not specifically or adequately address safety issues related to vulnerable road users including bicyclists and pedestrians. Despite accounting for only 4% of total crashes, crashes that involved pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist are overrepresented in KSI crashes; they accounted for more than 34% of KSI crashes during 2019- 2023 in Fort Worth. We recommend exploring the vulnerable road user crash patterns (e.g., using CRIS’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT) attribution) along with the Bicycle High Injury Network (HIN) findings to better understand the leading contributing factors for bicycle crashes. Conducting further analysis of bicycle crash contributing factors will help pinpoint the issues that the ordinance could be amended to address more adequately. This approach is likely to gain more support from leadership and residents, preparing for council adoption. Regardless of contributing factors, providing sufficient space for bicyclists, separate from motorized traffic, is one of the primary countermeasures to improve bicyclist safety. Based on best practice, some potential updates could include enhanced lighting in areas where bicyclists frequently ride at night, adding separated bike lanes when streets are reconstructed 4 , and specific infrastructure requirements such as bike parking spaces and bike rack standards. 5 If separate lanes or paths cannot be provided, then it is important to consider whether speed limits should be lower so that overtaking motorists have sufficient sight distance and time to react to any bicyclist ahead. One related ordinance that has been passed by the City of Fort Worth is the Safe Passing Ordinance (No. 19570-03-2011), which establishes minimum separation distance when motorized vehicles are passing vulnerable road uses.
Article VIII: Pedestrians
The original pedestrian ordinance is from the 1964 code. It supported pedestrian safety by establishing the right-of-way for pedestrians and vehicles, including that drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks under certain circumstances (if traffic-control devices are absent and pedestrians are on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling), and pedestrians must yield to vehicles if crossing outside crosswalks. A significant update was made in 2001,
4 City of Cambridge. Cycling Safety Ordinance. https://www.cambridgema.gov/streetsandtransportation/policiesordinancesandplan%20s/cyclingsa%20fetyordinance
5 City of St. Louis. Ordinance 69148. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/city- laws/ordinances/ordinance.cfm?ord=69148
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