Cyclist killed in collision with dump truck in downtown Vancouver

Police are investigating after a 28-year-old cyclist was killed in a collision with a dump truck in downtown Vancouver Wednesday morning.

The crash happened in the intersection of Pacific and Hornby streets at around 7:30 a.m., the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release.

"Efforts to save the cyclist's life were not successful and he died at the scene," police said. "The driver of the dump truck is co-operating with police."

A damaged blue and black bicycle could be seen underneath the truck in the aftermath of the accident, which snarled traffic during the morning rush hour.

Nearby residents say the design of the intersection is confusing and accidents like this one are all too common.

"Even if this area is very well labeled and there's a lot of signage, there is definitely a lot going on," said local resident Sabrina Nunes.

"This isn't the first accident that we've seen here," she continued.

Reckless Bike Shop owner Paul Dragan echoes the sentiment.

"There's a lot of lights flashing here. There's a lot of signals here. And it can be very confusing for everybody involved," he said, adding that it took him years to comprehend all the different road symbols.

But Jeff Leigh of Hub Cycling disagrees as he believes the set-up of the area is appropriate and ideal.

"This is not a corner where we would say, 'We have a problem with this intersection.' This intersection has been completed and is looking, from an infrastructure standpoint, is what we'd like to see in a lot more locations," he said.

He urges drivers and cyclists to educate themselves on their responsibilities on the road, but says since the area is prioritized for bikes, the responsibility is on the drivers to watch out for cyclists.

"The cyclist in this intersection has a clear right of way," Leigh said, adding that it's important for everyone on the road to look for each other and stay cautious.

"I think there might be a bit of false security of cyclists in a bike lane going, 'I'm in a bike lane,' 'I'm in the right here.' And it doesn't matter who's right or wrong if you have an accident, right?'" said Dragan.

"All that matters is that somebody got hurt or in this case, somebody got killed."

The area is once again open to drivers and cyclists.

The cause of the crash is still unknown, and investigators do not believe the driver was speeding or impaired at the time of the collision.

Authorities asked anyone with information or dash-cam video of the collision to contact Vancouver police at 604-717-3012.