Cycling advocate honored during City Council meeting

CHICAGO CITY HALL (WBBM Newsradio) -- Chicago aldermen paused to honor a city worker killed in a crash that's trained new attention on efforts to make cycling on Chicago streets safer.

Members of the City Council Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee observed a moment of silence in honor of Chicago Department of Transportation "Complete Streets Program" worker Riley O'Neil during their meeting Tuesday morning here at City Hall.

"He was a committed and joyful servant of the city," said Ald. Daniel LaSpata (1st Ward), the committee's chairman. "Riley was doing everything that we could ask a cyclist to do to be safe, and still lost his life in our streets."

During the meeting's public comment period, W. Robert Schultz III from the Active Transportation Alliance also offered a tribute to O'Neil's work: "He's been very important to the transportation transformation with respect to bike lanes in the city. His loss will be deeply felt."

Police say O'Neil was riding in a painted bike lane south on Halsted near 32nd Street Friday evening when someone opened a door into him, knocking him under the rear wheels of a passing semi. Halsted does not have a protected bike lane in that area.

Another speaker, Maria Moctezuma, expressed condolences for O'Neil's death but suggested the city's bike lane program is being expanded at the expense of business parking and safe passage for first responders.

"Streets are only as safe as the people using them, whether driving, biking or walking," Moctezuma said. "We all share the responsibility to follow the rules, stay alert and respect one another. Infrastructure can improve safety but it cannot remove personal responsibility."

LaSpata clapped back against the implication: "Because it was named, I need to say this. Riley was a completely responsible cyclist. I do dedicate my work to him."

Police cited the driver of the car that doored O'Neil.