BETHESDA, Md. — Dan Langenkamp may still be grieving the loss of a loved one, but he manages to use his heartbreak for a bigger purpose.
Eight weeks after his wife Sarah Langenkamp, a U.S. diplomat, died in a crash in Bethesda, Dan hopes to inspire members of Congress to fund safety changes on roadways.
Through partnerships with bike groups including, Trek Bicycle, PeopleForBikes and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Dan plans to hold the 'Ride For Your Life' bike ride on Nov. 19. The ride will start at 10 a.m. at Wood Acres Elementary School. The route will take participants to the crash site on River Road near Brookside Drive and to Capitol Hill. People can register here.
The goal is to demand $200 million in federal funding for local government to improve cycling routes and implement new truck regulations including additional training and the use of automated driver assistance systems.
"The ride is going to re-trace Sarah's bike ride that day," Dan told WUSA9. "There are some great organizations that are out there working on bike safety and are asking for an appropriation, but this kind of ride I think is a first of its kind."
Sarah was biking home from her son's school when she was hit by a driver. She was in the bike lane when the flat-bed truck hit her while making a right turn, according to police.
The family moved to Bethesda only three weeks earlier after they were recently evacuated from Ukraine, where she was a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.
Her death garnered plenty of attention and helped Dan raise $281,000 through a GoFundMe created to support safer street initiatives. Dozens of people also participated in a memorial in her honor.
Dan also announced donating $50,000 to WABA to help its advocacy efforts.
"I think we can do a lot with that money," WABA Maryland organizer Peter Gray said. "We will be able to support other groups."
Dan has been vocal about better infrastructure on River Road including bike barriers.
Councilman Andrew Friedson said he and the delegation have been in contact with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway every other week.
Friedson said there are plans to implement near and long-term changes soon.
"There are opportunities to have a more continuous bikeway for the stretch of road to make sure we provide a protected barrier," Friedson said. "We have to do better. We have to do more, and we can't solve this problem just intersection by intersection. We need holistic approaches."