Last June, Tim O'Donnell, 66, was struck and killed while riding his bicycle with a group of friends. This tragedy brought increased attention to the safety of cyclists using Washington County roads. Tim's wife, Mary, established a memorial fund to address this problem. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), working with the Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition (WashCo BTC), spearheaded an effort to increase awareness of these serious safety issues.
The campaign includes life-sized cutouts of people with their bikes that reminds motorists that bicyclists are their relatives, friends, coworkers and neighbors, "and we bike". The cutouts are placed in lobbies of city halls, libraries, businesses and community gathering spots around the county. The message is, "Be careful; the cyclist could be someone you know." Printed material includes a list of ways motorists can more safely interact with bicyclists. Presentations are made to community groups throughout the county, and various other activities will also help promote the campaign.
