The Oregonian: City to settle with injured bicyclist over North Portland intersection
By Janie Har, The Oregonian
October 05, 2009, 4:25PM
A bicyclist whose run-in with an automobile two years ago helped spur the city to install green bike boxes around Portland stands to get a $32,500 settlement from the city this week.
Cyclist Siobhan Doyle and driver Lisa Wheeler were both headed south on North Interstate Avenue. Doyle, in the bike lane, went straight when Wheeler took a right turn in front of her.
The collision happened at the same intersection where another bicyclist, Brett Jarolimek, was killed two weeks earlier in 2007.
Doyle suffered severe bruising on her left side and her left collarbone was broken. She filed a claim with the city on Nov. 6, 2008, saying that the city knew the intersection was dangerous yet did nothing about it.
The Portland City Council is expected to approve Doyle’s claim as part of its consent agenda at its meeting Wednesday.
A memo to Portland Mayor Sam Adams from the city’s risk management office states that the driver, Wheeler, remains the main one at fault. Doyle turned to the city after Wheeler’s insurer had paid its limit.
After the second crash in 2007, the city prohibited drivers from making a right turn off of Interstate on to Greeley. Elsewhere, city officials painted up bright green bike boxes to keep drivers from turning into cyclists.
