4th person killed while riding a bike in San Jose. Support funding to make our roads safer
An unidentified man who was riding a bicycle when hit by a person driving a motorcycle has died from injuries he suffered on April 1 according to San Jose police. This is the city’s 13th traffic fatality and the fourth bicyclist fatality so far in 2021 and it is 13 too many. The collision was reported at about 9:45 p.m. on April 1 near Leigh Avenue and San Carlos Street. The bicyclist was hospitalized with major injuries from which he died early Wednesday April 21, police said.
The city is budgeting to fund Vision Zero projects (safety improvements) in FY22 to the tune of $5.45M following $6.7 million dollars for first year implementation in Nov. 2020. The City of San José approved a five year Vision Zero Action Plan and $6.7 million dollars for first year implementation in Nov. 2020 to make our streets safer. Unfortunately, safety improvements for this location are not in the current work plan. San José is currently improving the intersection of Story Rd and Jackson Ave for $1.8M, and installing 11 miles of quick-build on Senter Rd and Fruitdale Ave for $4.5M with the original funding. A main goal of the five-year action plan is to implement 56 miles of quick build improvements on the priority safety corridors.
The San Jose staff has included $5.45M in the draft The FY 21/22 Proposed Capital Budget. That includes $2.15 million proposed for Vision Zero data analysis and outreach/engagement and $3.5 million added to reserves for quick build projects identified in the Vision Zero Action Plan. Please contact the city council to let them know you support this funding proposal. Send your message to city.clerk@sanjoseca.gov .
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition is a member of the San José Vision Zero Task Force. We help advise city staff on implementing actions to make San José safer. The Task Force meetings are open to the public to attend. The upcoming Vision Zero Task force public meeting is
Friday, June 4, 2021: 9:00 – 11:00 am Click here to register for the virtual June 4 Task Force meeting
Please encourage your San José Council member to increase funding for San José Vision Zero Action Plan and the San José Better Bike Plan 2025 starting in FY 21/22 and beyond to reduce unnecessary deaths. FY 21/22 budget discussions are currently underway so don’t wait. Here is the map to the San José council districts to see who is your council representative if you do not know. Here are the email addresses and phone numbers to contact Mayor Liccardo and the councilmembers.