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| San Antonio City Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales Chairman of the MPO Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee helping to kick off the #My3Feet Campaign |
“Southtown is the perfect location to start this conversation, as the area is full of bicycling and pedestrian activity,” said Anthony Treviño, Interim Chief of Police.
Adopted by City Council in 2010, the Safe Passing Ordinance sets a required passing distance of 3 feet for cars and 6 feet for commercial or large trucks when passing bicyclists and pedestrians.
“As San Antonio undergoes exciting transformations in our neighborhoods and streets, the way we think about road safety must also evolve,” District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales said. “This is why we want to encourage everyone who uses our streets to consider the most vulnerable road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.”
San Antonio Bikes developed the #My3Feet campaign to help resident motorists imagine household items or personal mementos that roughly add up to three feet of space.
“Communication and word-of-mouth are key to the program’s success,” said Doug Melnick, Chief Sustainability Officer. “I encourage everyone to join the conversation and share ideas on social media, as well as with your friends and family.”
In 2014, San Antonio recorded 325 bicycle-related crashes, 799 pedestrian-related crashes and 54 pedestrian deaths according to the City’s Transportation & Capital Improvements Department.
The #My3Feet campaign includes outdoor advertising on roadways with high rates of traffic incidents involving cyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles. Social media users are encouraged to utilize the #My3Feet and #SABikes hashtags to participate in the campaign for a chance to win bicycle helmets and other prizes. San Antonio Bikes will feature the #My3Feet campaign with an inspiration wall at major events including Síclovía on Sept. 27 and San Antonio Bike Octoberfest on Oct. 10.
For more information, visit sanantonio.gov/sabikes
To see video of the press conference, please click here.
