In response to Tuesday’s terrorist attack on a New York City bike trail that claimed the lives of eight people, King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn is proposing legislation to improve safety on King County’s extensive regional trail system.
“It is deplorable that terrorists are attacking innocent bystanders with cars and heartbreaking that we as a nation have been put in a position where it’s necessary to take these precautions,” said Dunn. “I feel it’s appropriate for King County to take a look at the safety of 175 miles of regional trails to make sure a tragedy like what we saw this week in New York City can’t happen here at home.”
Dunn introduced the legislation today, inspired by a bipartisan group of members of Congress who introduced legislation to improve the safety of our country’s bike lanes, sidewalks, plazas, and walkways. Their measure would create a grant program to fund the construction of traffic barriers around bike lanes and areas used by cyclists.
Dunn’s legislation would direct the King County Executive to evaluate the safety of King County’s Regional Trail system with a focus on segments adjacent to roads and assess how trail users would be protected from errant motor vehicles. Results of the assessment would help guide maintenance investments on and near regional trails and, if necessary, guide safety and security investments into planning for the next parks, trails and open space levy.
In the past year, 37 people in London, Barcelona, Stockholm, and now New York City, died after being struck by a vehicle in an act of terror. Many more sustained injuries.
The legislation will be introduced before the full King County Council during the Council’s November 6 meeting and referred to committee.
