FERNDALE, Mich. – Road diets are becoming increasingly prevalent in Michigan as they treat bicycles, mass transit, and motorcycles on par with cars, trucks, and SUVs.
Although the roads are slimmer, there are fewer streets for traditional traffic. Yet the transition is not without its bumps and bruises, which was quite literally for one Ferndale bicyclist.
Traditional bike lanes are located in front of Ferndale City Hall, which has one on the side of 9 Mile Road with traffic and one on the other side with traffic.
But that is decidedly different on Woodward Avenue, where the Dream Cruise is held. The bike lanes are two-way, one going against traffic, and drivers simply aren’t used to it.
It’s a change cyclist Jon Thebo discovered can get dangerous the hard way.
“It scared the hell out of me,” said Thebo.
Two weeks ago, Thebo rode his bike south on Woodward Avenue in the bike lane and approached the Taco Bell.
“And all of a sudden, as I’m in front of this car, this woman comes out, hits me, and pushes me out into oncoming traffic, and everything just flashed before me,” Thebo said.
His bike tires and frame bent entirely out of frame.
Thebo ended up with a concussion and bruises, but fortunately for him, it wasn’t worse, which brought him to the Ferndale City Council meeting that was held on Monday (May 13).
“It was only by pure luck that additional accidents were avoided from oncoming traffic,” Thebo said.
The Woodward Avenue bike lanes are a pilot project. The two-way design and Michigan Department of Transportation creation was part of a full paving.
“It’s a state highway and a state design,” said Ferndale City Manager Joe Gacioch.
Gacioch told Local 4 that the idea was a first of its kind, but it is not complete, assuring that it would see green-painted instructions for cyclists and drivers before it is completed in June.
The Ferndale city manager said the new design would take time to adjust to the slimmed-down stretch and get used to moving cars, which is why he asked cyclists to pay more attention.
“We’re going to have to get drivers more used to not infringing on the right of way when making a right turn and looking both ways like when you’re taught in driver’s education,” Gacioch said. “I know that not all drivers do that.”
An education session will be held in Ferndale City Hall with the League of Michigan Cyclists to teach everyone how to use the new road diet to their best and safest advantage.