A bicyclist hit by a speeding driver near a North Portland bike lane crossing in front of a freeway on-ramp will receive a $350,000 settlement from the city, state and the motorist.

Bobbi Smith is scheduled to receive $150,000 each from the state and city of Portland and $50,000 from driver Brandon Lee Swiger from the 2017 crash. Smith sued all three in August 2018, claiming Swiger was negligent for speeding and not spotting Smith before hitting them. Smith’s suit also claimed the city and state were negligent in the design and maintenance of the North Greeley Avenue and southbound I-5 on-ramp intersection.

People traveling southeast on Greeley in the bike lane must cross in front of the freeway on-ramp to continue on the bike lane.

The city is in the midst of a project that includes repaving on North Greeley Avenue between I-5 and North Going Street and adding a concrete barrier separating a new 12-foot bike path from other traffic on the eastbound side of Greeley.

Smith was seeking nearly $1.4 million in damages from all three parties. The Portland City Council on Wednesday approved paying $150,000 to Smith to help settle the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Smith rode southeast on Greeley Avenue around 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 21, 2017, and estimated there was enough space to avoid an oncoming pickup while approaching the bike lane that crossed in front of the on-ramp entrance.

The lawsuit claimed that Swiger then sped up in his Honda Accord, suddenly passed from the left lane to the right lane in front of the pickup to get onto the freeway and hit Smith. The lawsuit said Swiger was estimated to be traveling at more than 60 miles per hour at the time. The speed limit there is 45.

Smith suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as neck, hand, pelvic, rib and leg fractures and other injuries. Smith had accrued at least $358,000 in medical expenses when the lawsuit was filed in 2018.

Swiger was cited for careless driving and paid a $250 fine, court records show.

The lawsuit faulted the city and state for operating a bike lane that crossed the on-ramp despite safety concerns about its unsafe design and failing to post signs warning drivers of the bike lane crossing.

Cynthia Newton, one of the lawyers representing Smith, said city employees testified during a deposition hearing the city had received citizen complaints about the bike lane since 2005. She said city staff cited several reasons why work on protected bike lanes in the area weren’t started sooner, but said the main factor appeared to be that the city didn’t want to deviate from its road paving schedule.

“While such a basis may pass muster with respect to improvements to an ordinary bike lane, the North Greeley freeway on-ramp crossing was so unsafe that it warranted prompt corrective action,” Newton said.

She said city and state employees were critical of Smith for crossing the intersection before getting to the painted guides on the roadway. But the attorney said Smith did so to get through the busy intersection as quickly as possible.

It was clear, she said, that the way Smith crossed was “foreseeable, reasonable and the same method used by at least one city official.”

Aimee Green of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report.

-- Everton Bailey Jr; ebailey@oregonian.com | 503-221-8343 | @EvertonBailey

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