FLOYD, IOWA – After a man lost his life in a deadly collision at an intersection known for accidents at Floyd, Iowa, a petition has been started seeking a reconfiguration that could save lives.
Persons who responded to the scene of a deadly accident on Sunday, July 17 want changes to the intersection of Highway 218 and Quarry Road, where a convenience store is located in Floyd, with another (Love’s) on the way. That evening, Thomas Houdek, age 23 of Charles City, was driving his 2004 Harley-Davidson motorcycle from Quarry Road onto Highway 218, attempting to enter the northbound lanes. He pulled out from the stop sign in front of a 2001 Peterbuilt semi truck driven by 44-year-old Joshua Brood of Plainfield. The motorcycle and semi collided as Brood braked in an attempt to avoid the collision, causing the semi roll. Brood was ejected from the semi. As a result of the accident, Houdek was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the crash, a man who responded to the accident scene wrote a moving comment connected to a petition that was formed, asking for the intersection to be made safer.
Justin Carr of Arlington, Iowa, wrote:
“I had to hold a semi driver in my arms when he realized the biker he had hit that pulled out in front of him was killed. I also witnessed the crash and ran up on what was left of the lifeless, bleeding body of the biker. Dangerous is a word to describe potential danger. This intersection is no longer dangerous; it is deadly. Every death is a story and a life that is cut short. It is a son or a daughter or a mom or a dad that leaves behind a family desperately grasping at the memories left behind in the wake. I understand that to some people the death rate is just a number, but every scratch that is etched into the road from flying metal and every patch of grass that is ripped up from the flipping of an automobile is a grim reminder of how your life is never really in your hands at that intersection. If you ever get a chance, go walk down there and look at the scars on the road from countless accidents, then put yourself or your family in those cars and please realize that money is a small and pathetic excuse to refuse the safety of a human life. ”
“As an EMT working in Floyd County, I know this intersection well! My heart drops every time I hear it paged. We NEED an overpass here.”
Finally, a sheriff’s deputy, Benjamin Kostka of Charles City wrote this comment:
“As a Deputy Sheriff in this county for the last 10 years I can’t begin to estimate the number of crashes I have covered at this intersection, let alone the total number covered by our department or the Iowa State Patrol since the Avenue of the Saints was opened roughly 16 years ago. I bet if the State took some time do the research it would be staggering. I’m not just talking fatality accidents either … I’m talking total number of crashes including personal injury accidents & simple property damage accidents as well. It’s never a surprise anymore when we get paged to yet another accident at this location. What is a surprise, however, is the lack of action taken by the State. Janesville got an exit. The Cedar-Wapsi Road interchange is getting an exit. Yet somehow Floyd, which has four roads accessing the town, another road with access to the ethanol plant & soon-to-be two truck stops fails to meet the standard here. It just doesn’t add up. This obviously isn’t the first tragedy at this intersection & it’s far from the last. Time to take notice, State of Iowa.”
The petition is located here and has over 2,300 signatures so far.
Wednesday morning, state representative Todd Pritchard took notice of the petition, saying “Friends, there has been discussion about the need to upgrade the interchange on the Avenue of the Saints at Floyd, Iowa. The interchange seems to have a lot of accidents and is confusing for drivers.”
Rep. Pritchard noted the contact information for DOT Commissioners, who he says “set the priority for DOT projects.”
Any major changes to the intersection could take years to implement.
I sure do like how the politician deflects the question to someone else… it’s time for our politicians to work for us and stop being lazy, you may have gotten elected this time but if you don’t want to step up and help then pack up your desk and go home, make room for someone else that will. Calling us friends, I don’t think so, friendship and trust must be earned. You are our employee so get to work.
My name anna dalberg were were at the gas station in floyd when we witnessed the accident My bf and i r cpr certified when the accident happened my bf was the first one to the drivers . n today we went to tj wake n told the family were very sorry for there loss parents ain’t suppose to burry there child or anyone they love just from people not fixing the highways just saying . that intersection is must suscidal I hate it that was my first time in floyd . please change that intersection for the family n every one else.
If people would obey the stop signs there it wouldn’t be an issue. They aren’t yield signs. Common sense and courtesy people.
The first time I drove down the Avenue/380 after it was open, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Access/cross roads onto an interstate highway that I have never seen anywhere before. I knew at that moment that there would be accidents at those intersections. How could the state/county be so blind as to what was going to happen. After all the millions that were spent designing that road, one would think that safety would be a priority in construction. Instead of doing it right the first time, now they will dig into the tax payers pocket again and try and make it right. How sad.
Great observation. This intersection was designed to be a death trap.
It’s not an Interstate. It’s a freeway. The difference is fewer overpasses and a reduced speed limit.
The problem is NOT the intersection, is lies with the motorist. Impatient, tired, distracted, under the influence: what ever the reason. The Rudd/Marble Rock and the Rockford intersections are of the same design, why don’t they have the accident rate? I drive all three exits consistently and see the problems with motorist attempting to enter the Ave., impatient, not paying attention.