12/20/23 (Map coordinates in parentheses.) The NHTSA FARS system is not yet available for incidents after 2020. Later data are from the Albany Times Union (TU). 2001 August 20, 2001– Lajuan Jordan, 24, of Central Avenue, passenger in an SUV was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on Central Avenue at Lansing Road, Colonie. (42.76066389 – 73.88201944) November 26, 2001– Pedestrian Clark A. Gorrow, 37of Rugby Road, Schenectady was killed by a car while crossing Central Avenue at Lombard Street, Colonie. Police said “pedestrian error’ appeared to be the cause of the incident. (42.75 ..read more

2013 – 2023 Unidentified Pedestrian – 11/8/23 (age 67) Two cars hit and killed the victim near Exit 2 on southbound I-787 in Albany. The man was struck by one car as the vehicle tried to merge into traffic at 7:16 PM. State Police said the driver was initially unaware the vehicle had hit someone. The man was then struck by a second vehicle and died at the scene. Larry Cunningham – 10/24/22 (age 62) A drunken car driver struck and killed pedestrian on a sidewalk near the intersection of 3rd Ave. and Elizabeth St. Albany. Driver Jose Guevara-Bonilla, a 26-year-old city man was charged with aggr ..read more

At Long Last – Bike Lanes on New Scotland Ave. – The Ride – Sixteen happy riders departed from Martell’s Restaurant off New Scotland Ave. for an ABC-hosted tour of the new bike lanes running from O’Neill Rd. to Manning Blvd. After starting at Martel’s on a fine late autumn day, the group headed to Washington Park over Albany city streets with and without bike lanes. They then returned to Martel’s for a total distance of 8 miles. Many of the riders adjourned to Martell’s for refreshments following the ride. You can see the complete route on google maps: From Martell’s to Washington Park and Wa ..read more

Introduction – On Friday November 17, 2023,the Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, and Capital Streets, held a demonstration for Albany City Victims of Traffic Violence as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Elected leaders and city officials gathered with us along with people around the world to remember those needlessly killed and seriously injured in crashes. We called for specific actions by the City of Albany to respond to the needless deaths of at least 19 people on bicycles or walking in the city between 2013 and 2023.  Present ..read more

For background on the Rt. 85v Bridge, go here and here. Here are a couple views of the new Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail bridge work site: The project site with one buttress/sidewall of the motor vehicle road completed (taken from the bike/ped detour across Rt. 85). Building the forms on the SE buttress/sidewall (from the Voorheesville side of the cut). Looking SE toward Delmar/Kenwood Ave. showing alignment of the bike-ped bridge. To get and idea of the final bridge alignement, line up the 4 concrete trapezoids. Looking the opposite direction toward Voorheesville with a peek at the paved tr ..read more

Riders Sign In Putting on warm clothes On a chilly May evening a group of riders set out on the Capital Region’s annual Ride of Silence to commemorate the deaths of bicycle riders. As in past years, Albany Bicycle Coalition ride leaders used Ghost Bike sites as the stopping points for the ride. At each site, riders were briefed on the circumstances that resulted in the death. Greeting old friends Jose Perez site The ride originated at the Corning Riverside Park in Albany and proceeded first to the site of Jose Perez’s (killed 8/3/06, age 60) Ghost Bike at Broadway and Quay St. To avoid cr ..read more

Notes on Deceased Cyclists Whose Ghost Bike Will Be Stopping Points in the 2023 Ride of Silence. 5/17/23 – Ride of Silence – Wed, 5:30 PM. Albany Bicycle Coalition will hold its annual Ride of Silence to commemorate cyclists that have been killed or seriously injured. The ride will leave Corning Preserve Boat Launch in Albany at 5:30 PM. Persons wanting to join the ride later may meet the group when it passes by the Boat Launch again between 6:15pm and 6:30pm. There is no cost for the ride and anyone with a bicycle and a helmet may join. The ride will be approximately 17.5 miles and inclu ..read more

The Bottom Line – If New Yorkers want safer streets, they are going to have to “stand up and be counted” against those forces that – knowingly or otherwise – stand in the way of this goal. The Backstory – Once, a long time ago, the statewide municipal speed limit was 25 mph. The highway limit was 50. Somewhere along the way to our present state of roadway mayhem, the municipal limit was raised to 30 and the highway to 55 (1974). Remember? Somehow the “traffic engineers” decided that if we were killing people at 25, why hesitate to go to 30? Aren’t people in a hurry to get somewhere? But wait ..read more

As with many organizations, the Albany Bicycle Coalition has evolved its public presentation over the years. This is particularly true in the case of its business card. The first card was quite abstract and contained little information other than a website and a Google phone number. It was designed by Bob who was also instrumental in getting the Albany bicycle coalition’s designation as a not-for-profit corporation. It had a hint of the logo that the organization later adopted. Was it a business card or a wine coaster? The second card was quite innovative stylistically. It was created by Mari ..read more

Friday, 11/18/22, is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The Albany Bicycle Coalition, Walkable Albany, and others will gather at noon near the capitol in Albany. We will recognize the victims of traffic violence in the City of Albany and the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. We will read the names of pedestrians and cyclists who have died in traffic collisions in Albany since 2017. We will ask that Albany take the steps necessary to prevent needless deaths and serious injuries caused by traffic crashes in our city. All the citizens of Albany have a right to saf ..read more