Cody McCloud sits next to a photo of his sister, Desiree McCloud, while attorneys announce a claim against Seattle and Sound Transit for Desiree McCloud's death. Her bicycle got caught in First Hill Streetcar tracks last May, causing her critical head injuries that led to her death 11 days later. Cody McCloud joined another woman injured at the site in suing the city for the hazards the tracks pose to cyclists.

less Cody McCloud sits next to a photo of his sister, Desiree McCloud, while attorneys announce a claim against Seattle and Sound Transit for Desiree McCloud's death. Her bicycle got caught in First Hill Streetcar ... more Photo: Lynsi Burton/seattlepi.com Photo: Lynsi Burton/seattlepi.com Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close 'Death trap?' Seattle streetcar tracks deadly to cyclists 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Desiree McCloud was cycling from Capitol Hill to Alki Beach on May 13, 2016 on streets with designated bike lanes when her front wheel plunged into a First Hill Streetcar track on Yesler Way, catapulting her forward and inflicting critical head injuries.

The 27-year-old behavioral neuroscientist died 11 days later.

On the one-year anniversary of her death, her younger brother, Cody McCloud, filed a claim against Sound Transit and the city of Seattle alleging both failed to protect cyclists from the deadly obstacle.

That day, Suzanne Greenberg was headed to her next gig as a freelance sign language interpreter when she became caught in the streetcar track on the same block. Her bike tilted to the left, throwing her onto the street. She suffered a torn rotator cuff, torn bicep and other injuries to her forearm.

Greenberg and Cody McCloud joined in a lawsuit against the city last week, claiming Seattle has installed a "death trap" for cyclists in its streets and doesn't adequately ensure bicycle safety on the same roads it encourages cyclists to ride.

The stretch of Yesler Way near 13th and 14th Avenues South where Desiree McCloud and Greenberg were injured contains a bicycle lane designated by painted white lines. No physical barrier exists between the lane and parked cars, moving traffic or the streetcar track, which shares the road with motorists.

The existence of that lane did not protect Desiree McCloud and Greenberg from other hazards, they argue.

RELATED: Claim: First Hill Streetcar tracks killed Seattle cyclist

In Desiree McCloud's case, she was traveling with a group of friends who intentionally set their route along areas that were designated for bike travel, her brother contends. She reportedly entered a traffic lane to pass around another cyclist in the bike lane when her 1-inch-wide wheel wedged in the slightly wider streetcar track. Her helmet broke when her head hit the pavement.

Greenberg was also using the bike lane, but a Metro bus stopped in front of her, taking up both the shoulder and bike lane. As Greenberg applied her brakes, she faced three options: smash into the back of the bus, veer onto the sidewalk and risk hurting pedestrians or pass on the left, as allowed by law.

She decided to pass, but at that intersection, the First Hill Streetcar tracks curve from 14th Avenue to East Yesler Way -- something she hadn't seen while she pedaled behind the bus. That's how her wheel dipped into the track.

The First Hill Streetcar line, paid for in part by Sound Transit with $132.8 million in voter-approved money, as well as federal dollars, opened to public use in January 2016. The city designed and built the line, with several delays along the way. Both Seattle and Sound Transit approved the design of the transit line, streetcar track, pavement markings and both protected and unprotected bike paths, according to the lawsuit.

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