DENVER – While a family thousands of miles away from this northwest Denver intersection mourned the loss of their son, dozens of people from the Turkish and cycling communities on Saturday dedicated a white ghost bike in honor of Salih Koç, 21, an international student from Turkey who was struck and killed on July 21 while riding his bike at W. 38th Ave. and N. Tejon St.
'He was taken tragically too soon from us'
During the ceremony, a letter was read from Koç's family.
“Salih was in your country on a work and travel program to spend his summer vacation. He was there to support his family financially, improve his language skills and get to know your country."
Koç was riding his bike with friends around 9 p.m. when he was struck and killed by a driver who left the scene, according to Denver police, who later said 28-year-old Jonathan Jarabek was arrested in connection to the crash and was being held on leaving the scene of an accident involving death.
Koç had only been in Denver for around a month but had settled into the tight-knit Turkish community.
“Coming over here I know he had a lot of hopes, dreams and wanted to learn English and make life better for the community,” said a member of the Turkish community. “There are no words that can describe our sadness.”
Koç’s death comes as several hit-and-run crashes have been in the headlines and cycling advocates continue to highlight the need for improved infrastructure to better protect vulnerable road users.
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'We all share the streets together'
“I hope people do approach this corner and wonder, ‘why is there a white bike tied to this post’,” said David Chen, member of the Denver Bicycle Lobby (DBL). “Maybe slow down a little bit, maybe put their phone away. That's all this is – a reminder that we all share the streets together as a community and to watch out for each other, to use our transportation system responsibly.”
Over the last several months, biking advocates have sounded an alarm on the city’s overall approach to safer streets and embrace of Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths.
Back in May, Denver7’s On Two Wheels shared voices of concerned cyclists after flex posts were removed from several blocks of protected bike lanes along busy Blake and Market Streets in downtown Denver.
“They're that vertical delineation that really made it clear that this was a space for riders, and it wasn't a space that you were to encroach in as a driver,” said Rob Toftness, co-founder of the Denver Bicycle Lobby back in May. “It gives you that real sense of separation. If it's just a line of paint on the ground, all it takes is for someone to be staring at their phone and wander into the lane.”
Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) told Denver7 the posts were removed in part due to maintenance issues and flex posts remained at corners and other “key locations”.There was another reason cited that didn’t sit well with the DBL and other cycling advocates.
Denver7 | On Two Wheels
'It felt safer': Denver cyclists worried about downtown removal of flex posts
“They (DOTI) have told us that this was primarily an aesthetic concern, It had to do with making downtown more appealing. I think that we shouldn't be doing aesthetics over safety. That's kind of been a rallying cry of anyone on a bike or using the street for a long time,” said Toftness. “They (DOTI) also mentioned that they wanted to remove the posts because it would allow pedestrians to more easily see into businesses – it just doesn't make any sense.”
Toftness pointed out the flex posts stand at 36 inches tall. “It's a logical stretch to say that a 36-inch (tall) and two-inch diameter post is blocking the view into businesses, and to say that at the same time when we have parking at the curb all the way downtown with cars that are 5, 6 and 7-feet tall, and we haven't removed the vehicles, It doesn't hold up to scrutiny,” Toftness added.
- In the video player below, watch as Denver7's On Two Wheels hears from concerned cyclists over the changes to downtown Denver protected bike lanes.
DOTI said the posts were removed and replaced with Zicla travel lane dividers. Those dividers, which are several inches tall, were already in place along Blake and Market streets. They offer division between the bike and other lanes, but drivers can still roll over the dividers – something Denver7’s On Two Wheels captured on video.
“It's frustrating that the city seems to take two steps forward and one step back, but we are heartened at how much public outcry we've seen in recent weeks and months for safe streets, for equitable transportation,” said Chen on Saturday. “Just at that last hearing with city council, there were so many important voices that we heard from calling on our leaders to do something, to tell them that this situation as it stands is unacceptable for a wide swath of Denverites.”
Denver
Denverites concerned about projects left off $950M Vibrant Denver bond list
Last week, June Churchill – a bike advocate who serves as the budget chair of DOTI’s advisory committee – talked to Denver7 about the bond proposal.
“It's $900 million of projects. Given the low cost of bike infrastructure, we should expect something, but there was nothing,” said Churchill. “If we want people to bike in Denver, you gotta make it so that they have a route from A to B to bike safely on. And currently, this bond doesn't present any of that.”
The Denver City Council advanced the Vibrant Denver bond package with the final vote set for this week. If approved, voters would have the final say in November.
Denver7 political reporter Brandon Richard took biking advocate’s concerns over the bond package to Dr. Ben Sanders, the city’s chief equity officer, who as part of the bond’s executive committee, recommended a list of projects to Mayor Johnson.
"The thing that I'd say about the bond overall is that the city, the residents of the city of Denver, should be really proud of it,” said Sanders, who added hundreds of ideas were submitted.“We tried to build the most equitable bond that creates the best and most opportunities for folks who need it most,” said Sanders.
Here is an interactive map of the proposed bond projects.
Colorado’s vulnerable road user fatality rate continues to climb. As of Sunday, CDOT’s dashboard recorded 60 pedestrian and 9 bicyclist deaths in Colorado so far this year. Denver7's On Two Wheels is tracking Colorado's traffic fatality trends in the infographics below.
To view in fullscreen mode, click this link.
Denverites passing through W. 38th Ave. and N. Tejon St. will now see yet another ghost bike chained to a pole as a real reminder of the human cost behind the statistics.
“I just hope this is the last ghost bike we install – my heart just goes out to Salih’s family,” said Chen, who added he is hopeful by the community’s turnout.
“There were a lot of neighbors that came out that had… experience at this intersection – that knew long before this crash that this was a dangerous intersection,” said Chen. “My hope lies in that, in that these people who might not be bike advocates are getting involved. Are making their voices heard. Are starting to learn, you know, what the process is like, who to contact, who their council person is, getting contact with the mayor's office and with DOTI.”
Denver7's On Two Wheels is dedicated to raising awareness to the dangers of biking in the Mile High City. If you have something we should check out, or someone in the cycling community that deserves a shout out, shoot me a message below or leave a voicemail on our hotline at: 303-832-0207.
- You can watch our first special report in the video player below as Denver cyclists share real world examples of navigating the roads.
