Although so far this year there have been relatively few bike fatalities on Chicago Streets, tragically there recently was a third one. Last month, a hit-and-run Jeep driver struck a man, 64, riding a bike in Pilsen, and the victim died from his injuries last week.
Meanwhile, talks about the previously proposed El Paseo rails-to-trails project, to create a safe off-street bike and pedestrian route in Pilsen and Little Village, are restarting with a meeting on Wednesday.
Bike fatality
According to the Chicago Police Department, on Sunday, October 27, at around 4:15 a.m. the bike rider was cycling in the 1900 block of South Union Avenue (700 W.), next to the Dan Ryan Expressway.
The Jeep driver struck the man and fled the scene, police said. As of today, the motorist had not been apprehended.
The victim was taken to Stroger Hospital with a head injury, according to CPD. He was pronounced dead last Wednesday, November 6, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. His identity has not yet been released, pending notification of kin.
Meeting on El Paseo greenway proposal
In related news, this morning Block Club Chicago's Francia Garcia Hernandez reported that there will be a community meeting about how to upgraded a disused rail corridor that runs through Pilsen and Little Village. Several years ago, the Chicago Department of Transportation proposed building El Paseo, a rails-to-trails greenway to facilitate safe biking and pedestrian activity.
After community members voiced concerns that the project might accelerate gentrification and raise housing prices in these neighborhoods, the idea was shelved in 2022. According to Block Club, Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) said the new hearing is an opportunity for people in the community to reconsider the rails-to-trails idea and brainstorm ways to make it more beneficial for current residents.
The meeting will take place this Wednesday, November 13, from 6-8 p.m. at Joseph Jungman Stem Magnet School, 1746 S. Miller St., in an open house format, with attendees invited to view display boards and talk to CDOT staffers.
Fatality Tracker: 2024 Chicago pedestrian and bicyclist deaths on surface streets
Pedestrian: 19
Bicyclist: 3
Streetsblog Chicago’s traffic death numbers represent fatal crashes on Chicago surface streets, based on media reports and/or preliminary Chicago Police Department data.
2024 Chicago pedestrian fatality cases
• On October 20, 2024, a distracted car driver fatally struck a woman, 65, crossing Avenue O in Hegewisch.
• On October 5, 2024, a hit-and run Sedan driver fatally struck a man walking in the 500 block of South Homan Avenue in East Garfield Park.
• On August 17, 2024, a hit-and-run pickup driver fatally struck James Reed Tillman, as he was crossing the street in the 1900 block of West Howard Street in Rogers Park.
• On August 17, 2024, an SUV driver fatally struck 33-year-old Taras Mykhailenko on the 3300 block of North Harlem Avenue in the Dunning community.
• On August 6, 2024, a semi driver struck and killed a woman near Roosevelt Road and Ashland Avenue on the Near West Side.
• On July 29, 2024, an SUV driver, who apparently was entering a parking, lot fatally struck Jimmy L. Jones, 70 near 89th Street and Loomis Avenue in Gresham.
• On July 22, 2024, a car driver ran over and killed a male victim near 115th Street and Vincennes Avenue in Morgan Park.
• On July 17, 2024, a semi driver fatally struck an unidentified male walking at the southwest corner of Lower Wacker Drive and Lower Michigan Avenue in the Loop and left the scene.
• On July 13, 2024, a car driver struck Steven Moore, 63, at 107th Street and Emerald Avenue in Rosedale, turned around, and fatally ran him over again.
• On June 18, a hit-and-run driver fatally struck Patricia Mae Brzozowski, 75, at 4617 S. Hermitage in New City.
• On June 2, 2024, a pickup truck driver fatally struck Xyaire Askew, 4, at 82nd Street and Harper Avenue in Avalon Park.
• On May 15, 2024, a hit-and-run trucker struck and killed Karl Hall, 44, at he walked across Halsted Street at Maxwell Street in University Village.
• On March 31, 2024, a hit-and-run sedan driver fatally struck CPS teacher Charles "Charlie" Mills, 56, in the 6400 block of South Pulaski Road in West Lawn.
• On March 3, 2024, an SUV driver fatally struck a man police said was "sitting in the street" on the 3100 block of West Marquette Road in Chicago Lawn.
• On February 25, 2024, a pickup driver failed to yield while making a left turn, fatally striking married couple Zofia Chruszcz, 72, and Ryszard Stebnicki, 75, in an unmarked crosswalk at Archer and McVicker avenues in Garfield Ridge.
• On February 22, 2024, a driver fatally struck a male pedestrian, 52, who was crossing South King Drive at 47th Street in the Grand Boulevard community.
• On February 8, 2024, a hit-and-run pickup driver ran a red and fatally struck Jiekun Xu, 68, as she crossed Pulaski Road at 44th Street in Archer Heights.
• On January 21, 2024, a hit-and-run SUV driver struck and killed David Marshall Hoyle III, 35, as he crossed 95th Street at Union Avenue in Washington Heights.
• On January 7, 2024, a hit-and-run SUV driver struck and killed Jason Kardish, 40, as he crossed Ashland Avenue at Diversey Parkway in Lincoln Park.
2024 Chicago bike fatality cases
• On October 27, 2024, a hit-and-run Jeep driver fatally struck a man, 64, in the 1900 block of South Union Avenue in Pilsen.
• On September 2, 2024, a hit-and-run driver fatally struck Robert "Bob" Levin, 61, at 2444 N. Ashland Avenue in Lincoln Park.
• On August 24, 2024, a hit-and-run car driver fatally struck John Ward, 55, at Washington Boulevard and Central Park Avenue in the East Garfield Park community.
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