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Cement Truck Driver Fatally Strikes Cyclist In Manhattan
By
Nathan Tempey
Published Dec 15, 2016
Modified Dec 15, 2016
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By
Nathan Tempey
Published Dec 15, 2016
Modified Dec 15, 2016
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A cement truck driver struck and killed a cyclist in Hell's Kitchen this morning, according to police.
The driver and cyclist were both headed towards the Hudson River on West 55th Street at around 6:50 a.m. when, investigators determined, the driver made a right turn onto 12th Avenue and hit the cyclist. The intersection is where two-lane, one-way 55th Street ends at the West Side Highway, with 12th Avenue serving as a service road running one-way on either side of the highway.
Images of the crash aftermath show the bike under the cement truck and the cyclist's body on the ground behind the stopped truck.
Officers say they arrived and found the cyclist unconscious with severe head and bodily trauma. Paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene. The driver, 56, remained at the scene and has not been charged thus far.
The intersection was the scene of 20 crashes in 2015, four of which injured people, including a cyclist struck by a driver who failed to yield, according to the NYPD. The 2016 crash total has outpaced last year's, with 21 logged as of December 9th, including three that left five motor vehicle occupants injured.
Two-way West 57th Street two blocks to the north is a truck route, whereas 55th Street is not. However, years of Google Maps snapshots show that West 55th is routinely used by drivers of commercial trucks.
A map of city Vision Zero road safety initiatives indicates that West 55th Street between 10th and 12th avenues have been chosen for "Major Safety Projects." A Department of Transportation spokeswoman explained, "In 2013, DOT made enhancements to the crosstown bike lanes in West Midtown, including adding a bike lane on the left side of West 55th Street. Following today’s fatality, we will review the intersection for any future improvements."
The NYPD is withholding the victim's identity pending notification of his family.
Updated to include a response from the DOT.
Tagged
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crash
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