A man whose right elbow was broken in a collision on the recently redesigned Hawthorne-Madison viaduct last week says he thinks the new design is confusing for motor vehicle operators and puts bicycle riders like him at risk.
So far, in our coverage of the Hawthorne Bridge Crash, we’ve heard from an eyewitness and the two people who collided. We’ve also discussed both infrastructure and behavior-based solutions.
But one important party to this issue has been left out: pedestrians.
It’s hard to determine what exactly caused Erica Rothman’s harrowing crash, but it’s likely that the presence of people on foot played a role (Rothman had veered to the left to avoid them). On that note, I’d like to share an idea from Ron Richings. (Richings is the guy I mentioned in my editorial on Tuesday who put quite a bit of thought and advocacy work into this issue last summer.)
Since last Thursday, readers have left nearly 500 comments on our stories about a horrific crash on the Hawthorne Bridge between two bike riders.
The discussion has revolved around who’s at fault, the design of the sidewalk/path (it’s still unclear what it is, technically), how people should behave while crossing the bridge, and so on.
My thoughts and coverage instantly focused on the design issues. I wanted to hash out all the possible, infrastructure-based solutions and I thought this crash was yet another sign that our bike/ped network was falling behind and quickly becoming inadequate. I thought this high-profile crash was the perfect illustration that bikes need more space. Now!
A recent crash between two people riding over the Hawthorne Bridge has raised concerns about the safety of the facility for non-motorized users — and it’s far from the first time these concerns have come up.
In December of 2006, we published an editorial by Elly Blue titled “Re-thinking traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge,” where she wrote, “…traffic congestion on the Hawthorne Bridge is a serious problem.”
Last summer, Vancouver BC resident Ron Richings visited Portland. Richings is an avid rider who contributes to Momentum Magazine, volunteers in the bike scene, and makes an annual visit to Portland to take part in Pedalpalooza and other events.
24-year old North Portland resident Erica Rothman was on her way to get a tattoo on Wednesday evening when a collision with another bike rider on the westbound side of the Hawthorne Bridge sent her to the Emergency Room (read accounts from an eyewitness and from the man she collided with).
Fortunately, despite tumbling onto the bridge’s coarse metal grating, Rothman sustained only scrapes and bruises. She was discharged from the ER Wednesday night with 17 stitches on her face, two staples in her elbow, and some major road rash on her shoulder.
The City of Portland just released a statement in response to a recent crash between bike riders on the Hawthorne Bridge.
Today and Monday, employees of the City’s Transportation Options Division will be on on the south side of the bridge just east of the ramp to the Eastbank Esplanade where they’ll be “engaging with cyclists and pedestrians about sharing the Hawthorne Bridge.”
“We should also remember that accidents happen, they happen driving, walking, and cycling.”
— Anonymous rider who was involved in a collision on the Hawthorne Bridge
The man who was involved in a horrific crash on the Hawthorne Bridge on Wednesday has come forward with his version of how it happened.
The eyewitness account of the collision has sparked a lot reaction from the community. The BTA has just published their perspective on the crash, saying “This is the most gruesome consequence of bike congestion and bad behavior to have come to our attention.”
Now, the man who an eyewitness referred to as “riding like an idiot” wants to set the record straight.
Traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge can be bad. And I don’t mean car traffic.
Roger Geller, the city’s bicycle coordinator received an email from someone who witnessed a horrifying, nearly tragic crash on the Hawthorne Bridge during last Wednesday’s evening rush hour. The witness, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote a detailed, eloquent description of the incident as well as his or her thoughts about how to address the underlying issues.
I’ve posted the letter here in its entirety.