My name Is Sandra Douglas and I am currently a Junior attending Waubonsie Valley High School. My goal is to attempt to spread awareness regarding the importance and significance of safer roads in the city of Aurora and hopefully, the entire state of Illinois. On average, 30 bicyclists are killed yearly with the recent increase of 12 crashes occurring in 2019 to a major jump of 42 individuals killed in 2023. 

Tragically, a fellow peer of mine, Micah Ginsberg, had passed in November of 2023 due to a related crash in which he had not been responsible for and had the Right of Way but instead, unknowingly, a driver collided into him. Micah had been a very rowdy individual. He was always the class clown and knew how to make everyone smile even if their days had been troubled. He was one of the most adventurous individuals you could meet, especially when with his friends. He loved dwelling in nature, fishing, playing his Xbox and most importantly, biking. He had been apart of Troop 508 while becoming an Eagle Scout September 13, 2024. He fought for not only his family but his community and all everyday, normal teenage activities that we find ourselves indulging in today, he will now not be able to participate in as a result of the inattention of another driver.

Micah was set to graduate May of 2025 this year and rather than him walking the stage that he has worked years to achieve, a petition is being created to both honor his memory and to make sure that this preventable tragedy will never happen in our town again. 

I am to ask officials and city members to create visuals such as lights or a spreed bump implemented near sidewalks that can be clearly viewed when cyclists will, and can appear, as well as to add barriers on the side of the road that cover biking lanes that are in the street. Across from Waubonsie Valley all the way down Ogden and Mccoy, we can see that biking lanes are apart of the street that holds a various numbers of trucks, motorcycles, and other motor vehicles. If we implement safer roads for our community, we will be able to prevent injuries and possible deaths in the future.