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Greg Stanton's
My Turn – Ahwatukee Republic News Column
February 2007
The City Helps Educate the Community on Bicycle Safety
One of the great parts of Ahwatukee Foothills culture is healthy, active lifestyles. It’s not unusual to see people walking, jogging and riding their bikes in our community. You may have heard the story about Ahwatukee Foothills resident George Esahak-Gage and his wife Jane. Last November, they decided to take a bike ride and while returning home along the Chandler Boulevard overpass, a driver ran a red light and struck both of them. George was severely injured, nearly breaking every bone in his body. Months later George is still recovering, walking with a cane and undergoing painstaking rehabilitation.
As a result, George, an accomplished tri-athlete, along with community leader Rita Anselmo have taken a lead in promoting bicycle safety. As you may remember, Rita tragically lost her husband, Don Anselmo, when he was struck and killed by a car while riding his bike. Both have contacted my office to find out what they could do to help make an impact. In support of community leaders like George and Rita, I knew the city needed to do its part to educate the community on this issue.
Most bicyclists from Ahwatukee Foothills are well-informed on bike safety and already take the appropriate precautions to be safe while bike riding. The city identified a need to increase motorists’ awareness of sharing the road with bicyclists. One way to educate our community is to expand the existing Share the Road signage already in place. Share the Road signs are of interest as a potential means of alerting motorists to the presence of bicyclists and encouraging cooperative behavior.
The existing signs are currently 24 x 36 inches and located throughout various parts of Phoenix. The new, larger signs would be 8 x 3 feet and feature information to provide drivers with a clear warning – to watch out for bicyclists and define what “share the road” means. The state law mandates leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of no less than three feet. The new sign will clearly communicate this message to our community.
Recently, the Esahak-Gage Benefit Triathlon was organized to help pay for George and Jane's out-of-pocket expenses incurred during his recovery. During the awards ceremony, a prototype of the new, larger Share the Road sign was unveiled.
The new signs will be featured along key locations on Pecos Road. In addition, smaller versions of the sign will also be featured throughout the city. We owe a huge thank you to George, Jane and Rita for their commitment to bicycle safety.
Special thanks also to the organizers, participants and supporters of the benefit triathlon for George and Jane. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed and by continuing to work together with organizations such as the Arizona Bicycle Coalition, we’ll hope to educate the entire community on the importance of bicycle safety.
Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton represents Ahwatukee Foothills. Contact Councilman Stanton's office at 602-262-7491, e-mail greg.stanton@phoenix.gov or visit phoenix.gov/district 6.
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