{"id":532,"date":"2026-08-13T17:04:39","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T17:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/suddendeathartistcolony.org\/?page_id=532"},"modified":"2026-08-17T21:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T21:36:10","slug":"safety","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/suddendeathartistcolony.org\/?page_id=532","title":{"rendered":"Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Safety<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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The most common site for urban bicycle-car accidents is the intersection<\/strong>. There are 496 intersections (46 crossroads, 150 driveways, 300 carriage paths) along Summit Avenue. Today we have one-way bike lanes on each side of Summit Avenue. For the majority of Summit, they are wide,\u00a0buffered bike lanes that allow cyclists to pass each other, social side-by-side riding, and even group rides. \u00a0Summit\u2019s bike lanes are among the most popular and heavily used in Saint Paul, shared by sport cyclists, commuters, leisurely riders\u2014riders of varied speeds and comfort levels.The plan will eliminate these.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, “raised, separated” trails\u2014two narrow tracks built on each side of the street\u2014will be carved into the grassy boulevards. The trail is \u201craised\u201d up to sidewalk level, and “protected” from the main driving lane by parked cars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There will still be 496 intersections.<\/strong> The problem is there is no \u201cprotection\u201d at the intersections. Most accidents happen because a driver didn\u2019t see the cyclist until it was too late. The new trail design creates new blind spots for crossing and turning vehicles. The new plan decreases site lines, placing bike riders in newly created blind spots. Bikes will be less visible to cars than they are now in the bike lanes. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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E-bikes and electric scooters travel at a high rate of speed (up to 28 mph), and they would be traveling alongside regular bicyclists and other pedestrians. This is not a safer solution to what is currently in place.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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“We need to be concerned about the safety of pedestrians and children with a high speed bike path crossing over each street intersection and in front of homes. I almost died from a cyclist in Amsterdam when I was a tourist pedestrian enjoying the sights and scenes of the old town. I never thought this could happen to me while walking the promenade of Summit Avenue.”<\/p>– Ferdinand Peters<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Key Documents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Safety stats. Cycling Volumes. Summit exceeds standards. September 29, 2022 – Slides<\/h4>\n\n\n
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IIHS Study March 14, 2023<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all protected bike lanes are the same: infrastructure and risk of cyclist collisions and falls leading to emergency department visits in three U.S. cities. 2 pages. PDF<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Crash Data by Bike Facility Dec. 14, 2022<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Cyclists are at greatest risk for collision at intersections and crossings. Raising the cycle path to sidewalk level at mid-block is a hybrid approach that is NOT equivalent to a true off-street facility that eliminates nearly all crossing conflicts. Eevidence-based practices show that sidewalk level pathways along urban roadway conditions increase risk to cyclists. 5 pages. PDF<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Crash Comparison: Summit and Wheelock Parkway Nov.16, 2022<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Wheelock Parkway has an off-street, two-way bike trail. Summit Avenue has on-street, one-way bike lanes.
The City\u2019s crash data shows that Summit is as safe as Wheelock Parkway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Press <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Guardian August 14, 2026<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Ontario government is now free to rip out Toronto\u2019s bike lanes on its busiest streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A Better City Toronto May 21, 2026<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

University Avenue is not an ordinary street. It is a critical access route for patients, ambulances, hospital staff, caregivers, and emergency services. Within just a few blocks, it serves some of the country\u2019s leading health-care institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Fox 32 Chicago May 5, 2026 <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

People support painted bike lanes<\/strong>, not permanent Concrete Barriers<\/strong>. It is the Concrete Barriers<\/strong> that have caused severe traffic congestion stretching for miles, created serious safety concerns by delaying fire trucks and ambulances from responding quickly to emergencies, and hurt local businesses by reducing customer access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch video…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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K5 Seattle May 1, 2026<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A responding SPD officer said: \u201cWe hate these bike lanes\u2014they run between traffic and parked cars, and drivers can\u2019t see them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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VELO Feb. 20, 2025 <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Vista, California removed concrete berms and bollards. They prevented cars from pulling over after an accident, prevented emergency vehicles from accessing neighborhoods without blocking traffic, and prevented cyclists from riding in a wide pack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch video…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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WUSA9 April 11, 2024<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The inception of the project was a safety project, it has always been a safety project on our high entry network… The plan will not include a bike lane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read Police Union letter against this protected bike lane.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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MINNPost April 10, 2023<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The new design removes the chicanes in favor of a straight traffic lane on the left. The changes were necessary due to concerns over fire truck access. The two-way protected bike path has been moved next to the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Star Tribune Oct. 23, 2023<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Minneapolis officials admit they messed up the Bryant Avenue project; now they want to make it right. Under the original plan, the street became too narrow for fire trucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Block Club Chicago Feb. 22, 2022<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The infrastructure installed by the city on Washington Street – standard paint-and-post protection – failed to keep danger out of the bike lane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Save Connecticut Ave.Org July 6, 2022<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Negative effects on pedestrians, business, street vitality, accessibility, the response times of emergency vehicles, bus service, and the ability of residents to move around and enjoy their city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Urban Milwaukee July 24, 2019<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The available space for bike lanes on Milwaukee and Broadway was not enough to provide continuously protected bike lanes … that accommodate people of all ages and abilities, make bicycling safer, and attract more people to bicycling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Video Evidence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\nhttps:\/\/vimeo.com\/855126857?fl=pl&fe=vl\n<\/div>
Karen Sprattler speaks as a national expert on behavioral traffic safety. She\u2019s offended by the ignorance of the proposed SART.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tags: Bike crashes,  road safety,  pedestrian safety<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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