Category: Announcement

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2022

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2022

By |

Each month, we post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from the previous month, and share any trends that we see. For the full list of monthly posts, head here. Earlier this year, we released a year in review for 2021 to highlight common issues.

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in July; none were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in August 2022. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Crash Information.” Any Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

Date 8/2/2022, 7:29 PM
Location 113 Northampton St.
Town Easthampton
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 60
Sex F
Date 8/2/2022, 7:29 PM
Location 113 Northampton St.
Town Easthampton
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 81
Sex M

MassLive reports that a South Hadley man driving a sedan struck and killed Edward Hanlon, Jr., age 81, and Ilona Murray, age 60, as they were crossing Northampton Street in front of a Burger King.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is 35mph.

Date 8/2/2022, 9:58 PM
Location Walnut Ave. + Seaver St.
Town Boston
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 88
Sex M

NBC 10 Boston reports that an 88-year old man was struck and seriously injured by a car near the intersection of Walnut Avenue and Seaver Street. Images from the news report and the location on the crash portal map seem to show the crash just beyond the intersection on Columbus Avenue. (Seaver Street becomes Columbus Avenue after it crosses Walnut Avenue.) We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident; the person passed away from the crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. The Google Street View is from July 2019 and does not reflect current conditions; a center running bus lane was added more recently, which can be seen on Google’s overhead view (Screenshot below). There is one general travel lane in each direction, a two way center running bus lane with pedestrian islands on each side for the Walnut Avenue bus stop, and sidewalks on both sides of the street. The speed limit is unclear, with fields showing 25mph and 30mph in the database.

Date 8/13/2022, 11:37 PM
Location I-290 WEST, west of EXIT 20
Town Worcester
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 27
Sex M

MassLive reports that 27-year old Jamal Mustapha was struck and killed in a hit and run on I-290 by an unknown vehicle, possibly a tractor trailer; he was subsequently struck by other vehicles. None of the vehicles stopped.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are 3 travel lanes in each direction and a median divider. The speed limit is 50mph.

Date 8/20/2022, 2:45 AM
Location SR-140 SOUTH, MM 2.6
Town New Bedford
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 45
Sex F

The Boston Globe reports that the driver of a Ford F-150 struck and killed 45-year old Joy Swartzendruber, who was standing outside of her Toyota Avalon on the shoulder of the northbound side of the two-lane highway around 2:30 a.m. The driver sideswiped the Toyota and hit Swartzendruber.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are two travel lane in each direction and a median divider. The speed limit is 65mph.

Date 8/20/2022, 2:58 PM
Location SR-106, 204 Plymouth St.
Town Halifax
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 62
Sex M

The Fall River Reporter shares that a driver struck and killed 62-year old Henry O Ejueyitchie as Henry was crossing Plymouth Street in Halifax around 3pm.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is 40mph.

Date 8/23/2022, 10:04 PM
Location US-1 SOUTH at Essex St.
Town Saugus
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 45
Sex M

WCVB reports that the driver of a 2014 Nissan Maxima struck and killed 45-year old Carlos Vasquez in the leftmost southbound lane near the Essex Street exit of Route 1. State police investigators believe Vasquez was attempting to cross from the area of a Burger King restaurant to the northbound side, where his girlfriend was waiting for him.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are three travel lane in each direction, a median divider, and a sidewalk on each side of the street. The speed limit is 50mph.

Date 8/26/2022, 1:21 AM
Location US-20 EAST, MM 91.6
Town Brimfield
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 62
Sex F

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that a 62-year old woman was struck and killed as she walked in the breakdown lane of Route 20 in Sturbridge. (News reports indicate this crash was in Sturbridge, while the details in the crash portal from the police report lists Brimfield; the Brimfield / Sturbridge line is near the crash location.) A preliminary investigation revealed the motor vehicle was traveling eastbound when the driver went into the breakdown lane and struck the person walking.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a buffered bike lane in each direction. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date 8/27/2022, 1:40 AM
Location SR-16 WEST + Vine St.
Town Everett
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 53
Sex M

The Boston Globe reports that the driver of a 2001 Toyota Camry struck and killed 53-year old Oscar J. Portillo in the westbound right lane, just west of Vine Street.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Route 16 is under MassDOT jurisdiction, and Vine Street is under local jurisdiction. There are three travel lanes in each direction on Route 16, and an additional left turn lane onto Vine Street. There is a median and a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 35mph.

