Community organization partners with DPW to improve cyclist safety

INDIANAPOLIS — Bicyclists say the roads and travel lanes around Indy aren't good enough.

Near misses and illegal turns have led to close calls for many of them.

"It's way better than it used to be, but I think that it still needs to be improved," Harol Wade said.

Wade, who uses a bike as his main form of transportation, says he can see areas for improvement.

Indy Bike Lane Defense, a community advocacy group, says they are tired of bicyclists nearly being hit on Indianapolis roads.

"We can't ask drivers to pay attention at this point. It's like asking them not to speed or run red lights. Everyone in the city knows that is a consistent problem right now. What we need is the infrastructure that stops it in the first place," Jarron Burdine with Indy Bike Lane Defense said.

The organization started a project, that was approved by DPW, to fix an area they say is downright dangerous.

"Drivers driving through the bike lane to make their turn onto the highway ramp," Burdine said.

WRTV saw that happen on Thursday firsthand at the intersection of 12^th and Illinois in Downtown Indianapolis.

Another issue WRTV caught on camera was cars turning during a red light when it was time for bikes to cross.

"I think we need to be more proactive about the safety infrastructure projects," Burdine said.

Indy Bike Lane Defense has placed bollards in the roadway at that intersection to try and prevent dangerous situations from happening.

Though it has slowed cars down a bit, it hasn’t stopped everything.

"I think everybody just needs to get more used to it," Wade said.

Bikers say education on the roadways is key to their survival.

"You can still drive, and we can still bike. We can live in harmony here, we just need a little push in the right direction," Burdine said.

The organization partners with Indy Pedestrian Crisis organization to track data involving pedestrians and cyclists.

They are able to determine areas that might need to be looked at and improved on an infrastructure level.

This is part of the group's effort to improve infrastructure around the city of Indianapolis.

They said they will see how the project works and hopefully expand it from there.