Roundabout and underpass possible for Trestle Trail where cyclist was killed

Catch up quick: Polk County commissioned the study last year to identify solutions for reducing the high number of crashes along Northwest 44th Street between Northwest 118th and Northwest 158th avenues.

• The $55,000 study was already underway before Petersen's death, but the accident heightened awareness of problems.

What they found: Area growth and the trail's popularity have increased congestion in that area in recent years.

• Northwest 44th Street is a two-lane rural road posted at 55 mph and carrying up to 5,100 vehicles per day.
• Speed data shows most drivers travel at least 5mph over the limit, worsening reaction times at intersections and trail crossings, according to the study by Bolton & Menk, a DSM-based engineering and design firm.

Stunning state: The nearly 4-mile stretch has recorded at least 74 crashes since 2020, with more than 80% occurring at intersections, per the study.

Zoom in: Petersen's crash, in the 12100 block of Northwest 44th Street, was in an area where the trail crossing is near a hill with the trail at a lower elevation than the road.

• Berm and vegetation further restrict visibility, giving drivers little time to react once a pedestrian is visible, per the report.

• The dump truck driver remained on the scene, cooperated with the investigation and was not charged.

State of play: The report recommends a series of possible solutions, including a nearly $3.6 million roundabout and a trail realignment or underpass to avoid it crossing the road.

• It suggests the county adopt low-cost and short-term fixes like lowering speed limits and improving lighting while planning the bigger projects.

The intrigue: The Iowa Bicycle Coalition and Polk County Conservation are preparing a grant application to study trail crossings countywide that could begin in the coming months, Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition, tells Axios.

• The volunteer-led data collection would be used to identify other high-risk crossings.

What's next: The county will work through the recommendations, Polk County Supervisor Jill Altringer said in a statement.