The new turnouts are the latest leg of what activists, who have lobbied the state, have called too long a climb to stem a tragic line of crashes on the mountain.

According to State Parks, only 17 bike-vs.-vehicle crashes have been investigated by staff since 2010, said Eddie Guaracha, Diablo Range District Superintendent for State Parks.

But Mount Diablo Cyclists, an advocacy group, says their records show the mountain has seen at least 36 accidents involving bicycles and motor vehicles between 2010 and 2021. The number was compiled after public records requests to get state traffic collisions and public safety reports and traffic records, according to the group.

State park officials said they expect the project to be completed within 90 days, in three phases. The first involves the installation of 13 switches on South Gate Road – one of the main entrances to the park – and will require the road to be closed on weekdays for approximately three weeks.

The new batch adds to the 17 bicycle turnouts that were installed a few years ago. The former contributed to a significant decrease in collisions, according to Guaracha.

For decades, Mount Diablo has been a hot spot for collisions between drivers and cyclists making the 26-mile pilgrimage to the summit and back. Cyclists may number as high as 150,000 a year, according to Mount Diablo Cyclists, which bases its estimate on public records and the group’s own video surveys over the years.

“Cyclists will tell you that about a third of the time they’re going up there, they’re almost hit by a car on the way down,” said Kalin, who was hospitalized after colliding with a Tesla. 800 meters from Mt. Diablo in April. “But it’s not just about making it safe for cyclists,” he said. “Cycling rallies reduce animosity” between motorists and bicycles.

Over the years, Kalin and other members of the group have filed public records requests for traffic collision reports and used them to compile their own investigations to understand how and why so many crashes occur. produce on the mountain.

According to Kalin, the number of cyclists criss-crossing the mountain skyrocketed during the pandemic when the country saw unprecedented levels of cycling.

A year ago, the state legislature approved $1.5 million for more than 70 mountain stakes.

“These switches will make road conditions on the mountain safer for motorists and cyclists,” said State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, who led the crossing.

However, rising design and construction costs mean the number of new turnouts has been reduced to 30, according to Glazer chief of staff Daniel Weintraub. Glazer plans to continue advocating for more.

“After a long and winding road to get here, I am happy that the construction of these switches has finally started. I hope the park plans to build the others soon,” Glazer said.

Riders familiar with Mount Diablo say the extra 30 won’t cover all the dangerous blind spots. According to the association, 80% of all collisions on the mountain occur on or near blind turns, of which there are at least 300.

Still, say cyclists, more bike participation is better than none — and if more parks, cities and counties embrace them, so much the better.

“When you’re riding a bike and you’re next to a car, it’s a life-changing experience,” Kalin said. By building turnouts, he said, “we saved the life of someone we will never know and will never meet”.

Annie Vainshtein (her) is a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @annievain