San Jose’s first cyclist fatality for 2017: Leigh and Coit

On Tuesday afternoon, San Jose Police reported the city’s first fatality of a person riding a bicycle.

According to the Mercury News, the crash occurred at 2:52 PM, police are investigating, the driver is cooperating.

This portion of Leigh Avenue is an important North-South connector between the central part of San Jose and Los Gatos across South San Jose. I travel here somewhat frequently, and the Strava global heatmap also signals the popularity of this bike-laned road.

In spite of the 35 MPH speed limit and the presence of children from nearby schools (class dismissed from Fanmatre Elementary School 500 feet from the collision site a mere 10 minutes before the collision happened, so children undoubtedly witnessed this crash), people speed like maniacs down Leigh Avenue. The street looks like a freeway, after all.

leigh-street

From 2006 through 2013, nine people on bikes and another nine people on foot have been injured after they were hit by a car within half a mile of this intersection.

Bicycle and pedestrian injury collisions 2006 - 2013 Leigh & Coit

The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition San Jose Team meets tonight at the bike coalition office. I’ve requested a moment for the unidentified victim of yesterday’s traffic violence.

Other items on tonight’s agenda:

  • Automated Speed Enforcement legislation
  • Protected bike lanes in San Jose – candidate corridors/network
  • Complete streets and bike/ped projects in Santa Clara County Measure B
  • Announcements: Silicon Valley Bikes! Fest, Bike to Work Day, volunteer opportunities, SPUR panel(s)

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