Indy Ride of Silence to highlight 86th Street and Monon Trail intersection

A Ride of Silence Wednesday will honor bicyclists killed and injured in Indianapolis in 2021.

Bicycle Garage Indy Advocacy Director Connie Szabo Schmucker said the route will highlight the 86th Street and Monon Trail intersection where infrastructure improvements are needed.

“Bicycle Garage Indy has gotten involved because one of our employees, Frank Radaker, was killed at the intersection last fall while he was bicycling on his way to work.” So we are wanting to see changes to that intersection, so others won’t have to experience a fatality,” Szabo Schmucker said.

She hopes attention can also be given to other areas in the city to make roads safer.

“Any lessons that we’ve learned here hopefully then we can apply to other locations that need to have attention and make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists,” she said.

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The ride will start at 6:30 p.m. from Bicycle Garage Indy North, head west on 82nd/86th streets to the Monon and return.

The Ride of Silence is a free ride event. Organizers are asking bicyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride. 

The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that bicyclists have a legal right to the public roads.