I’m writing to demand urgent action to address the dangerous conditions on Mosby Street. As someone who commutes by bicycle, I’ve experienced firsthand how unsafe this corridor has become, and a recent incident made it painfully clear that if nothing changes, someone is going to get seriously hurt or killed.

On April 18, 2025, around 4:10 p.m., I was biking northbound in the designated bike lane on Mosby Street when a FedEx Express van illegally swerved into the bike lane, cutting me off and nearly causing a crash. I had to brake hard to avoid hitting the van or being thrown into the curb. When I knocked on the window to alert the driver, he got out of the vehicle, screamed at me, and threatened to assault me. I’ve filed a complaint with FedEx and reported the incident to the police department.

This is not an isolated event. Drivers routinely enter the bike lane on Mosby to park illegally without checking for cyclists. I’ve raised this issue before with Council members Ellen Robertson and Cynthia Newbille, but no real changes have been made. 

The Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper project is a step in the right direction for daylighting intersections, but it is nowhere near enough to prevent these life-threatening situations.

What Mosby Street needs is more physical protection. More bollards and actual hard infrastructure to stop vehicles from entering the bike lane. Paint is not protection, signs are not protection and flimsy plastic poles every 10 feet are not protection. I am tired of near misses, and I’m tired of inaction.

It shouldn’t take a fatal crash to get the City to take bike and pedestrian safety seriously. I urge you, not as a frustrated cyclist, but as a neighbor who wants to stay alive when trying to get around— prioritize safety on Mosby Street now.

Please don’t wait until it’s too late.

JOSEPH CARLISLE

Richmond