Stay safe this weekend: City commissioner shares story
May 24—TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Commissioner Mitch Treadwell knows what it's like to feel unsafe while biking around town.
Last week, on his way to Monday's city commissioners' meeting, Treadwell was struck by a car while on his bike at the intersection of Seventh and Union streets. He said that's right next to where he lives, and a route he's taken many times before.
According to the accident report, witnesses told police that Treadwell was in the crosswalk when the car hit him. He was taken to Munson Medical Center and later diagnosed with a severe concussion and sore neck and back after the crash. He was not wearing a helmet.
"It did highlight issues of there being no stop sign or stoplight for pedestrians or bikes, and an issue of visibility," he said. "So I started looking at other routes, but I can say there is no perfect solution, and what works for me might not work for somebody else."
Treadwell said his bike — which is his main form of transportation around town — was totaled.
"That crash and subsequent reevaluation of how I get from point A to point B has helped highlight various issues that even I, as somebody who gets around primarily by foot or bike, might not have conceptualized," he said. "It's caused me to look with a finer eye at potential dangers that pedestrians and cyclists can face as they're navigating the city."
The car was deemed at-fault in the crash and issued a citation.
Traverse City Police Department Road Patrol Capt. Adam Gray said in the summer months as the population around town increases, so do the amount of traffic incidents.
According to traffic data from Michigan State Police, that increase is happening everywhere.
Since last week, 14 people died on Michigan roadways, making a total of 332 this year, MSP said. More than 120 were seriously injured, making a statewide total of 1,537 people injured in 2024, so far.
"It's important to always remember to obey traffic signals, walk in the crosswalk and wear a helmet if biking," Gray said. "If you're biking at night remember to wear reflective strips and, or, have a head and tail light so cars are able to see you."
For Treadwell, Monday's crash serves as a catalyst to remind people to stay safe as pedestrians and cyclists, as well as make Traverse City streets safer.
As a member of the Master Plan Leadership Team for the city, and working with their Mobility Action Plan, Treadwell said he's been a part of discussions on how to maintain the city's reputation as a biking- and walking-friendly place.
"But, that doesn't mean that we still don't have progress to make," he said. "A lot of the discussion has been at places that don't have a bike pathway or might have gaps in our sidewalk network or might be busy intersections without a crosswalk or another safe way for pedestrians to get across."
Drafts of the plan show some possible improvements include adding more HAWK signals, which behave like a traffic light so pedestrians can cross a busy street. Other suggestions include more flashing beacons, like those along Front, Eighth and Woodmere streets that alert drivers to crossing pedestrians, but don't necessarily halt traffic, according to the plan.
Looking ahead, Treadwell said he and others on those committees hope to fix that and create a safe transportation plan for Traverse City.
In the immediate future, he said he wanted to share his story to alert people on either side of the roadway — drivers or cyclists and walkers — about what can happen if someone is traveling negligently.
Editor's note: This story was updated Friday, May 24 to add that Treadwell wasn't wearing a helmet.