Date 8/27/2022, 10:34 PM
Location Lowell Connector NORTH, near Industrial Ave.
Town Lowell
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 29
Sex M

We could not find any additional news coverage of this crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are three travel lanes in each direction and a median divider. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date 8/31/2022, 5:59 AM
Location 280 Providence St.
Town Worcester
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 78
Sex M

We could not find any additional news coverage of this crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date 8/31/2022, 8:18 PM
Location 273 Pleasant St.
Town Brockton
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 24
Sex M

WCVB reports that a young married couple was crossing the street when they were hit. Eddison Matza, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, Mira Fernanda, 20, is at Boston Medical Center in serious condition.

Witnesses told WCVB the couple was walking across the street after being dropped off when they were hit by a Mercedes sedan, that then was struck by the motorcycles. One of the motorcycles was then hit by another car in the chain reaction crash. 

“Since February it’s like the third accident I’m seeing on the same road,” witness Edmar Gonsalves said. “After I heard everything, I went outside and then what I found was a dead person right in front of my house. I can’t even trust the road. I can’t even trust my neighborhood because of the street over there — people driving crazy.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Updates

If you have an update about a community member who was killed in one of these crashes, please contact Brendan so we can update our 2022 list. WalkBoston has maintained a list each year since 2016, pulling the information from news reports, social media, and from people like you that share the information with us.

Yearly trackers:  |  ||||| 2022

Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)

Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal

MassDOT makes no representation as to the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, availability or completeness of the crash records or the data collected from them and is not responsible for any errors or omissions in such records or data. Under no circumstance will MassDOT have any liability for any loss or damage incurred by any party as a result of the use of the crash records or the data collected from them. Furthermore, the data contained in the web-based crash report tool are not an official record of what transpired in a particular crash or for a particular crash type. If a user is interested in an official copy of a crash report, contact the Registry (http://www.mass.gov/rmv/). The City of Boston Police Department may be contacted directly for official copies of crash reports and for crash data pertaining to the City of Boston. In addition, any crash records or data provided for the years after 2018 are subject to change at any time and are not to be considered up-to-date or complete. As such, open years’ of crash data are for informational purposes only and should not be used for analysis. The data posted on this website, including crash records and other reports, are collected for the purpose of identifying, evaluating or planning the safety enhancement of potential crash sites, hazardous roadway conditions or railway-highway crossings. Under federal law, this information is not subject to discovery and cannot be admitted into evidence in any federal or state court proceeding or considered for other purposes in any action for damages that involves the sites mentioned in these records (see 23 USC, Section 409).

This November, Vote Yes on 4 for Safer Roads!

This November, Vote Yes on 4 for Safer Roads!

By |

As part of the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition, which seeks to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all, WalkBoston stands in support of the Yes on 4 for Safer Roads Campaign. This ballot campaign upholds the common-sense law known as the Work and Family Mobility Act, which was enacted earlier this year and allows qualified residents, regardless of immigration status, to apply for a standard driver’s license.

Image reads VOTE YES ON 4

As a Coalition focused on improving street safety, we know this law will meaningfully improve road safety for everyone, and will dignify all our residents with the freedom to travel safely and legally. Voting YES on ballot question 4 in November will preserve this law, improve mobility, and ensure more drivers on our roads are trained and licensed.

A YES vote on ballot question 4 will:

  1. Support safe mobility access in our communities, ensuring that all workers and families can safely and legally make essential trips like dropping off kids at school and getting to work, medical appointments, and the grocery store, and;
  2. Uphold the regulatory framework that ensures all drivers have passed a road test, bought insurance, and have a form of verified identification.

The Evidence + Support:

Voting YES ON 4 would allow Massachusetts to experience the safety and revenue benefits that many states with similar laws have enjoyed. The District of Columbia and 17 other states, including most of our neighbors, have similar laws; some of those states have had such laws in place for decades. States like California and Connecticut have seen significantly fewer hit-and-run crashes, and Utah and New Mexico have seen uninsured driving drop 80 and 60 percent respectively. In the Commonwealth, voting YES ON 4 is projected to bring an additional $5 million in taxes and $6 million from fees, inspections, and other services within the first three years.

Ensuring that all drivers in Massachusetts are tested, licensed, and insured will lead to safer roads for all of us, which is why the Work and Family Mobility Act was endorsed by a majority of Massachusetts city police chiefs, sheriffs, and district attorneys, including the Massachusetts Major Cities Chief of Police Association.

Here’s how you can learn more + get involved: 

We hope you will vote YES on question 4 on the ballot this November!

