Lexington Walk/Bike Summit: Accident victim champions cause for safer city

Long before she was a two-term city council member, Hannah Legris was (and is still) an avid cyclist. 14 years ago, she was forced to take about a 2 ½ year break from her passion.

“In 2010, I had a big accident where I was struck by a vehicle while in the bike lane. It changed my life,” she said.

Legris took a break from attending the two-day Lexington Bike/Walk Summit, where concerned citizens, activists, and keynote speakers shared ideas on how to make the city safer and more accessible for bikers, joggers, and walkers.

“As elected officials, it’s our job to meet people where they are,” Legris said.

Mrs. Legris serves the city’s 3 ^rd district as an LFUCG member. The area included parts of downtown, the neighborhoods around the University of Kentucky, and out to Nicholasville Road. Those who know understand they are very busy parts of the city.

Legris is hoping to bring more safe places and trails to the city for her fellow bikers. She needed them while recovering from the compound leg fracture and shattered foot she sustained during that accident, which also resulted in the amputation of several toes.

“Being able to be on that Legacy Trail, separate from cars, got my comfort level back up,” she said. Legris needed years to get back on a bike and even more time to even consider going near a street on a bicycle. She wants kids and adults to have more access to similarly safe options for learning how to ride or to ride comfortably.

“Learning to ride is a process, I know from experience, so having a trail system matters,” she added.

Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet Secretary and former Lexington mayor, Jim Gray, spoke at the summit, and it seems as if the support to do these projects is there. Financing is available thanks, in part, to an $18,000 grant from the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission. Government funding is likely to be a part of the equation as well.

“Secretary Gray spoke this morning and did a great job reminding everyone that we have an advocate in Frankfort. He’s someone who knows the importance of complete streets and pedestrian/cyclist safety,” Legris said.

Mrs. Legris said the committee takes ideas from other cities, like Portland, Oregon, which has a gold rating when it comes to bicycle safety. Lexington, she said, is slightly lower at this time.

“We’re bronze, so we’re on our way,” she said of Lexington’s medal status.