Statewide Efforts Archives - WalkMassachusetts

A bilingual community walk in East Boston

WalkMassachusetts and GreenRoots Caminatas Verdes participants gather for a photo prior to embarking on a 1 mile walk along the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway.

WalkMassachusetts and GreenRoots Caminatas Verdes participants gather for a photo prior to embarking on a 1 mile walk along the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway.

On Tuesday, August 6, WalkMassachusetts and GreenRoots co-hosted a one-mile walk through East Boston, joining Caminatas Verdes (“Green Walks”), a group of local residents who gather weekly to be physically active and create community.

This was our first-ever bilingual community walk, with English interpretation provided by GreenRoots. It was an opportunity to highlight a partnership with GreenRoots that has been made possible by a grant from Boston Children’s Hospital.

The event began in the amphitheater of the Bremen Street Community Park, where WalkMass’ bilingual Program Manager Jonny Gomez-Pereira welcomed participants and highlighted some of the topics that would be discussed along the walk. Noemy Rodriguez, a 2024 WalkMassachusetts Golden Shoe Recipient, described how the Caminatas reflect some of East Boston’s rich cultural diversity, with multiple languages and nationalities represented and participants of different ages and abilities.

Attendees of this walk then had the opportunity to hear from Sandra Nijjar, the Founder and Executive of the East Boston Community Soup Kitchen, which operates twice a week in order to provide families in East Boston with nutritious food. Sandra’s current work highlights the need that exists within the community and some of the challenges that families face when trying to access food.

After hearing from opening speakers, participants embarked on the walk along the Mary Ellen Welch Greenway which connects the Jeffries Point neighborhood in East Boston to Orient Heights via a car-free shared use path. During the first stop of our walk along the Gove St. entrance of the Greenway we were able to hear from Caminata participant and East Boston resident Beatrice who bravely shared some of her experience with the Caminatas. She has participated in the walk for over 8 years, and found the community she built in this space empowering as she recovered from COVID-19 complications. Beatrice spoke to the power of moving together and being in community and affirmed her participation going forward.

As the walk made its way further south toward the coast, participants had the opportunity to hear from another Caminata participant and Eastie Resident, Rina, who has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. Rina shared some of her memories of what the East Boston coastline used to be and how it has rapidly transformed in recent years. She noted some of the challenges that have come along with the rapid development of the coast including the exponential growth of housing costs in the once affordable neighborhood and the resulting displacement that Caminatas participants organize around. She noted that organizations such as City Life / Vida Urbana work with residents in the area to challenge displacement, which has become common.

Lastly, the group made its way towards Piers Park, walking through the recent expansion of the MassPort property where attendees had the opportunity to hear from John Walkey, GreenRoots’ Director of Climate Justice & Waterfront Initiatives. John was able to provide some context of some of the programmatic work that GreenRoots achieves throughout East Boston. He shared a brief history lesson on how chapter 91 has evolved from providing access to colonial era subjects to the harbor to fish and clam, to its current existing form where new developments along the Boston Harbor provide public amenities to the communities that host them such as public restrooms. John also noted that green spaces such as Piers Park are essential, especially as Boston Logan Airport abuts the community and negatively impacts air quality.

Learn more about:

GreenRoots environmental justice work in East Boston and Chelsea
Amenities provided through Chapter 91 (from Boston Harbor Now, with an interactive map)
City Life/Vida Urbana housing justice and anti-displacement work

Statewide fatal crashes in MA, March 2024

Throughout the year, we post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from a previous month, and share any trends that we see. For the full list of monthly posts, head here.

In our previous post, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in February; seven were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in March 2024. 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.

Of the 22 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in March in the MassDOT Crash portal, 7 were identified as people walking.
At least two of the crashes involved people who knew each other and a vehicle backing up.
The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in March was 44.7.

Date	3/2/2024, 8:26 PM
Location	149 Pleasant St.
Town	Attleboro
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	74
Sex	M

NBC10 WJAR reports 74-year old Basil Bletsis was struck and killed while trying to cross Pleasant Street (Rt 123).

