A driver narrowly avoided a collision Tuesday as another motorist sped through the bike lane at Princeton and Palm avenues, using the blocked-off lane as a personal fast-pass.

The incident shows the growing concerns about the dangers for bicyclists on Fresno roads, even in dedicated bicycle lanes.

Fresno Police Respond to Over 200 Collisions This Year

The Fresno Police Department reported that there have been 204 collisions involving bicyclists in 2024. Seven of these collisions were reported as fatal from the Oct. Active Transportation Advisory Committee meeting report.

A Fresno Police spokesperson spoke to GV Wire about bicycle safety, emphasizing the need for cyclists to protect themselves.

“We encourage all bicyclists to ride their bicycle while wearing a helmet. Not only is it the law, but most importantly, it can help minimize injury or save their life in case of a traffic collision,” the spokesperson said. “We encourage all bicyclists to ride with traffic and obey all traffic laws with motor vehicles. We encourage all bicyclists to have working lighting on their bicycles and wear reflective clothing at night.”

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Joe Martinez Shares the Story of Losing His Son

Joe Martinez, a safety street advocate in Fresno, lost his son 21 years ago due to a crash.

“Paul was 21. Prime of his life. Loved life. Loved his family, his church, he volunteered, was a member for many years with the Boys and Girls clubs, played basketball, just loved life like every 21 year old,” Martinez said.

Fresno City Council Vice-President Mike Karbassi is a vocal advocate for bike safety.

“For the first time in 20 years, Fresno is poised to have more deaths from traffic-related collisions than homicides. But these deaths are 100% avoidable. Driving your car, riding your bike, and walking shouldn’t be life-threatening activities. With better planning, enforcement of traffic laws, and improved driver and rider awareness, we can make Fresno a safer and healthier place to live,” Karbassi said.

Local Advocates, Residents React to Lack of Bicycle Safety

The increase in unsafe driving behaviors has prompted concern among local advocates. “We all see it every day, and we kind of fear for our lives at intersections with the high levels of red light violations, and we’re seeing distracted drivers all the time,” said Dr. Anthony Molina, chair of the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition.

Molina, a retired family physician, also spoke about the upcoming World Day of Remembrance for Victims of Traffic Crashes in Fresno. This event, scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday at Fresno City Hall, will honor those lost in traffic incidents and call for safer streets.

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According to Dr. Molina, Fresno has some of the highest rates of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, attributed to widespread red-light violations, distracted driving, and high-speed road designs. Fresno’s Vision Zero Action Plan, funded by a $400,000 Safe Streets for All federal grant, is one effort to address this.

The plan aims to reduce pedestrian and cyclist deaths through improved street designs, lower speed limits, and increased public engagement.

Molina emphasized the need for complete streets, a safe systems approach, and technologies such as automatic braking and speed cameras. Sunday’s event will include a ceremonial ride featuring ghost bikes, symbolizing lives lost to unsafe roads.

Nauhi Lopez, a Fresno resident living near Palm Avenue, said, “I actually don’t see many people use the bike lanes, and people do cut over into them to make turns. I have actually used them when riding bikes with friends and family from Tower to Woodward Park and back. I don’t ride often and I am no expert. So, when I used those new bike lanes, it relieved my stress and anxiety.”

Added Lopez: “I want to ride more but what stops me is the fear of being hit by a car.”

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“If bicycle paths are planned appropriately, they will get used by commuters, recreationists, folks going to school,” said Darius Assemi, CEO and President of Granville Homes.

He emphasized that well-designed bike paths, especially cycle tracks separated from roadways, are the safest option for cyclists.

Assemi also stressed the importance of developing safe routes to schools, pointing out that many neighborhoods still lack sidewalks and that the state is cutting funding for them.

“There are many of our existing schools and existing neighborhoods that are not connected via sidewalks. That’s an issue. That’s an area the state of California and the federal government, with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, should be investing in,” Assemi said.

(Disclaimer: Darius Assemi is the publisher of GV Wire)

Fresno’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims will begin Sunday with a bike ride at 1 p.m. followed by a ceremony from 3 to 3:40 p.m. Family members of collision victims, the Active Transportation Advisory Committee, Fresno County Bicycle Coalition, elected officials, and community leaders will gather to honor those lost in traffic incidents and advocate for safer streets.

Attendees, including people who have experienced injuries or lost loved ones in traffic crashes, will share their stories to highlight the urgency of preventing these deaths, which disproportionately affect pedestrians, cyclists, low-income communities, and people of color.