Duluth community members gathered to discuss better bike safety

A couple weeks ago, a Duluth man died in a crash on Mesaba avenue while riding his bike. He was crossing lower West 1st Ave when he crashed into two cars driving southbound. Duluth community members gathered at Zeitgeist to discuss how to improve biking and pedestrian safety crossing Mesaba.

Steven Hoover, a 60-year old Duluth Resident was the cyclist who died in the accident. His death started a conversation as Duluth community members gathered on possible solutions to make more people safe. Alice Tibbets a member with Vibrant Streets Duluth shared a statement from Steven Hoover’s sister about the loss of her brother.

“When our family first visited the crosswalk where Steve was killed, our hearts sank. We watched in horror as people on foot and on bikes crossed this dangerous site,” Tibbetts said. “We are grateful to all efforts to make us safer and we will attend the ceremony to place the ghost bike. Our family would like to express our sincerest gratitude to everyone who has shown us love and kindness through this hard time. We will miss our brother’s humor, compassion, and wisdom.”

The Vibrant Street Duluth group says its also working with the city to develop a Transportation Commission. The goal is to help provide more safety for everyone.

“We will be proposing to the City Council with Councilmember Mayo’s support and the Mayor’s support that we develop this Transportation Commission and get it going. We will be helping to establish policy and also reviewing road designs,” Tibbetts said. “The bottom line is in those debates between MnDOT and the city, the city has a lot more authority, I think, than they have used in the past. We’d like to see them really use their authority.”

Vibrant Streets Duluth will also have a memorial service and a ghost bike at the site of where Steven Hoover passed away this Saturday at 2pm.