BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Safety improvements could be made on a busy road where a teenager was seriously hurt while riding her bike.
Audrey Bousum doesn’t remember much about the day she was hit by a motorcycle while crossing Raceway Road on her bike just south of County Road 300 North.
Bousum was with her dad, who was also riding a bike. The two were trying to cross the street to get to the B&O Trail.
That was in August.
Two months later, on the kind of day that would be perfect for a bike ride, Audrey can only think about it.
"I really miss riding my bike because this weather is so pretty,” she said.
Instead, Audrey has to enjoy it from the wheelchair she's been in since mid-August when she was hit. Doctors still haven't cleared her to walk, after she suffered several broken bones and other injuries.
The 14-year-old Brownsburg High School freshman spent two weeks in the hospital.
"There's definitely some downs about it, but I think if you're happy most of the time, you can get through it and the painful stuff,” she said.
Still, when Audrey does get on her bike again, she’s not likely to try and cross Raceway Road without some changes.
"For me, I don't think I'll ever ride my bike over there again, if they have a sidewalk or something I would ride over there,” she said.
That kind of change could be coming.
In a recent letter sent to State Rep. Renee Pack, D-District 92, and State Sen. J.D. Ford, D-District 29, the Hendricks County Board of Commissioners told the lawmakers changes to the road could be coming.
Both lawmakers were part of a prayer vigil for Audrey in the days after she was hit and reached out to commissioners, calling for additional safety measures to the busy road.
The letter to Pack and Ford said those changes could include new signage and sidewalks.
Audrey's parents support those changes.
"Sidewalks, signage, all of that would be very helpful,” said Rachel Bousum.
"It is a very busy thoroughfare, and we should have precautions and things that are keeping people safe,” added Zane Bousum.
The county's engineer said they're still considering what kind of signage would be best, if any. They're also planning to apply for funding to construct more sidewalks. Right now, there's no time frame for when all of that could happen.
Audrey Bousum said it can't happen fast enough.
"Just doing it now would be a good thing,” she said.
The 14-year-old is now turning her focus to healing. She’s got one more surgery to go and hopes to get back to school in person after fall break.