A bicycle rider has died as the result of a collision with an automobile user.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, the crash happened in the westbound lanes of the 9100 block of NE Killingsworth Street around 10:15 pm last night (Friday, 3/1).
Here’s more from the PPB statement released this morning:
“The investigation continues into last night’s fatal traffic crash. Investigators have determined a bicyclist was struck and killed on Northeast Killingsworth Blvd in the 9100 block. The driver of the vehicle was travelling westbound on Northeast Killingsworth when they struck the bicyclist. First aid efforts were started by community members who witnessed the crash but were not successful.
The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with the investigation. Neither alcohol nor speed were believed to be factors in this crash. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office was consulted during this investigation as well. The driver was not cited as a result of this crash.”
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Deadly crash – looks like this maybe involved a cyclist. We can see a body lying in the road…don’t worry that’s not visible in this photo. TRAFFIC ALERT: Both lanes of NE Killingsworth from 205 to Columbia Blvd are closed. We’re live at 11. #pdxtraffic #portland #fox12 pic.twitter.com/5YfZnuHva0
— Bonnie Silkman KPTV (@BonnieSilkman) March 2, 2019
This section of NE Killingsworth (also known as US Highway 30) is just west of cloverleaf interchanges and ramps for Interstate 205. It’s an extremely stressful place to ride a bike and it does not see much cycling traffic. The cross-section is four lanes in the westbound direction, including one unprotected, four-five foot wide bicycle-only lane. The speed limit on this section of Killingsworth is 45 mph. At those speeds, a vulnerable road user has only a 10 percent chance of survival if they are struck by a driver.
Below are two overhead views of where this happened. Note how wide the cross-section is and the proximity of the freeway ramps:
This is the fifth fatal traffic collision in Portland so far this year and the first one involving a bicycle rider. The victims of the first four deaths this year were walking prior to being struck.
We’ll share more information as we learn more. If you saw this crash and have any information to share, please contact us and the PPB non-emergency line at (503) 823-3333.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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