Family of bicyclist killed receives white bike gift in West Campus construction accident
The Austin Ghost Bike Project paid tribute to the late Michael Delgado by presenting his family with a white bike, which was unveiled on April 26. Delgado had a deep passion for biking and the memorialized bike serves as a poignant reminder of his personal interests. The memorial bike is placed in the intersection of 24th Street and Rio Grande where the incident occurred.
Brittney Nova, Delgado’s spouse, expressed her feelings about the memorial bike and said, “I think it really suits Michael. I guess that’s why he loves riding, and he was passionate about that. And this is going to be like a good reminder of who he was.”
The accident occurred on March 2 when Delgado was delivering goods on his bike in West Campus. He was struck by falling debris from a nearby construction site and died from the impact. In honor of Delgado’s memory, a UT student safety organization, “Safe Horns,” is requesting the city to take necessary precautions to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future.
Safe Horns’ President, Joell McNew, stressed the importance of educating everyone about safety measures given the high number of construction sites in the West Campus area alone. Students passing by the area also expressed concern, stating that they feel unsafe walking through West Campus during these construction periods.
UT PhD student, Benjamin Yipan, suggested the implementation of restricted operating hours for construction sites as a solution to these safety concerns. He notes, “I mean, I know we want to get these things built. He needs to get housing easily. But, you know, maybe they have to stop at a certain hour of the day and night.”
Safe Horns urges individuals to report any unsafe conditions or debris by calling 311 or 911. Delgado’s family and friends hope this tragic incident sparks a conversation about the importance of safety and raises awareness about biking & construction site regulations to prevent similar events from happening again.
