Deadly accidents spark safety push for pedestrians and drivers in Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s been a deadly year for walkers and cyclists in Spokane.

Since the start of 2024, 196 people have been injured and eight killed in car collisions in Spokane.

There is now a push to ramp up safety for drivers and pedestrians alike.

In Riverfront Park, there is currently little separation between cyclists and drivers on the road, especially during heavy traffic. One cyclist said she gets intimidated pedaling through areas of Spokane for this very reason.

John Amend, owner of BikeHub, knows this all too well.

“He was dragged underneath that truck for a while,” Amend said when remembering his friend’s crash near the Palouse Highway. “His surgery took about 6-7 months for him to be able to get back on a bike.”

Amend’s friend was able to walk away but others haven’t been as lucky.

“No matter how safe your helmet is or how safe you ride, you’re kind of at the mercy of drivers and that’s a scary place to be,” Vice Chair of Spokane’s Bicycle Advisory Board Lauren Pangborn said.

In a city that feels geared around drivers, Spokane’s future director of transportation Jon Snyder is thinking about how to reverse this trend.

“We want to stop seeing our friends and neighbors dying on the streets of Spokane,” Snyder said.

Snyder said there are plans already in the works.

“The last year, the city council passed the Bicycle Priority Network and then a few months later, they passed a subset of that called 27 for 27, which is the concept of creating 27 miles of new bikeways with new infrastructure in the next few years before the end of 2027,” said Snyder.

Part of those plans include putting barriers around the bike lane, which Pangborn says is a vital step toward ensuring safety.

“That hardened separation is really crucial,” she said. “It’s those Jersey Barriers, those parking stops, things that physically separate and prevent drivers from driving their cars into bike lanes.”

Starting January 1, a new law will ramp up punishments for negligent drivers involved in these crashes.

As we wait for these improvements, there are some concerns for those out, especially at night. If you are walking or cycling at night in the city, wear bright clothing, throw a light on your bike and never assume drivers can see you.