From WJAR:

Residents of the Pleasant Street Rest Home said the victim of Saturday’s fatal collision, a 74-year-old man, was a friend, neighbor, and roommate, adding the mishap came as less of a shock, and more as a reflection of reality, living along Route 123.
Several rest home residents said they believe the victim was probably trying to make it across the street on his way to the Stop and Shop supermarket about a block away.
Several residents of the rest home said they hope this tragedy sheds light on what they described as the desperate need for increased pedestrian safety measures throughout the neighborhood.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Pleasant Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with two travel lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date	3/2/2024, 8:53 PM
Location	47 State Rd. West
Town	Westminster
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	36
Sex	M

The Gardner News reports that the driver of a car struck a pedestrian on Route 2A resulting in fatal injuries.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, State Road West (Rt 2A) is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is no sidewalk. The speed limit is 45mph.

Date	3/3/2024, 2:56 AM
Location	I-93 NORTH, MM 35
Town	Wilmington
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	47
Sex	M

A 47-year old man was struck and killed on I-93 North near mile marker 35 in Wilmington. The Wilmington Police log from that date states, “One party was ejected. Injuries.” We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, I-93 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way limited access highway with four travel lanes in each direction. The speed limit is 65mph.

Date	3/10/2024, 9:14 PM
Location	169 Squire Rd.
Town	Revere
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	28
Sex	F

The Boston Globe reports 28-year old Sofia Isabel Mejia Zambrano was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle Sunday night while crossing Route 60 on her way to catch a bus after her shift had ended at Market Basket, according to law enforcement and a store manager.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Squire Road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with two travel lanes in one direction and three travel lanes in the other direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date	3/24/2024, 5:06 PM
Location	Congress St. + Sleeper St.
Town	Boston
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	4
Sex	F

4-year old Gracie Gancheva was struck and killed after being struck by a pickup truck driver who turned onto Sleeper Street.

From the Boston Globe:

“This is an almost unimaginable tragedy,” Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Mayor Michelle Wu’s chief of streets, told residents Saturday morning.
He said the changes to Sleeper Street should be underway in the next few weeks. Officials already have removed one parking spot on Congress Street near the intersection and plan to replace it with a box of flex poles, allowing visibility but making drivers unable to cut the corner quickly. The city also will look at the narrow partial sidewalk on one side of the road, with an eye toward potentially expanding it to a full sidewalk.
The broader redesign of the area’s streets is on track to start next year, he said. That will include a raised crosswalk at the intersection where the girl died.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Sleeper Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street, and a narrow curb edge on the other. The speed limit is 25mph.

Date	3/29/2024, 12:28 PM
Location	370 Park Ave.
Town	Worcester
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	88
Sex	M

An 88-year old man was struck and killed by a 69-year old driver as they were returning to their vehicle after getting coffee, according to Boston 25 News:

Investigators say the victim and a 69-year-old man went to get a coffee at a local establishment and upon returning to their vehicle, the 69-year-old got into the car and allegedly accelerated backward and then forwards, striking the 88-year-old victim who was standing outside.

It is unclear from the reporting if the incident happened along the roadway or in an adjacent parking lot.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Park Avenue is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with two travel lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. There are crosswalks for all legs of the intersection. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date	3/29/2024, 7:13 PM
Location	240 Second St.
Town	Chelsea
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	36
Sex	F

The Boston Globe reports 36-year old Jean Baptiste was struck in the head and killed by a sign while standing on a sidewalk after the driver of a 2010 Subaru Outback crashed into the sign post.

From the Boston Globe:

Baptiste got out of the Subaru about 7:10 p.m. and stood on the sidewalk as the driver pulled forward and toward the left, then put the SUV in reverse, indicating that he was making a three-point turn, State Police said in a statement.
The SUV then accelerated in reverse and jumped the curb, striking a metal post that held a “no parking” sign next to where the woman was standing, according to the statement.
“The force of the car striking the signpost caused the sign to come down violently and strike the woman in the head,” State Police said. “The vehicle itself does not appear to have made contact with the woman.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Second Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is 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 2024 list. WalkMassachusetts 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.
Monthly crash review
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2023)

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 most current information on IMPACT regarding motor vehicle fatalities can be found at (https://apps.impact.dot.state.ma.us/cdp/dashboard-view/2047/). Other places on IMPACT may not be as current and the motor vehicle fatality information may not match. 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 2021 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 407).

