9/13/2018 ~7PM Bicyclist 40 y.o. female, Rebecca Benson
No details; Gilbert police announced at 7:14pm that “Officers are on scene investigating a fatal vehicle vs. bicycle collision on Baseline, east of Lindsay Road”.
news report: Fatal bicycle-vehicle crash restricts Baseline Road in Gilbert
Pictures on azfamily.com show this is at the Heritage/ Sun Circle Trail (Consolidated Canal) crossing at Baseline. There is a full set of traffic signals at that crossing but police have not reported if signals are involved… The road is majestically wide, about 90 feet; there are ped refuge spaces at the canal path crossings.
Police released the name of the victim the next day, adding no details of the crash… “Gilbert police Friday as 40-year-old Rebecca Benson. Benson was the daughter of Steve Benson, the longtime editorial cartoonist for The Arizona Republic”
Gilbert or Mesa?
Baseline Road there is a boundary between the Town of Gilbert (to the south) and the city of Mesa (to the north); coincidentally there’s an interesting jog in the city boundary of Gilbert according to google maps that occurs at the canal.
Gilbert police are handling the investigation; I’m not sure how anyone figures this out but I’m sure there’s some sort of procedure.
Crash Reports
ASDM and FARS don’t shed much light. Crash types were coded similarly to this incident which occurred just a few days later, nearby, and also at a trail crossing. In this one bicyclist was said by FARS to be Sidewalk / Crosswalk/ Driveway Crossing.