(Des Moines, IA) -- Biking communities across Iowa are calling for safer trails following the death of cyclist Courtney Petersen, who was struck and killed by a dump truck last Thursday while crossing an intersection on the High Trestle Trail.
"I think it's really a system failure in the design of that specific intersection. We need cars to slow down, we need flashing lights, and potentially an underpass. Definitely, removing the mounds has to be done," said Luke Hoffman, Executive Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.
The trail’s crossing at 44th Street intersects a road with a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit, where drivers must crest a hill in both directions before they can see the trail. Petersen, a paralyzed veteran, was riding a hand-crank bike that sat low to the ground, making her less visible to oncoming traffic.
The High Trestle Trail is one of Iowa’s most popular cycling routes, and Petersen rode it five to six times a week. Many cyclists say they feel unsafe at that particular crossing. One rider told WHO Radio News she narrowly avoided a collision at the same spot just weeks earlier.
"We were coming across that area, which we've done hundreds of times, and suddenly this black pickup comes out of nowhere. I swerved to the right into the gravel, went down, and curled up—just waiting for that truck to run over me," said Cate Frey, a frequent rider of the trail.
Frey says her friend, who was biking alongside her, had her tire clipped by the truck’s wheel but managed to escape injury.
Now, Petersen’s family has launched an online petition calling for safety improvements at the intersection, including better signage, lighting, and structural changes to protect cyclists.