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, February 2024

Each month, we post about the fatal crashes in Massachusetts from a previous month, and share any trends that we see. For the full list of monthly posts, head here.

In our previous post, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in January; nine were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in February 2024. 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.

Of the 20 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in February in the MassDOT Crash portal, 7 were identified as people walking.
Similar to last month, some of the pedestrian crashes had the ‘speed limit’ field blank in the Road Inventory Viewer. We are now also using the MassGIS-MassDOT Roads layer to check for speed limit information.
The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in February was 60.5.

Date	2/12/2024, 5:53 PM
Location	South St. + Charles St.
Town	Holyoke
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	64
Sex	M

22News/WWLP reports that a 65-year old man was hit and killed while crossing South Street in Holyoke. Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia provided a statement to the news outlet:

“I am deeply saddened to hear of this terrible accident and loss that our city has endured. My heart goes out to the family. Here is what we know at this time: The pedestrian who was hit was not using the crosswalk, and it is my understanding that the driver of the vehicle was distracted with cell phone usage at the time of the accident. The Holyoke Police Department does not believe that the lights of that crosswalk played a role in this tragic accident. The Massachusetts State Police are currently investigating the matter and once the MSP Accident Team concludes their investigation, we will be able to provide further updates on the situation.”

22News/WWLP followed up by speaking to Holyoke residents:

Pat O’Connor, who lives near that intersection says she has to cross it often, but doesn’t feel safe doing so, “Even when you are in the crosswalk, they don’t want to stop. I’ve seen people here with wheel chairs, canes, walkers, going across the street and they just try to get around you. Its awful.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, South Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side of the street. There is not a crosswalk to cross over South at the intersection with Charles Street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date	2/13/2024, 5:53 PM
Location	Main St.
Town	Southbridge
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	66
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, Main Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is 25mph.

Date	2/16/2024, 11:57 AM
Location	375 Maple St. + 155 Cabot St.
Town	Holyoke
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	74
Sex	F

A 74-year-old Holyoke woman was taken to Baystate Medical Center but died from her injuries after she was struck by the driver of a car at the intersection of Maple and Cabot Streets near the library. This was the second fatal pedestrian crash in February in Holyoke.

News413 reports that MassDOT is working with Holyoke on a safety project for the High and Maple Street corridors; the project is in the planning phase and construction would not be completed until at least 2026.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Maple Street and Cabot Street are both under local jurisdiction. Cabot is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 25mph. Maple is a one-way road in the direction of Cabot with two travel lanes and parking on both sides of the street. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph. There are also School Speed Limit 20mph When Flashing” signs on two sides of the intersection.

Date	2/16/2024, 9:35 PM
Location	158 Oak St.
Town	Brockton
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	44
Sex	M

WCVB reports the driver of a Chevrolet van was traveling west on Oak Street when it struck a 44-year old man in the roadway in the area of Raymond Elementary School and Brockton North Middle School. The man who was struck was transported by Brewster Ambulance to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton with life-threatening injuries. Police said he was then flown to Boston Medical Center for further treatment; they later died from their injuries.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Oak Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date	2/17/2024, 6:20 PM
Location	223 Worcester-Providence Tpke.
Town	Sutton
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	34
Sex	F

MassLive reports 34-year old Nicole Young was struck and killed by a car in Sutton along Worcester-Providence Turnpike (Rt 146).

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Worcester-Providence Turnpike (Rt-146) is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way Multi-lane Highway, not limited access. There are three lanes in each direction with a median. There are no sidewalks. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date	2/28/2024, 4:30 AM
Location	Melnea Cass Blvd. + Hampden St.
Town	Boston
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	60
Sex	M

WCVB reports a 60-year old man was struck and killed at the intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Hampden Street around 4:30am; police tape surrounded a black SUV at the scene.

