Fall Transportation Projects Pose Safety Risks For Bicyclists
In Orange County, where the climate remains relatively temperate throughout the year, bicycle riders seldom find weather an obstacle to enjoying a ride. During the fall months, however, transportation agencies in Orange and neighboring counties often seize the lull between summertime tourism and winter to implement construction and repair projects on local roads and highways, which, in many cases, can pose safety risks for bicyclists.
Recently, an accident occurred when four friends were riding along Pacific Coast Highway in the scenic Malibu area. After reaching the top of an incline, they anticipated an easy descent; however, it was only after descending that they realized how dangerous the road was, and, by then, it was too late. Earlier that day, Caltrans workers had begun a re-paving project. The contractor had left the worksite early, and no one had bothered to post signs warning of uneven surfaces and loose gravel. All four bicyclists sustained serious injuries, including concussions, broken bones, punctured lungs, and even paralysis.
On another occasion, 54-year-old Deborah Johnson struck an object in the bicycle lane, causing her to fall. The public works department had recently repaved the road, placing dividers to mark the separation between the road and the bike lane. The dividers, also known as "candlestick" delineators, had separated from the orange, plastic poles, and only the black rubber bases remained on the street. She sustained severe head trauma and died two days later at a nearby hospital.
In both of these tragic accidents, negligence on the part of workers implementing fall transportation projects resulted in injuries and even death for cyclists. Failing to place warning signs around a construction site clearly posed safety issues; moreover, by separating bike lanes from adjacent travel lanes with posts or raised pavement markers, the workers were not in compliance with federal guidelines. The Federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices states that employing such techniques "creates a collision potential for bicyclists."
Johnson's husband filed a wrongful death suit against the city and recently settled for $2.4 million.
In some cases, failing to carry out safety projects in the first place may result in accidents. Azusa Pacific University had received funds to improve public safety but opted instead to allocate the money for other projects, thereby forcing students to continue to travel across campus through multiple parking lots that lacked bike paths and crosswalks. One day, a student sustained permanent brian injuries after being struck by a trolley. While she was subsequently awarded a $1.5 million settlement, she may suffer mental impairment for the rest of her life.
What all of these accidents shared in common was a failure by the agencies responsible for properly maintaining public spaces to ensure that they were indeed safe for the public. It is unfortunate that these accidentsall totally preventableoccurred in the first place.
When cycling, it is always important to be aware of one's surroundings in order to negotiate dangerous situations if necessary. During the fall months, when many transportation projects often begin in Orange County and elsewhere, take extra precautions, as the road conditions tend to be more dangerous for bicyclists.