Improving safety for bicyclists and pedestrians in North Carolina (Spectrum News)
Pedestrian and cyclist deaths in North Carolina have transportation advocates sounding the alarm and calling for safer infrastructure.
There’s no easy solution to decreasing these deaths to zero, but several measures are being taken to try to get there. While pedestrian deaths continue to climb in cities like Raleigh and Greensboro, Charlotte saw a 17% decrease between 2021 and 2022.
However, earlier in January, a bicyclist was killed after being hit by a car in Plaza Midwood. It happened on The Plaza, which Eric Zaverl rides along at least once a week.
“It adds more anxiety and stress to biking,” Zaverl said. “It does make me think about every time I leave my house saying this could be the last time I say goodbye to my wife, my dogs, just to bike, and it shouldn’t be that way.”
It’s why as urban design specialist for the nonprofit Sustain Charlotte, he continues to call for more measures to protect bikers and pedestrians in the Queen City.