Photo: The location of the accident.
A bicyclist was hit by a vehicle while riding in the dedicated bike lane at the intersection of Bright Road and Concord Avenue at approximately 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 3.
A preliminary police report said the bicyclist suffered non-life-threatening injuries but they were serious enough that required the cyclists to be transported to an area hospital, according to Belmont Police Lt. Christopher Donahue, the officer in charge.
The first report indicated witnesses said the vehicle was traveling on Concord Avenue eastbound towards Cambridge when it hit the cyclists in the bike lane, said Donahue. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were clear with the setting sun behind the driver and cyclists.
Bright Avenue was closed for close to two hours after the accident.
A more detailed report is expected on Monday morning after a crash reconstruction team has completed its work, Donahue said.
I hope the bicyclist recovers quickly. This is the SECOND car collision with a bicyclist on Concord Ave. I’ve heard in the last 30 days.
Belmont badly needs to stop thinking of roads as car only–begin to include smart safety designs–such as protected bike lanes on main roads such as Concord, Trapelo and Pleasant.
The other effort which has begun is a community path that can provide off-road alternatives for pedestrians and bikers.
My sympathies to the person who was struck on Concord Ave. I too was hit by a car on Concord Ave by Belmont High while I was biking in the bike lane. The driver passed me and took a right turn right into me. I had absolutely no chance to evade her maneuver because I was not aware that she was even on the road until we were in contact with each other. Thankfully, I was not hurt badly, but it could have been a LOT worse. Her excuse: “I was in a hurry.” My takeaway: pedestrians and automotive traffic simply should not mix if they don’t have to. Let’s make sure the Belmont Community Path is off-road!
The old ways of providing a lane and thinking a painted line deters drivers are clearly not working. Drivers need to be held accountable.to the full extent of the law. Belmont needs to join the Complete Streets program so we may have the financial support and educational support constantly needed.to make our vision a reality
Is accountability or enforcement going to heal broken bones or change the physics of the inevitable? The idea that bikes can safely share the road with cars is a fantasy. We need bike paths, not lanes.
What safety provisions does the Complete streets program provide?