First San José bicycling fatality of 2021 caused by wrong-way driver.
SVBC is sharing the tragic news of the first person, 36-year-old Jose Francisco Gastelum, killed while riding a bicycling in 2021 in San José. Our deepest condolences to Mr Gastelum’s family and friends.
In 2020, there were seven people killed while using a bicycle, twenty-one while walking, and twenty-one while using a car or motorcycle. This highlights the need for safety improvements to our streets so that no one is killed or injured while getting from place to place, no matter how they do it.
The collision which killed Mr Gastelum took place about 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning, Jan. 31, at the intersection of South 1st Street and Reed Street in San José. Police said they are investigating the incident as a hit-and-run. They are looking for the driver of a newer dark blue or black Chevrolet Silverado truck, which was driving the wrong way in southbound lanes of the street before the crash. The truck had a cover over its bed and should have front-end damage. Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to contact Detective Matt Templeman of the Traffic Investigations Unit at (408) 277-4654. [video of the vehicle]
The site of collision, First and Reed, is one of San José’s seventeen Vision Zero priority safety corridors (PSC) so safety improvements are planned for this location. The City of San José approved a new five year Vision Zero Action Plan and $6.7 million dollars for first year implementation in Nov. 2020 to make these dangerous streets safer. Unfortunately, safety improvements for this PSC are not in the current work plan. San José is currently improving the intersection of Story Rd and Jackson Ave for $1.8M, installing 11 miles of quick-build on Senter Rd and Fruitdale Ave for $4.5M.
A main goal of the five-year action plan is to implement 56 miles of quick build improvements on the priority safety corridors. For that to happen within five years, we need your help. Please encourage San José Council members to vote to invest $ five million dollars in the upcoming FY 21/22 budget to continue implementing the priority projects in the vision zero action plan. Send your message to city.clerk@sanjoseca.gov and to your council member’s district office at District1@sanjose.ca.gov where you replace the 1 with your district number.
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is a member of the San José Vision Zero Task Force. We help advise city staff on implementing its actions to make San José safer. These meetings are open to the public to attend.
The upcoming Vision Zero Taskforce public meetings is
Friday, June 4, 2021: 9:00 – 11:00 am
Agendas will be available in advance on visionzerosj.org. We encourage you to attend and keep highlighting the need for safety improvements on the street.