PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - A New Port Richey bicyclist died in a
crash involving a van on the Suncoast Trail, the Florida Highway
Patrol said.

Troopers said the 79-year-old woman was traveling southbound on the
Suncoast Trail as a van was traveling down a ramp to merge right to
westbound Ridge Road just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Investigators said the bicyclist failed to stop for a posted stop sign
on the trail and entered the path of the van. The two then collided.

The bicyclist was taken to a hospital and later died from her
injuries.

The van driver, a 42-year-old man from Spring Hill, did not suffer any
injuries

The crash remains under investigation.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-port-richey-bicyclist-dies-in-crash-involving-van-on-suncoast-trail/ar-AA13CXxQ

I ride this trail pretty often and was on it just the day before this
happened The accident occurred at a type of trail/road intersections
that I've always believed to be problematic. The trail runs parallel
to the road, in this case a fast, no stop, off ramp, and then turns
sharply to cross it.

To make matters worse at this crossing, the trail runs at a slightly
lower elevation than the off ramp and crosses it at a steep angle due
to the ramp's banking. A southbound bicyclist has to look back and up
over his left shoulder to see the oncoming traffic, and if he stops at
the sign, a two wheeler has only a few feet to get clipped in and
moving before a rather steep incline.

I foresaw this situation when I first encountered this new
intersection earlier this year. I should have complained about it back
then. I surely will now. Perhaps this poor woman's death will make the
road planning people do something about it.

On 11/2/2022 7:25 AM, Catrike Rider wrote:
>
> PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - A New Port Richey bicyclist died in a
> crash involving a van on the Suncoast Trail, the Florida Highway
> Patrol said.
>
> Troopers said the 79-year-old woman was traveling southbound on the
> Suncoast Trail as a van was traveling down a ramp to merge right to
> westbound Ridge Road just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
>
> Investigators said the bicyclist failed to stop for a posted stop sign
> on the trail and entered the path of the van. The two then collided.
>
> The bicyclist was taken to a hospital and later died from her
> injuries.
>
> The van driver, a 42-year-old man from Spring Hill, did not suffer any
> injuries
>
> The crash remains under investigation.
>
> https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-port-richey-bicyclist-dies-in-crash-involving-van-on-suncoast-trail/ar-AA13CXxQ
>
> I ride this trail pretty often and was on it just the day before this
> happened The accident occurred at a type of trail/road intersections
> that I've always believed to be problematic. The trail runs parallel
> to the road, in this case a fast, no stop, off ramp, and then turns
> sharply to cross it.
>
> To make matters worse at this crossing, the trail runs at a slightly
> lower elevation than the off ramp and crosses it at a steep angle due
> to the ramp's banking. A southbound bicyclist has to look back and up
> over his left shoulder to see the oncoming traffic, and if he stops at
> the sign, a two wheeler has only a few feet to get clipped in and
> moving before a rather steep incline.
>
> I foresaw this situation when I first encountered this new
> intersection earlier this year. I should have complained about it back
> then. I surely will now. Perhaps this poor woman's death will make the
> road planning people do something about it.
>
>

There's a wide gulf between 'engineering' and 'traffic
engineering'.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Wed, 02 Nov 2022 09:03:42 -0500, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

>On 11/2/2022 7:25 AM, Catrike Rider wrote:
>>
>> PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) - A New Port Richey bicyclist died in a
>> crash involving a van on the Suncoast Trail, the Florida Highway
>> Patrol said.
>>
>> Troopers said the 79-year-old woman was traveling southbound on the
>> Suncoast Trail as a van was traveling down a ramp to merge right to
>> westbound Ridge Road just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
>>
>> Investigators said the bicyclist failed to stop for a posted stop sign
>> on the trail and entered the path of the van. The two then collided.
>>
>> The bicyclist was taken to a hospital and later died from her
>> injuries.
>>
>> The van driver, a 42-year-old man from Spring Hill, did not suffer any
>> injuries
>>
>> The crash remains under investigation.
>>
>> https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-port-richey-bicyclist-dies-in-crash-involving-van-on-suncoast-trail/ar-AA13CXxQ
>>
>> I ride this trail pretty often and was on it just the day before this
>> happened The accident occurred at a type of trail/road intersections
>> that I've always believed to be problematic. The trail runs parallel
>> to the road, in this case a fast, no stop, off ramp, and then turns
>> sharply to cross it.
>>
>> To make matters worse at this crossing, the trail runs at a slightly
>> lower elevation than the off ramp and crosses it at a steep angle due
>> to the ramp's banking. A southbound bicyclist has to look back and up
>> over his left shoulder to see the oncoming traffic, and if he stops at
>> the sign, a two wheeler has only a few feet to get clipped in and
>> moving before a rather steep incline.
>>
>> I foresaw this situation when I first encountered this new
>> intersection earlier this year. I should have complained about it back
>> then. I surely will now. Perhaps this poor woman's death will make the
>> road planning people do something about it.
>>
>>
>
>There's a wide gulf between 'engineering' and 'traffic
>engineering'.

Vehicle traffic there is going to get much worse as the new highway
extends even further, and parallels existing, very heavily traveled
roads which are often backed up for miles. The problem is only going
to get worse.

I'm going to ride that section again today.