The Des Moines City Council agreed this week to pay $150,000 to settle a lawsuit claiming that plants in the medians along Fleur Drive contributed to an accident that injured a motorcyclist.
Why it matters: The payout highlights how routine streetscape decisions can expose cities to liability risks.
Catch up quick: The crash happened in September 2021, near Fleur Drive and Southlawn Drive by the DSM International Airport.
- Polk County resident Clay Blanchard said in court documents that the combination of oversized vegetation in the median’s boxes and a street sign blocked a turning vehicle from seeing his motorcycle.
- Blanchard said he was forced to lay down his motorcycle to avoid colliding with the vehicle.
The intrigue: The city successfully argued in 2023 that Blanchard did not meet Iowa’s heightened standards for suing government entities, and the case was dismissed…