Cyclist killed in Farmington Hills hit-and-run
From the Detroit News:
Police are looking for a black sports car today they believe was involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash Sunday night on Middle Belt Road.
Police said Redford Township resident John Sallman was riding his bicycle southbound on Middle Belt between Nine and 10 Mile roads when he was struck by a speeding car at about 10:45 p.m.
A witness told police he was proceeding southbound on Middle Belt when he was passed by a Pontiac G6 driving at a high rate of speed. The driver said the Pontiac then returned to the southbound lane in front of the witness and then struck Sallman, 44.
The driver of the Pontiac failed to stop and fled the scene.
Police believe the suspect vehicle may have damage to the front end as well as the windshield.
Anyone with information is asked to call the traffic safety section of the Farmington Hills Police Department at (248) 871-2630. After 4:30 p.m., call (248) 871-2610.
Middlebelt is not a Complete Street, just like most of the streets in Farmington Hills. This city’s attempt at bike friendliness is a short bike lane on one side of a road.
After reading their planning documents, it’s fairly clear that bicycles are for recreation and not transportation.
Many times there master plan (produced by Vilican Leman & Associates) states “Bike paths and/or sidewalks are installed to provide non-motorized access throughout the area.” Saying “bike paths and/or sidewalks” means either someone doesn’t understand AASHTO bicycle design guidelines or Complete Streets principles.
Sadly enough, Oakland County Planning and Economic Development Services reviewed this master plan and their staff “commended” Farmington Hills.
And the city’s sustainability report (produced by Hooker De Jong) is downright delusional: “Farmington Hills will continue to develop as a community that is livable, walkable, bikeable, culturally interesting and safe.”
Bikeable and safe? Where?
Certainly not on Middle Belt — and that’s how they planned it.
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Tags: bicycle crash, Farmington Hills, hit-and-run
July 27th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
When I used to live in Dearborn Heights and commute to Farmington Hills, I ended up taking Middlebelt once. It was a nightmare for a cyclist. It’s not at all surprising that it was planned to be a nightmare. I found that Inkster Road isn’t much better, but at least traffic was substantially lighter.
July 27th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
So many of those roads are nightmares. The traffic levels on Middlebelt between 10pm and 11pm weren’t too bad. One could expect less than 3 cars per minute to pass you.