Ottawa Police continue to investigate after a 23-year-old female cyclist died Thursday after she was struck by a truck during downtown rush hour.
Friends have identified the victim as 23-year-old Nusrat Jahan.
Willis College posted a statement on their Facebook page to Jahan's family, saying "We want to share our heartfelt condolences at the sudden death of their daughter, what a tragic and unexpected loss. We extend our deepest sympathy to her family at this very sad time."
Emergency officials said the collision happened just before 8 a.m. at Laurier Avenue and Lyon Street.
Laurier Avenue was closed in both directions at Lyon Street for several hours because of a police investigation.
Witnesses said the dump truck was turning right onto Lyon Street when the collision occurred. They believe the cyclist, who was apparently travelling eastbound on Laurier, was in the driver's blind spot.
Nearby residents and frequent commuters in the area said the intersection is dangerous.
"I check, I look in my mirrors but there is a point at which you don't see them," said Diana Perry, a nearby resident. "I've had people bang on my car to let me know they are there."
Perry said she was getting ready to leave her home when she saw the crash.
"I was so shaken I turned around."
Cyclists travelling westbound on Laurier Avenue Thursday said the city needs to do something to make the bike lane and the roads safer for everyone.
"There is too much traffic and the bike lanes are not delineated, I guess, from the main drag," one cyclist said.
"There is a problem when somebody is trying to pass you. It gets pretty tight," said cyclist Tom Fleming. "You have to be very careful."
Coun. Jeff Leiper, who called the cyclist's death "unacceptable," hosted a public rally with Coun. Catherine McKenney at City Hall today to "express our anger."
After a moment of silence for the victim and her family, the roughly two dozen people in attendance discussed cycling and pedestrian safety as well as ways to make the city's roads safer.
"Surely we are able to design infrastructure that is truly safe and allows people to travel with the kind of confidence that they will be safe, that vehicles have," said Coun. Jeff Leiper.
"I shouldn't have to walk my bike at the intersection because I can't trust drivers will follow the rules of the road."
Coun. Catherine McKenney shared similar sentiments, saying the cyclist's death this morning was a "failure of our road design."
"This is a failure of our road design, of our infrastructure to keep people safe on the road," she said. "If we know what happened, we will be able to make the changes and prevent it from happening again."
When asked what could be done to improve road safety, the councilors suggested possible changes like new bicycle turn signs or lights, preventing right turns off some main streets like Laurier Avenue and even an in depth look at the impact of constructions.
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson tweeted on Thursday morning that he was meeting with the chair of transportation board to discuss the city's next steps.
This is the region's fifth collision involving a cyclist this week and the second fatality.
Ottawa Police are actively looking for witnesses and ask anyone with information to contact them.
