On January 2nd, a 14-year old boy was struck on his bicycle in a hit-and-run on 35th Avenue by the Fruitvale BART station, dragged for four blocks, and rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Just six months ago, Bike East Bay put out a fierce call for change after 34-year old Deontae Bush was killed on this same exact street. At that time, we called on the city to implement swift changes to the street, but as of right now, improvements are still years away, and do too little to slow vehicle traffic. We cannot wait for another life-altering accident. We demand a safer 35th Avenue now.
Walking and biking should be safe everywhere – especially on a street that connects you to public transit, students to school, and families to parks. However, with wide, fast roads from the freeway funneling to more narrow lanes, and no measures such as stop signs or speed bumps to slow traffic, 35th Avenue is a known high-injury corridor for pedestrians, drivers, and people on bicycles alike. When cars move too quickly and infrastructure isn’t place to slow traffic, safety on the street goes beyond the bike map. Everyone’s safety is at stake.
Improvements to 35th Avenue aren’t scheduled to be on the ground until late 2020, and designs still don’t include strong enough measures to slow vehicle traffic. Bike East Bay is advocating for quick-fix improvements to be implemented immediately. Read our letter to the city, and donate to the family’s GoFundMe page.
Additional ways to take action:
Contact Councilmember Noel Gallo (District 5)
Councilmember Sheng Thao (District 4)