Once again, a bike rider has died on a Southern California freeway.
According to the Long Beach Gazettes, the victim was illegally crossing the Terminal Island Freeway north of PCH in Long Beach around midnight last night when he was hit by a semi-truck at 11:56 pm.
Like most California freeways, bikes are banned from the highway, also known as the 103 Freeway.
The victim, who was not carrying identification, was in the left lane of the northbound side when he was stuck by the truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A street view shows a four lane highway with an unobstructed center divider, making it relatively easy to cross; the victim may not have expected to encounter traffic at that hour.
My News LA places the time of the initial call at 11:56 pm Sunday, while the Gazettes says the police were dispatched at 12:07 pm.
He is identified only as appearing to be in his 60s, while the coroner’s office attempts to determine his ID.
This is the 45th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 20th in Los Angeles County.
Update: The victim has been identified as 61-year old Jaimes Guadalupe.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jaimes Guadalupe and his loved ones.
How far was it from the nearest legal crossing from the side of the highway? It’s like we have built rivers of motor vehicles through our cities and neglected to build bridges to cross where they have cut through the roads and surface streets.
Around there, it’d be irrelevant. He could cross over the freeway at PCH (you have to go downhill there to get to the freeway). Also, there’s railroad tracks on the west side of the freeway, so if you’re crossing the freeway there, you either crossed that as well, or are putting yourself in more danger crossing the tracks.
A friend of mine works in Terminal Island. There is no access to that place other than cars (no transit, bike paths, etc). He once tried to bike there but was arrested by the local police probably for his own safety but how else would a carless worker get there? I’m really looking forward to the new bridge they’re building if it has pedestrian/bike access.
I know you can’t really ride on Ocean (from experience), but Anaheim St. actually has a bike lane on the LA side (that needs to be street cleaned), though the LB side can be sketchy to ride.
My bad, you’re right about the actual island…