Bike safety summit held as Wilmington area works to make roads safer
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — As e-bike and pedestrian incidents continue to raise concerns in Wilmington, transportation safety advocates gathered during the weekend to talk about bike safety, regulations, and sharing the road.
On Sept. 4, 33-year-old Xavier Richardson was struck and killed by an SUV on Market Street. Days later, 58-year-old Dexter Faulk was killed in a hit-and-run crash on South 17th Street. Last month, Christopher Johnston was killed while riding his bicycle on Carolina Beach Road.
The crashes come as the city works to implement its Vision Zero plan, adopted last year with a goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The plan focuses on road design, infrastructure and enforcement.
More than 240 bicycle crashes have been reported in the Wilmington area since 2023, including 95 in 2024 and 86 in 2025.
Terry Lansdell, executive director of Bike Walk NC, said Vision Zero involves more than road construction.
“It’s an important part of the conversation about how we design our roadways, how we behave on our roadways, and how we invest in our transportation system,” Lansdell said.
Lansdell and other transportation safety advocates gathered in Carolina Beach this week for the Bike Walk North Carolina Transportation Summit. The group focused on ways to make roads safer for people walking and biking, as well as children traveling to school.
“The first rule of driving for us and for the world is that you don’t hit anything … ever,” Lansdell said.
E-bikes were also part of the discussion at the summit.
North Carolina recognizes three classes of electric bicycles, but some safety advocates say additional restrictions could make it harder for some people to use e-bikes as a form of transportation.
Mo Linquist, a Bike Walk NC board member, said that can be particularly significant for some older riders who rely on electric assistance.
“I think it’s more the behavior than it is the actual vehicle,” Lindquist said.
Rather than banning e-bikes from places such as greenways, Lindquist said communities could consider lower speed limits and clearer trail etiquette.
Lansdell agreed.
“When you use those devices properly, you don’t have complaints,” he said.
The summit also highlighted the need for “Bike Buses,” where groups of students ride to school together with adults helping lead the way and keep them safe.