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,
WalkBoston

P.S. To learn more about the Vision Zero Coalition, click here! 

FAQs – Beat The Bay State Team Challenge (November 2022)

FAQs – Beat The Bay State Team Challenge (November 2022)

By |

Have a question about the Beat the Bay State Team Challenge? We’ve put together a list of Frequently Asked Questions! If you have a question that is not answered below, send us a message through the RunSignUp page (contact form at the bottom of the registration page) so someone can get back to you.

Last updated: Friday, September 9th, 2022

Virtual Team Challenge FAQs

Q: Is this a virtual or in-person event? 

Virtual! No need to travel to get to the event, you can participate from anywhere in the state or indeed the world. 

Q: Is there event swag?

Yes! Winter hats ($15) and buffs ($10) are available for sale for either event; the hats and buffs are the same design as last year’s event. 

Q: Can I sign up a friend or family member when I’m signing up? 

Yes! You can register multiple people in one transaction on RunSignUp. 

However, if you are creating a team, we recommend doing that in a transaction without registering any additional people. (When creating a team, it prompts you to also create a fundraising page for the team – if you were to register other people in the same transaction, it would require a fundraising page to be created for those people, too. While fundraising is optional, creation of the page is required during team registration.) 

Q: How do I log my miles? 

There are two ways you can do it. Remember, you need to be registered for the Beat the Bay State on RunSignUp in order to submit your miles.

1st way — It can be done through the RunSignUp results page for Beat the Bay State, which can be found on the top bar of the registration site. Click RESULTS on the top bar, and then the orange “Submit Virtual Results” button at the top of that page. The next screen will have participant lookup fields where you can search for your name. You will be able to submit miles you’ve covered by walking or running on the next screen by clicking the “Log Activities” button. This is also the best way to do it if one family member is logging miles for multiple people. (If you can’t find your name through the search, you may not be registered for the event yet.) 

2nd way — If you are logged in to RunSignUp with the same info you used to sign up for Beat the Bay State, you can go to your profile: https://runsignup.com/Profile

Scroll down to the event for Beat the Bay State, click “Submit Virtual Results.” You will be able to submit miles you’ve covered by walking or running on the next screen. Please note that the form fields will not appear until November 1st, since miles must be done between Nov 1st and Nov 30th. The submission form will remain open until December 1st at 12PM Eastern so you can log your final totals for the month of November. 

You can log your miles daily, every few days, weekly – it is up to you. Remember, as each member of your team logs miles, your team will move along a mapped route. We’ll also be sending weekly reminders via email and daily reminders to the Facebook group (see below) to have people log their activity. You do not need to have MapMyRun, Strava, or a GPS watch.

Q: I want to join a team but I forget our team name. Can I see a list of all the teams?

Yes! Click on Groups/Teams at the top of the RunSignUp page, which will give a list of all the teams and total team members. You can click on the team name itself to see the team and also to share the team link directly.

Q: I only track my steps. How do I log those?

Since each person’s stride is different, we’re using miles to have a way to compare teams. Your fitness tracker may also estimate the number of miles that you’ve logged. If you want to convert from steps to miles, you can use this calculator: https://www.blitzresults.com/en/steps/

Q: How do we know how far along our team is?

All team results / progress will be on the Results page. From there, you can click to your own Team Page, where you can see how you and your teammates are doing as individuals. You’ll also receive badges through RunSignUp and emails along the way as your team hits milestones on your 900 mile journey. (You can also access your team at the bottom of your Profile).

We’ll also send a weekly email to all participants giving everyone an overall event update and reminding people to submit their miles so their team total is accurate. 

Q: Can someone join our team even after November 1st?

Yes! There is no cutoff date for when someone can join your team to help log miles toward the 900 mile goal during the month. You can share your team page with them at any point. 

Q: Is there a hashtag I should use or a Facebook group for the event? 

Yes! We created a Facebook Group for last year’s challenge, which we’ll be using again: https://www.facebook.com/groups/beatthebaystate 

There may be weekly events within the Facebook group which will allow for additional individual prize opportunities.

You can also use hashtag #BeatTheBayState on your social media of choice to see other posts from people who are taking part during November. We’ll search public posts on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram and pick a few to feature in the weekly update email to participants! 

Q: Are the hats and buffs the same design as last year? 

Yes! We might be biased, but we think they’re great. 🙂

Q: I want a winter hat or a buff, but I didn’t purchase one when I first signed up. Can I still get one? 

