Bicycle Coalition calls for safety improvements after student’s death

By Collin Kelley

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC) is demanding immediate action to improve the safety of the intersection at 10th Street and Monroe Drive in Midtown after Grady High School freshman Alexia Hyneman, 14, was struck and killed on the evening of Feb. 11 while crossing the intersection. “We’re devastated by the news of Grady High School freshman Alexia Hyneman’s death while cycling home from a school performance,” said Rebecca Serna, executive director of the ABC. “Grady High School, Piedmont Park, a protected bike lane and the Atlanta BeltLine all meet at 10th Street and Monroe Drive. It’s one of the city’s busiest intersections for people on foot and bike, and everyone who uses it deserves to be safe.”

The ABC released a list of safety improvements it wants implemented immediately at 10th Street and Monroe Drive:

• Configure the light signal so it is easily understood by pedestrians and cyclists.

• Shorten the wait time for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the street.

• Lengthen and automate the pedestrian (and cyclists) phase.

• Improve street lighting at 10th Street and Monroe Drive, including the BeltLine intersections.

• Accelerate the Monroe Drive Complete Streets project, funded in the Renew Atlanta bond.

• Create a bicycle connection on Monroe Drive to make it safe and predictable for all pedestrians and cyclists.

• More police patrols.

Serna and Sally Flocks, founder of PEDS (Pedestrians Educating Drivers), met city officials to discuss these needs at the end of February, and Serna said she felt positive about changes at 10th and Monroe.

“It was a positive meeting, and everyone had a sense of urgency and understanding that this is not a scenario where we can fix one intersection and be done,” Serna said. “There are safety improvements needed throughout the city for pedestrians and cyclists, and safety is a priority.”

The ABC and PEDS are working together to create a list of other highpriority intersections that need immediate attention to avoid more accidents. They are also working with parents in the Grady cluster of schools to help them understand and be involved in the process of making roads in the neighborhood safe.

Mayor Kasim Reed released a statement of condolence to the Hyneman family and said the safety of pedestrians and cyclists remained a priority for his administration. He said there is $37 million in the Renew Atlanta infrastructure program approved by voters last year committed to making sidewalks and streets safe.

Specifically, Reed said the Renew Atlanta program has $2.5 million allocated for a complete street overhaul of Monroe Drive and the city would move quickly to get these improvements done.

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