Bicycle safety campaign kicks off Monday

The “Yield to Life” safety campaign, co-sponsored by the City of St Augustine and the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, will hold a news conference to announce the official launch of the program, a collaborative effort aimed at increasing awareness and reducing bicycle and pedestrian-related crashes in St. Augustine, according to Jeff Sheffield, North Florida TPO Executive Director.

Historic City News readers are invited to attend on Monday, September 8, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in the Alcazar Room, on the ground floor at City Hall, located at 75 King Street in St. Augustine.

“Research shows that St. Augustine is a hotspot for bicycle and pedestrian-involved crashes, with 30 incidents per year on average,” said St Augustine Vice-Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline, who also holds a seat on the Transportation Planning Organization. “Last year, the TPO partnered with the Atlantic Beach Police to provide a similar public awareness campaign that resulted in a 71% decrease in bicycle/pedestrian accidents at targeted intersections on Atlantic Boulevard.”

The multi-media campaign will run from September 8-21, 2014. Informative television and radio public service announcements, utility bill inserts, and posters will target St. Augustine residents and Flagler College students, encouraging them to “Look All-Ways” and “Slow Your Roll.”

St. Augustine Police Officers will also conduct outreach, discussing traffic safety and distributing brochures and T-shirts. Scheduled to be on hand, Community Resources Commander Steve Fricke of the St. Augustine Police Department.