Yes! You can access the store here. On the main RunSignUp page, you can also click “STORE” at the top. The store will let you buy something without going back through the registration process. If you’d like to order a large amount of items to distribute to your team, please contact Brendan (bkearney@walkboston.org) and he can arrange that with you.

Q: I ordered a hat or buff. When should it arrive? 

We’ll be mailing out the first batch of orders on October 1st. You can also pick up your swag from our office in downtown Boston if you’d like it ASAP for your walk/runs. Email Brendan at bkearney@walkboston.org to make the arrangements.

Q: I registered as an individual (or on a team), but now I want to create my own team.  

We can create one for you if needed – but we found last year that it is a lot easier if you have someone who hasn’t signed up yet create the team. They can then give you admin access to help manage it. Read the RunSignUp tutorial on how to do that here.

Q: I don’t want to be in charge of a team, but since I was the first one to sign up I made the team. Can someone else be put in charge?

If you created a team, and want to give someone else admin access to help you manage it, read the RunSignUp tutorial on how to do that here.

Q: Our team will mostly be families in my neighborhood doing walks/runs together. How many members of a family can log the miles?  For instance, if I am signed up but my son goes for a 2-mile walk, can I add his mileage to mine? 

Something to consider: our executive director created a team for her friends & family to join last year, and her children each signed up as team members since they each wanted to know how many miles they contributed to the team during the month. The rule of thumb we’re using: if you’re old enough to sign yourself up, you should be your own team member on the team. (It is your call, though – if you want to have your son signed up as a user, that’s great! But if you find it easier to combine those miles with yours, go for it.) 

Q: Are there prizes? 

There are prizes for the team that finishes the 900 miles first, biggest team (most participants), and the most money raised (both individual and team). These links will provide rankings: Team rankings | Team participants | Top Individual Fundraisers | Top Team Fundraisers 

There may be weekly events within the Facebook group which will allow for additional individual prize opportunities, so we’d encourage you to join the Beat the Bay State Facebook Group.

Q: Does my registration fee or swag purchase go toward our team fundraising goal?

Registration fees and swag purchases do not go toward fundraising goals. The biggest team does not always raise the most money: we want to make sure we recognize both efforts! All proceeds support WalkBoston. 

Q: Fundraising: How do I create a page? 

Team captains are required to create a team fundraising page when setting up the team, and participants have the option to create individual pages. (There is no fundraising requirement to participate). If you would like to become an individual fundraiser, click here. At the bottom of that page, make sure to join your team’s fundraiser so your individual fundraising total will be combined with your team.

Q: Can we keep going if/when our team hits 900 miles?

Yes! While your team marker won’t move around the map again, you’re able to keep adding to your total team miles tracked for the month. Last year, a few of the biggest teams were able to do it multiple times, competing with each other to see who could go further! See the 2021 team results.

Q: I have a question about something that isn’t covered here.

Send us a message through the RunSignUp page (contact form at the bottom of the registration page) so someone can get back to you.

Beat the Bay State registration now open for Fall 2022!

Beat the Bay State registration now open for Fall 2022!

By |

Starting November 1st, we’re challenging you to compete in the 3rd Annual Beat the Bay State Challenge throughout November (Nov1st-30th). In 2022, over 500 people took part in the virtual team challenge to walk/run 900 miles, the distance of the perimeter of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and together we covered over 50,000 miles.

For more info or to sign up:
https://runsignup.com/baystate

3rd Annual Beat the Bay State Logo

Sponsorships are available! Please contact Deputy Director of Operations Althea Wong-Achorn for more info.

Interested in volunteering? Please contact Deputy Director of Advocacy Brendan Kearney for more info.

Have any other event questions? Check out our 2022 FAQ.

Have you seen the wayfinding signs popping up in Medford?

Have you seen the wayfinding signs popping up in Medford?

By |

Earlier this month, we helped the City of Medford install wayfinding signs that were implemented with funding from a MassDOT Shared Streets and Spaces grant. Increasing walking as a useful part of everyday life is a shared objective of many stakeholders in Massachusetts. One potential strategy to do so is installing wayfinding signs, which can give people clear information about walking routes and walking times to reach key destinations. We think the signs in Medford turned out great! The City hopes to gather feedback on the signs to inform future efforts, so a QR code was included so people have a place they can go to get more information.

WalkBoston has previously worked with communities through different Department of Public Health Programs (Mass in Motion & 1422) to implement systems of wayfinding signage. Learn more about these previous efforts and our methodology for implementation on our wayfinding page.

.