WalkMassachusetts spoke with Boston 25 News about crashes across the state, reinforcing that street improvements and traffic calming are “really an effort of making it safer so everyone can get around and get back to their families.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Melnea Cass Blvd and Hampden Street are both under local jurisdiction. Melnea Cass is a two-way road with two through travel lanes and a left turn lane in each direction. Hampden Street is a two-way road with one through travel lane and a dedicated turn lane towards Mass Ave in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of each street. The speed limit is 35mph.

Date	2/28/2024, 6:41 PM
Location	21 Green St,
Town	Newburyport
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	80
Sex	F

MassLive reports 80-year old Rev. Helen M. Sampson Murgida was struck and killed outside Newburyport City Hall by the driver of a Ford F-150 before she was to give a prayer at the State of the City Address.

Mayor Sean Reardon released a statement:

“We are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of the Rev. Helen M. Sampson Murgida, Affiliate Community Minister at the First Religious Society Unitarian Universalist Church. Rev. Helen was scheduled to deliver a prayer at the State of the City Address.
“This is a tragic day for the Newburyport community. Our hearts are prayers are with her family, friends, and the First Religious Society.
“As an Interfaith Chaplain, Rev. Helen touched many lives within her congregation and throughout Newburyport. She had spent a long and rewarding career in special education, and she carried her passion to support those facing challenges through her faith. She advocated tirelessly for the inclusion of people with disabilities, delivering sermons and organizing community programming to raise awareness.
“She made our City an even more welcoming and inclusive place.
“My office is working with the First Religious Society to offer opportunities for community healing and will be offering ways to help the many community members affected by this loss. We also are making counseling services available to City Hall staff who have been touched by this tragedy.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Green Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a one-way road with two travel lanes and parking on both sides. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is unclear.

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 2024 list. WalkMassachusetts 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.
Monthly crash review
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2023)

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).

WalkMassachusetts releases MA pedestrian crash report and tools to advocate for safer streets

BOSTON, March 29, 2024 – In 2023, one in every five (20%) fatal motor vehicle crashes in Massachusetts involved a person walking getting hit by the driver of a car. Forty cities and towns experienced at least one fatal pedestrian crash over the course of the year, with eight municipalities seeing multiple crashes. More than half (54%) of the deaths occurred in environmental justice communities.

These insights come from Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2023) WalkMassachusetts’ third annual report tracking pedestrian deaths from motor vehicles around the Commonwealth. Along with calculating the number of pedestrian deaths, the report provides time-of-day, geographic, and other insights to inform solutions for safer streets.

“We are heartbroken each year learning the stories of people walking who lose their lives in these senseless, and largely preventable, crashes,” said Brendan Kearney, co-executive director of WalkMassachusetts. “One factor emerges again and again in these crashes: vehicle speed. Our roads are designed for people to drive too fast. We witness residents across the Commonwealth wanting to advocate for changes in the streets in their own community – and we stand ready to help.”

Older adults (people aged 65 or older) continue to be disproportionately harmed, making up 31.9% of victims while representing only 18% of the state’s population.

“People of all ages deserve to be safe as we move within and between our communities,” said Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) Executive Director James Fuccione. “For older adults to be active, engaged and included in community life means having infrastructure that prioritizes safety and connection to things we all find meaningful. This data is proof that there is more to be done as we collectively need to advance and quicken the progress being made.”

With over three-quarters of fatal pedestrian crashes in 2023 happening on local streets controlled by a city or town (76.8%), WalkMassachusetts is introducing a new resource to educate and empower people to create safer streets in their own communities: the Walk Audit Academy video series. This series will provide guidance on the elements of what creates a safe street and how to organize a group of friends and neighbors to take action on specific streets.

In addition, WalkMassachusetts is offering a Walk Audit Academy training program, where staff will work with a cohort of three to five groups within a community in a hands-on manner.

