Bicyclist critically hurt in Ballard Bridge crash

A bicyclist struck by a car on the Ballard Bridge on Friday afternoon was rushed to Harborview Medical Center and listed in critical condition.

Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson said it's not clear whether the man was riding in a southbound traffic lane, or whether he fell over the pedestrian lane's 16-inch concrete railing into oncoming traffic. Police also didn't say whether he was wearing a helmet.

The Seattle Fire Department found the man, believed to be in his 60s, unconscious and suffering from head injuries about 12:20 p.m., spokeswoman Helen Fitzpatrick said. The accident happened just past the bridge grating, police said.

Southbound bridge and marine traffic was briefly halted, and one southbound traffic lane remained closed for about two hours after the accident.

A draft of Seattle's Bicycle Master Plan, released in March, says the Ballard Bridge should be rehabilitated or a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge should be built next to it. However, Seattle Department of Transportation records since 2004 show that no cars stuck pedestrians or cyclists on the bridge until Friday.

Department of Transportation spokesman Gregg Hirakawa said cyclists on the Ballard Bridge can use either the pedestrian lane or the road, which has two lanes each direction and a 30-mph speed limit.

The bicycle plan is scheduled to be completed by December. Implementation is expected to occur over the following 10 years.