BOCA RATON: On January 8th 2024, the Boca Raton Bike Club issued a resolution drawing attention to the Town of Gulfstream for failing to support road improvements to A1A and failing to enforce traffic laws. Sadly, it has come in the aftermath of last week’s horrific Gulfstream bike crash where a southbound motorist crossed the centerline and plowed into an oncoming northbound 2×2 peloton of cyclists. Everyone who has cycled that section of A1A in Gulfstream knew it as “a crash waiting to happen.” The Boca Raton Bike Club resolution can be viewed here and BocaFirst applauds their acuity in pointing the finger at the Town of Gulfstream for culpability in the crash by opposing previous state efforts to widen A1A for all road users.
Photos from the subsequent protest gathering of 300-500 cyclists render explicit what the cycling community has known about the poor condition of the A1A roadway in Gulfstream. Plenty of towns along A1A have bike lanes but the Gulfstream stretch doesn’t. It’s even lousy for cars. The shoulder for example, if there is one, is only inches wide. Here’s a one minute cyclist few of this stretch of road taken by a Boca Bike Club member:
The Finger of Fault
Beyond the driver, blame can also be shared by any community who gives in to NIMBY complaints, rather make things better for the greater good. Perhaps their “crash waiting to happen” just hasn’t. Yet. Put bluntly, just because a few people don’t want sidewalks or bike lanes in their front yard or along a canal in the back yard, that doesn’t mean the lives of everyone else who shares ownership of the public right of way should be in jeopardy or denied their rightful amenity. For more about how this is happening in Boca Raton, check out our sister article “GULFSTREAM BIKE CRASH: What you need to know.” for a detailed look at how Boca Raton is at risk of making the same mistake as Gulfstream.
Landowners with only their self interests in mind and their attorneys that fight the public servants trying to make our towns better, need to examine their own culpability.
The Boca Raton Bike Club resolution correctly points out, the finger of fault for the Gulfstream bike accident extends beyond the motorist. It goes to everyone who has ever protested City, County or State projects for sidewalks and bike lanes. That is, local landowners with only their self interests in mind with attorneys in tow that fight the public servants trying to make our towns better; safer. Those folks need to examine their own culpability.
If you want to do something about the problem, consider adding your voice to the Bocafirst Live/Work/Play survey. Don’t let a small group of people decide about projects that affect the thousands of Boca Residents that would benefit. The BocaFirst Live/Work/Play survey is open until January 31st and you don’t have to live in Boca Raton to be counted.
If you are a BocaFirst subscriber, a survey was already emailed to you. If you aren’t a subscriber, request one here. Tell your friends.
