In the month of August there were two separate bike accidents in the same spot on the Boise Greenbelt. One left a woman with serious injuries, while the other died from her injuries.
- In August, two bike accidents in the same spot prompt the city to fix the problem.
- The woman hit a section where tree roots had pushed up the path.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"We would always hug each other and tell each other we loved each other and right when we got on our bikes, she told me that she loved me which made feel good," said Dave Simpson.
It started as a fun day for Dave and Donna Simpson. Their good friend's son just started his freshman year at Boise State and after taking lots of pictures around campus they headed down the Greenbelt. The group stopped at the 9/11 Memorial and then stopped to enjoy the surfers at the Whitewater Park. Moments later, everything would change.
A member of their biking group, a former firefighter and first responder explains what happened. "They started yelling at my name, I wasn't sure who crashed. I flipped around real quick and came back here, and it was Donna with the bike laying on her legs. I knew it was a tragic accident .I knew there wasn't going to be a good outcome," a family friend told me.
Donna Simpson died a day later at the hospital from systemic complications of traumatic head injuries.
There are lots of spots along the Greenbelt that have bumps and cracks but unless Boise Parks and Recreation know about them, they can't fix the problem.
Boise Parks and Recreation Doug Holloway told me,. "and we got to it quicker because there was a tragic situation that happened in that area, so we want to fix that as quickly as possible."
Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway says they didn't know about the accident until I informed them last week.
"First and Foremost, our thoughts and prayers and condolences go out to the Simpson family for their loss not only in terms of the family but to the friends that were there at the time of the accident," said Holloway.
Like many other sections of the Greenbelt, Boise Parks and Recreation spray-paint trouble areas in red, and have a long-term plan to fix the Greenbelt at of cost of a million dollars a mile to replace the asphalt with concrete, which will help in keeping the tree roots down.
Another rider who wants to be identified with just her first name is happy to hear they fixed the spot where Donna fell. That's because she says she also fell in the same spot just two weeks earlier. Christine is thrilled this section is fixed. "I had a slight brain bleed, and a concussion, broken clavicle, and a big bump to my hip. We're thankful. It could have been much worse," Christine added.
Donna was, and Christine is, a big proponent of wearing helmets, but unfortunately were not wearing them at the time of their accidents. The Greenbelt is long and busy, and Dave couldn't say it enough. "Wear your helmet, watch out for signs of problem areas that the city has identified with red spray paint, and lastly continue to enjoy life every day," Dave added.
"We don't want Donna's life, that accident to be in vain, we want something good to come of it," said Dave.
Also be aware of your surroundings watch out for the tunnels, curves and watch and your speed. And always wear your helmet.
