Anchorage

Police: Bicyclist struck by pickup after riding into Seward Highway traffic

A bicyclist was hit by a truck and seriously injured while riding into traffic near the busy intersection of the Seward Highway and Benson Boulevard early Friday afternoon, Anchorage police said.

Police responded to a report of the crash at 12:47 p.m. The bicyclist, a man, was moving across the southbound lanes of the highway to the north of Benson, said Anchorage police spokeswoman Renee Oistad. She said southbound traffic had a green light.

As the bicyclist was crossing the middle southbound lane of the highway, a vehicle slammed on its brakes and swerved to avoid hitting him, Oistad said. When the bicyclist came into the far lane, a pickup driver that wasn't able to see past the middle car hit him, Oistad said.

Oistad said the bicyclist was more than 60 feet from the nearest crosswalk. She said the bicyclist was at fault in the crash.

He was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, Oistad said.

The Anchorage Police Department's traffic unit was investigating at the crash site Friday afternoon, and the left two lanes of the southbound Seward Highway were blocked off. Drivers were being directed to merge to the far right to pass the area.

Devin Kelly

Devin Kelly was an ADN staff reporter.

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