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UPDATE: Bicyclist hit by vehicle on Berkley Bridge pedestrian pathway; new safety measures implemented

Posted at 4:44 PM, Jun 16, 2014
and last updated 2014-06-16 19:16:01-04

UPDATE: Today VDOT announced that they've put safety measures in place after a bicyclist was hit on the Berkely Bridge pedestrian pathway over the weekend. 

These new procedures restrict bridge tenders from using vehicles for shift changes. Now they must walk or use a motorized cart. 

If a vehicle is required, it will also have a walking spotter who will point out any potential safety issues. 

VDOT will also install traffic control devices to stop vehicles from going onto the pathway. 

Officials say they will continue to look at other safety measures. 

The Virginia Department of Transportation is investigating after a bicyclist was hit by a vehicle on the Berkley Bridge pedestrian access pathway on Saturday.

The bicyclist, Kelley Howell, was recording video on a bike-mounted camera when the collision occurred.

She uploaded the video to YouTube and contacted NewsChannel 3 to find out why the car was driving on the bridge to begin with.

"It doesn't make sense. The fact that you are on the sidewalk and all of a sudden, a car is coming at you. What would you think? You would be in shock," she said. "It was actually coming at me, then I started braking, but it was too late."

VDOT says they are investigating the accident and that the person driving the vehicle was a bridge tender on the way to a shift change.

According to VDOT, the pedestrian pathway is also used for employee vehicles, and signs are posted in both directions advising pedestrians to be aware of this.

Howell noted in the video's description that she got the driver's information before leaving the scene. She told NewsChannel 3 that she asked whether he was a VDOT worker.

"I asked him, are you driving for somebody? Don't you have rules about what to do in this situation? Aren't you supposed to call? I would think that a professional driver would have a set of rules that you have to follow, that his employer taught him, and he just stood there and didn't seem to have an answer," Howell said.

The driver is now on administrative leave as they look to see if he violated any of the company's policies.