SALT LAKE CITY — A man who watched a FrontRunner hit and kill a cyclist Monday night is voicing his concerns, claiming it wasn’t the man’s fault but the infrastructure in place.
“It’s definitely not the cyclist’s fault. It’s definitely not the person driving the train’s fault,” said Doug Tolman.
At 650 West and 900 South, Tolman watched 24-year-old cyclist Collin Teng wait for a Union Pacific train to pass.
Utah Transit Authority Police said the gate was down and the lights were still flashing when Teng pedaled into the tracks where a UTA FrontRunner hit and killed him on-site.
“The crossing arm only goes over the far lane on the other side of the street,” said Tolman. “Unless you’re looking directly to your right at the crossing arm, you wouldn’t see it going up or down.”
He also said a freeway column blocks the view of what’s heading northbound on the tracks.
“He couldn’t see or hear because the noise of the freight train was so loud. He couldn’t hear the noise of the FrontRunner coming,” Tolman said.
“Sound really doesn’t control that situation,” said UTA spokesperson Carl Arky. “Even that pillar, wouldn’t have controlled that situation. What you go off of are the gates, the lights, the bells.”
Arky said every crossing in the state’s system abides by federal regulations, otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to operate.
“There is no gate that blocks pedestrians,” he said. “But we have to rely on everybody’s common sense.”
Tolman disagrees. Despite him not knowing Teng personally, he and fellow cyclists created a memorial Tuesday night. They laid down some flowers and chained up a white ghost bike in hopes Teng’s death would cause change.
“I think the city needs to come up with a solution to this. Whether it’s a bridge or whether it’s a smaller crossing arm for pedestrians and cyclists on the pathway, something needs to be done.”
