Bike fatalities up as Austin works to make cycling safer
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Austin's Walk Bike Roll plan will head to the City Council for approval this summer, a move that would update urban trails and sidewalks while expanding the city's bicycle lane network to more than 1,200 miles.
Why it matters: Serious injuries and fatal crashes among cyclists and pedestrians have climbed in recent years, and additional crossings, sidewalks and bike lanes can make traveling safer.
By the numbers: There were, on average, 3.6 fatal bicycle crashes in Austin per million residents between 2017-2021, according to recent data from the League of American Bicyclists via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — up from 2.7 fatal bike crashes per million residents from 2012-2016.
- Four cyclists have died in crashes so far this year, up from one bicycle fatality in all of 2022, according to the Austin Police Department.
Yes, but: Crash rates among bicycle commuters declined since 2013 while the number of people commuting to work in Austin increased, Austin Transportation and Public Works Department officials told Axios, a sign that updates to trails and bike lanes over the years have made travel by foot or bike safer.
- The city analyzed Census respondents who said they bike to work — likely a fraction of overall bikers — against bicycle crashes to find the rate.
What they're saying: Austin's population has skyrocketed — new Census Bureau data shows it's the 10th largest city in the country — and a growing number of residents are opting to bike to work, the department's active transportation program manager, Laura Dierenfield, told Axios.
- "More people are biking, crash rates are generally trending lower — however, we have a long way to go as a city, and that's what our work in building out the network is focused on," Dierenfield said, adding that improvements can provide "meaningful, comfortable, safer connections for people so that biking becomes an option for some trips."
Zoom out: Bicycle use exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving cities scrambling to install new bike lanes and adopt other measures to keep riders safe and encourage cycling.
Between the lines: City officials have long grappled with how to make cycling safer in Austin, while balancing community concerns that updates to infrastructure could displace residents.
- The Walk Bike Roll plan would study that possibility, staffers said in a meeting earlier this year.
What's next: The Planning Commission is expected to make a recommendation in June before the City Council holds a public hearing and considers the plan for adoption in July.
Alex Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.