Cyclist Forced Onto Riverside Drive By Construction Hit By Driver

A cyclist was forced onto Riverside Drive because of trail construction and was hit by a driver who left the scene.

Larry Buxton said he’ll be OK, but that situation he was put in is a no win situation for both cyclists and drivers.

"Nobody wants to be on Riverside,” Buxton said. “The people that are using Riverside to get back and forth to work, they don't want us on Riverside; it's a mutual agreement that we have, but there is no safe passage right now."

Thursday morning, Buxton found himself riding his bike on Riverside Drive because the trail over Joe Creek is closed for construction.

Anticipating the detour, Buxton did what he was legally required to do, cross the light and enter into traffic at 81st Street and come north on Riverside.

He said that’s when he got hit by a car pulling out of an apartment complex.

Buxton is a little banged up, but he and other people who use the trail system are wondering why there isn't a better way to get through the construction and stay out of traffic.

City Engineer Paul Zachary said they had no choice but to stage equipment on the trails.

Crews are working on another trail project to bring it underneath Riverside Drive.

Zachary said they'll add more signs to alert drivers of cyclists in the construction area.

"Bicyclists have the right to be in the roadway, they do, but I think along here, one of the things we thought about is they're not used to seeing them here, they've had such a good option to be on the trail, so we're going to be posting those signs to look for bicyclists in the roadway," Zachary said.

The city hopes to have the River Parks trail area at 81st open by June 7th.