I just found out about a memorial ride happening today for Andrzej Sacawa, the cyclist who fell from the Burnamthorpe Bridge on March 29th due to poor road and bridge design.

In short, the road is designed for cars, although it is marked as a bike route on Mississauga cycling maps (and many of the sidewalks are signed as bikeroutes), and this cyclist chose to use the sidewalk to remain relatively safe (you can see the bridge in the photo - click for the google map). The bridge railing is only about 3 feet high though, so when part of his bike hit the railing, he fell over the railing.

Vic Gedris has done an amazing job of photo-documenting the "cycling facilities" in that part of Mississauga. The photos illuminate why the cycling community is calling for a coroner's inquest and calling for an apology from the mayor of Mississauga for the city blaming the cyclist for his death because he was riding on the sidewalk, despite the road being dangerous for cyclists, the bridge railing being far too low, the bridge being marked as a bikeroute, and many sidewalks in the area signed as bikeroutes.


Memorial Details:

When: Saturday April 8th, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Burnhamthorpe Bridge over the Credit River.

Meet: Cyclists will gather at Bloor St. and Spadina Ave at 12:00 p.m.for a 12:15 p.m. departure. This group will ride to the second departure point at the Islington Subway Station, main pedestrian entrance, at 1pm. From where both groups will ride to the site. Cyclists and others may also meet at the site, please meet us at the northeast end of the bridge. Bring flowers if possible.

Ceremony: Cyclists mark solidarity and respect for one of their own at the Burnhamthorpe Bridge 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 8th, 2006

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