NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A Yale Law School student, killed Tuesday afternoon while riding his bicycle through a busy intersection, has been identified. And city officials say something must be done to fix a New Haven intersection, where at least three non-motorists have died over the past 12 years.
"Yesterday was just one more example of a person in our community that we’ve lost that we didn’t have to lose," said Mayor Justin Elicker (D-New Haven)
Police say 25-year-old Keonho Lim, of Massachusetts, was killed as he rode his bicycle along northbound on York St, through the intersection of heavily traveled South Frontage Rd, where he collided a box truck that had just made a right hand turn from York St onto South Frontage Rd.
"We have secured video cameras," said Police Chief Otoniel Reyes. "We did have the cooperation of some witnesses."
Heading northbound on York Street, there are three travel lanes at the intersection with South Frontage Rd. The center lane, where the box truck was, permits drivers to either go straight or turn right. The box truck turned right. The cyclist, who was in the right lane, headed straight.
"The driver of the box truck remained on the scene and was completely cooperative," said Reyes. "He’s been identified. He’s been interviewed. And the investigation is ongoing."
Elicker said this has always been a challenging intersection logistically "because there’s a lot of traffic that moves through that intersection and it’s complicated. I know the city has put in bollards on the sidewalk to protect pedestrians."
That move, to install the protective posts, came after a January 2017 accident at the same intersection in which Melissa Tancredi, a 42-year-old Yale New Haven Hospital employee, was killed when a car ran into her as she stood on the sidewalk.
"It’s also important to remember that it took many cities in Europe, and a city like Portland, 25–30 years to get where they are now," said Karen Jenkins of the New Haven Coalition for Active Transportation.
"We have had numerous complaints about speed, about traffic light violations and we are always trying to look at what we can do better at this intersection," said Assistant Police Chief Renee Dominguez.
Elicker says the city is working on traffic calming measures throughout the city, which has been very expensive. He's hoping the state will come through with some funding to address this trouble spot in particular, especially given the fact that numerous roads running through New Haven are state roads, including portions of South Frontage Road, which is also designated as Route 34.