Bike ride and vigil in Bridgeport set to honor Riley O'Neil, cycling safety advocate killed in bike crash
A community will come together on Monday night to honor a city employee who dedicated his life to making Chicago streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
Chicago Department of Transportation employee Riley O'Neil was killed last week while riding his bike in Bridgeport, when someone in a car opened their door in his path, and he fell into the street, where he was hit by a passing vehicle.
O'Neil, 35, later died at Stroger Hospital.
Since then, a memorial to O'Neil has continued to grow near 32nd and Halsted, where he was hit. Mourners have left candles, flowers, a Chicago flag, a White Sox cap, and other things to remember O'Neil.
Chicago Bike Grid Now, a grassroots activist group which fights to make Chicago streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, has organized a "bike jam" and vigil for O'Neil at 7 p.m. on Monday.
"Riley's death, it marks the third cyclist hit and killed in Chicago this year, and its June," said Bike Grid Now community organizer Alyssa Edes.
CDOT confirmed O'Neil was an employee who worked for the city's Complete Streets team – which aims to make streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit – and previously led CDOT's bike parking program for several years.
"We have more cycling infrastructure now than we have had ever before in Chicago, and that's great. That is thanks to the work people at CDOT, including Riley, have been doing for years, but at the same time, it is not enough," Edes said.
On Monday, another cyclist was hit by a car door while riding on Halsted Street just steps away from the memorial to O'Neil, but thankfully was not seriously hurt.
"I'm a little bit scratched up," Seamus Wray said.
Wray was shocked to hear the story about how O'Neil was just killed nearby just days ago, noting other stretches of Halsted have protected bike lanes with concrete barriers.
"Maybe we could have that all along Halsted," he said.
The driver who hit Wray with their door stayed to make sure he was okay, and Wray left feeling grateful.
"I'm glad I'm alive," he said.
Police said four citations were issued to the driver of the car who opened their door into O'Neil, including unsafe opening and closing of a door, and parking in a prohibited standing zone.
Bike Grid Now will hold a vigil and ride in honor of O'Neil at 7 p.m. on Monday. It will begin at Palmisano Park in Bridgeport and make its way to the spot where he died.
