Albany Bicycle Coalition helped lead Albany’s 3rd World Day of Remembrance for Victims of Road Traffic on Friday, November 15th in Albany’s Academy Park. The event was held in cooperation with Walkable Albany, Capital Streets and many individual volunteers. We had our largest turnout ever with about 60 attendees.
Friends and family of victims helped us understand those lost as living persons and not just statistics. Patty and Skip Sawyer joined us to remember their son Roger who was struck and killed while biking to work by an unlicensed SUV driver on Washington Avenue Extension on October 19, 2017. Noreen spoke for her friend and neighbor Jason Steinberg from Ohav Shalom. Jason was struck and killed walking on the sidewalk at Bender Avenue and Krumkill Road on October 6, 2024. Sandra Crespo-Leiva was there to remember her daughter Anaisabel – along with about a dozen of Anaisabel’s coworkers and friends. Anaisabel was killed while bicycling to work on 23rd Street in Watervliet by the I-787 ramp on October 3, 2024.
Political leaders that spoke included State Senator Elect Pat Fahy, the Mayor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Alyson Baker, and County Legislators Susan Laurilliard and Sam Fein. Pat Fahy and Alyson Baker both spoke of steps taken to reduce fatalities and injuries on our roads, including City speed reduction to 25 mph, school-zone speed cameras (sponsored by Fahy), red-light cameras, speed humps and crosswalk “bumpouts.” Both promised to continue to work to end preventable deaths and injuries. Pat Fahy mentioned her continued support for the Idaho Stop (“Stop” treated as a “Yield” for bicycles). The County legislators are co-sponsoring a local law we asked for. It would outlaw passing within three feet of a vulnerable road user. This proposal can be found here. We encourage all to e-mail their County Legislator to support the bill as well. Email addresses are here:
We asked the City of Albany to provide administrative and budgetary support for the 2021 Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.
We also asked the City for protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements to be part of the keystone Central Avenue Reconstruction Project currently under study for the area between Henry Johnson Blvd and North Allen Street. See: https://www.albanyny.gov/2327/Central-Avenue. Central Avenue is the deadliest road in the Capital Region. The City’s Central Avenue project is a rare opportunity to show that this epitome of traffic violence in the Capital Region can become a safe, vibrant avenue for all the people who use it. We are also keeping a close eye on the Town of Colonie’s Central Avenue West Project which can be found here. All that wish to end the mayhem on this roadway should visit these websites and submit their comments.
The Day of Remembrance event in Albany was one of about 70 such events held around the US. See https://wdor-usa.org for information on nationwide efforts. WAMC coverage of the Albany event can be found here.
Albany Bicycle Coalition 