Ghost Bike Put Up Downtown But Officials Say It’ll Likely Get Tossed Soon

https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/04/29/ghost-bike-put-up-downtown-...

The bikes are used to honor people killed by drivers, but police said this one could be too distracting. Marciales, 41, was killed on Feb. 28 when a driver hit him as he rode through the crosswalk of Lake Shore Drive.

DOWNTOWN — The family of Gerardo Marciales honored his life with a ghost bike and vigil Thursday Downtown, where a driver hit and killed the bicyclist. But police told them the bike will likely be removed soon.

Marciales’ loved ones were joined by volunteers from Bike Lane Uprising, a bicycle advocacy group that creates ghost bikes, as they set up a white bike with flowers and a sign honoring Marciales at Lake Shore and Balbo drives. The bikes are used to memorialize people killed by drivers.

“One of the reasons we wanted to do the vigil is because we wanted to raise awareness,” said Jaime Bolognone, Marciales’ fiancee. “We don’t want any other family to have to go through what we’ve gone through. … We hope that people are listening and the city will consider making some safety changes, not only to this intersection.

“Gerardo was the kindest, most generous person I’ve ever known.”

Marciales, 41, of Lincoln Park, was killed on Feb. 28. He was riding his bike in a crosswalk across Lake Shore Drive when a driver hit him, police said. Marciales died from his injuries.