People can learn more about both programs here or at www.walkmass.org/waa

“Las auditorías peatonales y los días de demostración con intervenciones temporales permiten a las personas dar su opinión y ver posibles cambios en una calle,” said Noemy Rodriguez, Waterfront Initiative Organizer with GreenRoots in Chelsea.

[Translation: Walk audits and demonstration days with temporary installations allow people to give feedback and see possible changes to a street.]

WalkMassachusetts’ efforts align with other promising programs being led by MassDOT, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local cities, including:

At least 10 Regional Vision Zero planning efforts are just starting, with funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program. This is a sign that planning investments on a regional level have happened since our report in March 2023 to respond to safety issues on our roadways.
MassDOT has provided 281 school zone assemblies to 130 communities, and is developing a multi-year program to enhance bus stop crossings where pedestrian risk is high or there is a high potential for walking; they are starting with State-owned roadways (reviewing 212 bus stop locations).
The City of Boston has rolled out a “Safety Surge,” which focuses on three main areas: Speed Humps, Safer Intersections, and Safer Signals.

Other key crash data from the report

While total pedestrian deaths have dipped slightly from last year’s all-time high of 101 deaths, this year’s total of 69 deaths sits at the average of pedestrian deaths over the past 22 years. Other key insights include:

Boston, Springfield, and Brockton have had at least three fatal crashes each year that WalkMassachusetts has released a report.
More than three quarters (76.8%) of the fatalities took place on streets controlled by municipalities. Less than 20% (18.8%) were on MassDOT roads.
Almost 70% of the fatal pedestrian crashes occurred in the dark (before sunrise or after sunset).
More than half (54%) of fatal pedestrian crashes took place in Environmental Justice Census Block Groups.
70.8% of the vehicles people were driving in these fatal crashes were passenger cars, while 21.5% were light trucks. (All vans, minivans, pickups, and SUVs are combined into the “light truck” category.)
7 crashes were hit-and-run resulting in 8 deaths, where the driver left the scene of the crash.

###

About WalkMassachusetts

WalkMassachusetts makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities. Founded in 1990 as WalkBoston, the organization envisions a Massachusetts where people walking – no matter their race, identity, age, ability, or lived experience – feel safe, connected, and valued on our streets and sidewalks.

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, October 2023

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.

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in September; four were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in October 2023. 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.

Of the 31 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in October in the MassDOT Crash portal, 6 were identified as people walking.
5 of the 6 pedestrian crashes had the ‘speed limit’ field blank in the Road Inventory Viewer.
The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in October was 63.3

Date	10/8/2023, 7:50 PM
Location	Summit St. + Christina Dr.
Town	Peabody
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	61
Sex	M

MassLive reports 61-year old Robert King was crossing the road on Summit Street near Christina Drive when they were hit by a car around 7:40 p.m. on Oct. 7. King died at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Summit St is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street. There is a crosswalk at Christina Drive in Google Street View from 2020. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed in the database, and there are no nearby speed limit signs on Google Street View.

Date	10/12/2023, 7:52 AM
Location	777 West St.
Town	Pittsfield
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	49
Sex	M

The Berkshire Eagle reports 49-year old Shane Cassavant was struck by a 2015 Chevrolet Colorado truck driven by 87-year-old Edward Ladouceur. The Pittsfield Police said Ladouceur did not go around the construction zone, and instead drove into it, striking Cassavant with his truck as Cassavant worked in the road.

From the Berkshire Eagle article:

West Street has been the focus of community conversations around making roadways safer for pedestrians after a local mother, Shaloon Milord, was killed after she was struck in a crosswalk on West Street in January while walking her young child to the bus stop.
The city has proposed a series of road changes designed to slow traffic over a mile stretch of the road, including the area where Milord was fatally injured, near Dorothy Amos Park. But that project would end at Valentine Road approximately a half a mile to the east from the apparent site of Thursday’s crash.

The fatal pedestrian crash on West Street in Pittsfield in January also involved a driver in their 80s.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, West Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction. There are no sidewalks. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed in the database; however, an image in the Berkshire Eagle article shows a 40mph speed limit sign.

