Photo: Jim O’Horo
Sharon Fekety, the woman who broke her arm in three places after slipping on a MAX track, continues to push TriMet to improve the safety of track crossings for cyclists.
In the latest round in her saga, she has received another letter from TriMet GM Fred Hansen. In the letter, Hansen says they have decided to add more language about bike crossings to their official Administrative Rules and to the bike safety page on their website.
Here is an excerpt from Hansen’s letter:
“Because of the concerns you and others have raised, we took this opportunity to make explicit our recommendation that cyclists dismount and walk across tracks.”
File photo
Here is the language before the change:
Cross MAX and railroad tracks straight on. Cross tracks straight on (not at an angle) to avoid having your wheel slip into the trackbed—causing you to take a spill.
And it now reads:
Exercise caution when approaching MAX and railroad tracks. Tracks can be slippery—wet or dry. Walking your bike across tracks is always the safest approach.
If you do ride across MAX and railroad tracks, do so straight on. Cross tracks straight on (not at an angle) to avoid having your wheel slip into the trackbed—causing you to take a spill.
Fekety still hopes TriMet will add signage to warn of dangerous bicycle crossings and Hansen has said he plans to review such crossings with his management committee.