PORTLAND (WGME)-- Dozens of bicyclists are riding with purpose on Wednesday night for the 'Ride of Silence' being held to honor those who have been injured or killed while biking.
Wednesday’s 'Ride of Silence' is one of six happening in Maine and one of two hundred happening across the country.
The goal of this ride is to honor bicyclists who have been injured or killed while riding and to bring awareness to safety on our roads.
This is the 20th year for the ride of silence.
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine says a recent report shows nationally we’re seeing a 16 year high in road fatalities.
"This is an issue we all know it we know it's challenging to find safe places to bike and to walk wherever you might be in Maine," says Jean Sideris, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.
Five percent increase in bicyclists being killed and a ten percent increase for pedestrians.
Here in Maine 20 pedestrians were killed on Maine roads in 2021, that’s double from 2020.
"We have seen that distracted driving and we have designed our roads for decades and centuries here to really accommodate drivers and vehicles and not to have a safe space for people biking or walking," says Sideris.
So far this year five pedestrians and one cyclist have died.
Executive Director Jean Sideris told CBS 13’s Lauren Healy that speed on our roads increased during the pandemic.
She says there are solutions we need to work towards to keep people safe.
“We can look into how are we designing our roads are we building multi use paths and side walks or other pedestrian bicycle accommodations bigger picture longer term transportation visions but there’s always action we can take right now here today to make everyone safer,” said Sideris.
Cyclists took on the pavement of Portland riding in honor of someone who was injured or killed.
"Way too many people in my life have been injured. Friends, family members, way too many people have lost their lives so I'm riding for the families and those people who have been hurt," says Lauri Boxer-Macomber, board member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine.