Ghost bike honors life lost in San Carlos

The fatality has increased awareness about an ongoing request for improved safety measures in the area. Residents and bicycle advocates have called for a pedestrian bridge over Highway 101 for years that ultimately went silent because of the express lane expansion. 

Around 20 people gathered at the vigil on Thursday afternoon, including Andrew Hsu, a member of Peninsula Velo and who sits on the board of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. 

“It’s really tragic it takes a fatality like this to raise awareness again,” Hsu said. “We hope improvements don’t need to take another tragedy.” 

Tim Ryan, a San Carlos resident and bicycle safety instructor, noted the crash happened on a  “sunny Saturday morning” and suggested it was preventable. 

“I’m wearing a Santa hat because it dawned on me that Andrea has a large family in Mexico City and in just days they’re going to celebrate Christmas without her,” Ryan said. 

San Carlos previously was working toward a bicycle and pedestrian overpass over Highway 101, which was said to be ready for construction in 2019, but was ultimately delayed by a widening project. 

Hsu noted the unfortunate outcome of the widening project, pointing to the irony that congestion on the highway has not been relieved. He said it’s a simple matter of supply and demand.

“You cannot expand your way out of traffic,” Hsu said. 

What will improve traffic conditions, Hsu said, is to make alternative transportation routes accessible and abundant, stating “people will ride their bikes if there is a safe way to do so.”

San Carlos Councilmember John Dugan has stated his continued support for the pedestrian bridge, but said lining up regional and state funding has been made difficult. However, bicyclists remain frustrated the small, fiscally sound city continues to have such a dangerous road.

“This is San Carlos, a wealthy community, so let’s find a solution,” Ryan said. 

Even with city leader support, efforts to promote alternative safe routes remain at the hands and approval of other authorities who are not always as responsive to requests, Ben Fuller, a member of the San Carlos Rotary, said.

“We ride every day in this neighborhood, and we know the exact problems,” Fuller said. “The city has met with us but why is Caltrans not picking up the calls.” 

The slow process of securing funding and getting infrastructure projects approved proves to be increasingly difficult, Fuller said, and said safety mitigations must be established in the meantime. 

For now, the “ghost bike” remains a reminder to remain cautious while walking, biking or driving on the Holly Street overpass.

“So many groups have to come to a consensus and it takes forever and the price goes up and up and up,” Ryan said. “Sometimes, common sense is the best solution. It just is.”