they relate to the expedited implementation of the City's adopted Bicycle Master Plan. The California Natural Resources Agency has specifically stated that the new CEQA guidelines shift the focus from the capacity of the circulation system to the project's consistency with applicable plans and policies that establish objective measures of effectiveness. It's time to establish new measures of effectiveness of Oakland's roadway network and make it work for bicyclists and pedestrians.
3. Initiate a citywide marketing campaign to ensure all road users understand safe and proper road behavior -- particularly how motorists and bicyclists should legally and safely share the road. The following public agencies have already expressed similar interest: the Alameda County Department of Public Health, Alameda County Transportation Improvement Agency, and the City of Berkeley.
4. Work with the police department to enforce Vehicle Code 22517: "No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of such traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers."
5. Recognize Erik Fitzpatrick, Pete Webster and the other bicycle riders who have been killed while riding in Oakland.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
p.s.
Your Personal Statement
--
Campaign (<em>2054</em>): <em>Two Cyclists Died In the Past Month: Take Action Now to Make Oakland Safe for Bicycling</em>
Learn more about this campaign here: <em>http://www.citizenspeak.org/node/2054</em>
--
This campaign was created with CitizenSpeak. Visit us online at http://citizenspeak.org
