AVON LAKE, Ohio — One man died and a woman was injured while riding their bikes this summer in Avon Lake. Now the city is stepping in to get ideas from residents on how to improve safety for bikers.
The city held a forum for residents to voice their opinions on safety to local lawmakers and authorities Wednesday night.
The widow of a biker killed this summer was the most outspoken during the session.
"Randy was my best friend, I met him when I was 16," said Patty Knilans. "We were married for 45 years."
But Knilans says the good times keep her going.
"He was a great guy, had a big heart has lots of friends. He was just selfless," she said.
In June, her husband Randy Knilans was hit and killed while riding his bike in Avon Lake on Lake Road.
Authorities say 64-year-old Sharon Carr was intoxicated and drove off after hitting Knilans.
"What we're trying to do as a family is to kind of honor the way he lived and not how the way he died," said Patty Knilans. "It was a big part of Randy's life. He's been biking as long as I've known him. His dad rode until he was 90, my son rides."
Other residents who came out to the meeting offered their own suggestions.
"Enforce the law. No parking on the biked path-landscapers, construction workers," said one resident.
"How soon can something be done even just with paving," one resident said.
The city talked about some of its owns plans for the near future, including improving safety on Lake Road. That kind of quick thinking is what Knilans says she's grateful for.
"I can't think of anyway to better honor him than to be participating in something like this," said Knilans.
Now that the city has collected all of these ideas, they will hire an urban planner and try to turn all of these suggestions into something concrete.
RELATED: 64-year-old driver charged after deadly hit-skip involving cyclist in Avon Lake
