Streetcar-related bike accidents not tracked by SDOT

Bicyclists continue to struggle with streetcar rail tracks in Seattle, but there’s no way to track just how dangerous they are.

Since the tracks went in nine years ago, bicyclists complained their narrow tires get caught in the gap of the rails and they can be thrown to the ground.

Several bicyclists sued the city and lost, but the original rails were replaced with safer ones.

But the issue is up for debate again after 27-year-old Desiree McCloud died in May. McCloud crashed her bicycle next to the First Hill Streetcar on Yesler Way.

Friends say her tire may have hit the tracks while she was passing another cyclist.

Despite the safety concerns about bicycles and streetcars, there isn’t much data, locally, to draw conclusions.

According to an article in the Seattle Times, the Seattle Department of Transportation doesn’t track streetcar-related bike accidents.

The city has reportedly analyzed crash records, but wrecks due to streetcar tracks are classified the same as when cyclists hit a pothole and crash.

In addition, the city can only check incidents that are reported to the police or fire departments, and most are never reported because they’re not serious enough.

There is a study out of Toronto which found 32 percent of cyclists surveyed had crashed because of streetcar rails.

Those in the Seattle bicycle community would like to see more in-depth studies and changes to the accident reporting process, so there’s a clearer understanding about how widespread the problem is.