Date	10/19/2023, 12:56 PM
Location	Main St. + Mountain Ave.
Town	Malden
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	63
Sex	F

WCVB reports 63-year old Mary McTaggart, pushing groceries on the sidewalk, was struck and killed after a multi-car crash in Malden. Investigators say the driver of a BMW SUV slammed into an Immigration and Customs Enforcement SUV that was stopped at this light before the BMW careened off the road, hitting several poles and striking the woman on the sidewalk.

Boston 25 News spoke to someone who had recently seen the victim:

Madina Adolph fought back tears after finishing her first day volunteering in the food pantry of a nearby YMCA. She tells Boston 25 she had just served the woman.
“I cannot believe I just help her get food it just a sad thing you know life is too short,” said Adolph.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Main Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction and sidewalks on both sides of the street. The intersection of Main Street and Mountain Avenue has a traffic signal. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed in the database.

Date	10/26/2023, 7:35 PM
Location	19 City Hall Ave.
Town	Gardner
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	59
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, City Hall Avenue is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on both sides. There is diagonal parking on one side and parallel parking on the other side of the street. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed in the database.

Date	10/27/2023, 6:01 PM
Location	265 Pleasant St.
Town	Marblehead
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	80
Sex	M

The Marblehead Current reports 80-year old Karl Johnson was struck and killed while crossing Pleasant between Smith Street and Mohawk Road.

From the Current article:

Resident Dan Albert, a local safe streets advocate who has researched Pleasant Street, called for more action.
“Speeding continues to be a problem along the 25 mph roadway, despite the recent fatalities and ongoing concerns,” said Albert. “We have lots of data to show us the danger points. And those are not crash data.”
He added, “I would like to know, ‘How are the police using the data that they have from the new speed advisory signs?’”
Albert argues that the busy corridor should be evaluated for a “road diet,” reducing lanes and lane widths to slow cars.
“Pleasant Street may be wide enough to accommodate more and current traffic volumes, including bicycle lanes,” he said. “Narrower lanes themselves can slow speeds. So there are two benefits — slower traffic and more space for other uses.”
Town officials note traffic and street changes should occur as incremental steps to improve safety through traffic calming and enhanced visibility of crosswalks.
In 2022, the town installed bump-outs at three crosswalks along Pleasant Street near Mohawk Road, Smith Street, and on West Shore Drive. The curb extensions narrow the roadway width at crossing points to reduce pedestrian exposure and slow approaching traffic.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Pleasant St/MA-114 is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on each side. The speed limit is unclear, as it is not listed in the database; the Marblehead Current articles states it is 25mph.

Date	10/27/2023, 6:24 PM
Location	235 State St.
Town	Springfield
Type	PEDESTRIAN
Age	68
Sex	M

A MassLive obituary shares that Michael Cooley, a lifelong resident of Springfield, died at the age of 68 after being struck by a motorist while crossing the street in front of his apartment at the Classical Condominiums on State Street. State Street was the deadliest street in Springfield for pedestrians in 2021.

From his obituary:

An indominable optimist with an irrepressible sense of humor and a love of his own jokes, Michael was an active member of Rotary and Sinai Temple, a Board Member of Pathlight, a past Grand Master of his Masonic Lodge, and an enthusiastic participant and volunteer at Grey House, the Salvation Army, the Golden Age Club, and Just Faith. He never missed a Sunday making sandwiches for Springfield’s homeless population or the chance to volunteer to help someone in need.
Springfield has never had a more loyal sports fan that Michael. In good times and bad, he was there as a jersey-wearing season ticket holder to cheer on the Falcons, the Thunderbirds, UMass basketball and football teams. Although he had physical challenges and special needs his whole life, Michael was oblivious to his own limitations or those of others. Age, race, religion, and “disability” were distinctions without differences to him except when they called forth a chance to help.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, State Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way road with two travel lanes in each direction. There are sidewalks 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 2023 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 | 2023
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)
Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2022)

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