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Father of teen bicyclist killed, urging for more safety in Georgetown

It's been 5 months since 19-year-old Tommy Ketterhagen was hit and killed while riding his bicycle in Georgetown. Now his father is pushing for better safety for riders in the area.

It's been five months since Tommy Ketterhagen, 19, was hit and killed while riding his bicycle in Georgetown.

Now, his father is pushing for better safety for other cyclists in the area.

"Safety, you can never get enough safety,” said Tom Ketterhagen.

For Ketterhagen, the pain and loss of his son haven't gone away; they're things he deals with each day.

"That day was just so much shock,” said Ketterhagen. “We learn to control our emotions a little bit, but the grieving and the loss are still pretty intense."

A white ghost bicycle that stands at the spot along Patriot Way, where Tommy Ketterhagen was hit and killed while riding his bicycle in January.

"Since then, my wife and I have tried to piece our lives back together, and you know nothing really fits back together,” said Ketterhagen.

WATCH | Teen cyclist killed in Georgetown

Ketterhagen doesn't want something like this to happen to anyone else, so he's urging Georgetown to come up with a bicycle plan.

At the city council meeting on Tuesday, he'll propose ideas like a study to find out where the most popular bicycle routes are, adding extra signage to warn drivers, and in some spots even creating a bicycle lane.

"It's for the vulnerable of course, but it's also for motorists. I drive a car -- I like to know where bikes are going to be,” said Ketterhagen.

To show their support, Ketterhagen's friends and family plan to ride from Austin to the Georgetown city council chambers Tuesday.

"It just doesn't end. These people you know they're in it for the long hall, and that's great cause it’s going to take a lot of effort,” said Ketterhagen.

These are the same people who Ketterhagen wants to thank for their kindness. He said they’ve brought over meals, donated to the GoFundMe page, and rode in Ketterhagen’s ghost bike ride.

It's because of these people and this community that Ketterhagen wants to see a change.

"You don't want to get the call that your son was killed, and you also don't want to get the call that your child killed somebody,” said Ketterhagen.

RELATED | Cyclists ride for teen killed in hit-and-run

Ketterhagen is even considering a proposal to name this same stretch of road after Tommy, to remind everyone of the dangers.

"If it's a deterrent and it helps people remember, I'm all for it,” said Ketterhagen.

Also Monday, 20-year-old Aaron Richard Davison, the man charged with manslaughter for Ketterhagen's death, is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing at 9 am.

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