Another Expert Cyclist Hit by Car on Fahy Bridge

From the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation: www.car-free.org

 

Frank Pavlick's bike on the Fahy Bridge

 

Monday evening, April 2, 2012, another high-profile, expert cyclist was hit riding his bike on the Fahy (New Street) Bridge in Bethlehem. Miraculously, Frank Pavlick, CAR-FREE.ORG's Advanced Mechanic Instructor and League of American Bicyclists certified Cycling Instructor, avoided serious injury.

Bethlehem police apprehended the driver of the vehicle that hit Frank after the car driver attempted to flee the scene because of the quick action of a LANta bus operator who blocked both Northbound lanes of the bridge with his transit vehicle. The driver who hit Frank will probably be the first to be charged under the new amendments to the vehicle code to protect cyclists that went into effect the day of the crash. The driver faces conviction on a number of other counts as well.

CAR-FREE.ORG and the Bethlehem Public Works Department have agreed to move ahead as quickly as possible with plans to install Bikes May Use Full Lane signs and Shared Lane Markings on the Northbound side of the bridge where Frank was hit. Shared Lane Markings will also be repainted on the Southbound side of the bridge in the right lane where Patrick Ytsma was hit in December of 2011. These projects were approved some time ago and are awaiting material delivery and warmer weather for installation. Every effort will be made to move-up the timeline for these projects.