Austin Ghost Bike Project memorializes cyclists killed in crashes

On May 15, organizers, local cyclists and loved ones of those killed will gather at Austin City Hall at 7 p.m. for the Ride of Silence, a silent, all-levels memorial ride to honor those hurt or killed while biking on Austin roadways.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — At intersections and roadways across Austin are white bikes—memorials honoring the memory of cyclists killed in traffic crashes. It's part of the Austin Ghost Bike Project's ongoing mission to raise public awareness about the number of cyclists killed while the organization advocates for improved safety infrastructure for bikers.

"Our goal, really, is to draw attention to and to start to prevent so many needless deaths, accidents, crashes in our city," said Rhodney Williams with Austin Ghost Bike Project.

On May 15, organizers, local cyclists and loved ones of those killed will gather at Austin City Hall at 7 p.m. for the Ride of Silence, a silent, all-levels memorial ride to honor those hurt or killed while biking on Austin roadways. Participants are asked to wear white, bring a helmet and avoid talking or listening to music during the event.

It's a decades-old event that began in Dallas and has since expanded globally. Last year, more than 200 locations across 40 states and 16 countries hosted the memorial rides, per the Ride of Silence.

"We will be riding past two or three of the ghost bikes on our way, just to hopefully create an awareness," Williams said.

Cyclist safety is an issue monitored by the City of Austin's Vision Zero program. Vision Zero data revealed the following number of cyclist fatalities since 2020:

• 2020: 4 cyclist fatalities
• 2021: 3 cyclist fatalities
• 2022: 1 cyclist fatality
• 2023: 6 cyclist fatalities
• 2024 YTD: 0 fatalities

The dataset also monitors how many cyclists were seriously injured in traffic-related crashes:

• 2020: 22 cyclists seriously injured
• 2021: 26 cyclists seriously injured
• 2022: 28 cyclists seriously injured
• 2023: 24 cyclists seriously injured
• 2024 YTD: 13 cyclists seriously injured

Austin Ghost Bike Project has tracked dozens of cyclist deaths across the Central Texas region and is building out its ghost bike network. KXAN spoke with Williams on Wednesday in front of the memorial bike for Merry "Cookie" Daye, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in December 2019.

Many of those killed who the Austin Ghost Bike Project memorializes died in similar hit-and-run incidents, with several of those cases remaining unsolved, Williams said. Adding insult to injury, the organization has seen an uptick in the number of vandalized and stolen bikes, with Williams highlighting damages at Daye's memorial site along Cameron Road.

"It's a memorial," Williams said. "Someone died right here."

In its year-round work, Williams said organizers are calling for better infrastructure citywide with the installation of flex posts, concrete curbs and buttons as well as planters. Those — paired with stronger enforcement of traffic violations involving cyclists — could help minimize the number of bicyclists harmed on Austin roadways, he said.

"I think people just simply have to feel it's safer for them to get on the streets," he said. "From the Ghost Bike Project, we want more people riding for various reasons, and we want people to be safe."

More details on Wednesday's event are available online.