Category: Statewide Efforts

Upcoming WalkMassachusetts Network Learning Opportunities

Upcoming WalkMassachusetts Network Learning Opportunities

By |

The WalkMassachusetts Network Zoom calls take place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1pm, and generally are topic focused with a guest speaker. We’re excited to announced August, September, October, and November’s speakers!

Can’t attend mid-day, but really interested in one of the talks below? Don’t worry: each talk/presentation will be recorded so we can share it afterwards. We’ll stop the recording before Q&A as we have the last few months to encourage open discussion. Recordings are posted to our YouTube channel and linked on our website at the bottom under “past events.”

Quick RSVP links are here, full descriptions below and on the WalkMassachusetts Network page.

August 16th: Register for 8/16 1pm on Zoom.
All Things Pedestrian & Traffic Signals

Based on recent conversations on the WalkMassachusetts Network Google Group, we’ve lined up a speaker for August who is very knowledgeable about traffic signals! Come with your signal questions, and be ready to learn about RRFBs, accommodating slower peds, ped recall, protection from concurrent conflicting turns, and more, including Boston’s new traffic signal policy which has enormous improvements for pedestrians.
Speakers include: Peter G. Furth, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University

September 20th: Register for 9/20 1pm on Zoom.
Piecing together, the Mass Central Rail Trail. It is like putting Humpty Dumpty together again.

This is the longest and most complicated former RR corridor to reassemble in New England. Running from Northampton to Boston, it has been a 40+ year journey so far. It is the longest developing rail trail in New England. Today we have 59 of the 104 miles open as a trail. 90.5 miles are in a protected status.
12 miles are currently under construction. In two-years we are likely to have 75 miles open. https://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/ Within 150 miles of Northampton, MA lies the densest network of former steam railroad corridors in the United States. A report by MassDOT showed that the MCRT can be completed, but it begs the question: What would a completed 100 mile long walking and biking trail mean to the Commonwealth? That is what we’ll be talking about on Sept 20th.
Speakers include: Craig Della Penna
Craig is the author of 5 books, the forwards to several more, op-eds in numerous newspapers and in the past few years, 5 books have been written that feature him in them as a case study in various realms. Including two about his innovative real estate practice; specializing in the sale of houses near rail trails. He is the first Realtor in the US to specialize in this niche. He and his wife Kathleen, also operate an award-winning bed & breakfast that sits 8 feet from the now rail trail, in Northampton’s historic Civil War era industrial village of Florence. He has given over 1,200 lectures in 21 states on various topics related to the conversion of former RRs into linear parks known as rail trails.

October 18th: Register for 10/18 on Zoom.
Vacant to Vibrant: Creating Walkable Neighborhoods with Social Infrastructure

Making an area walkable requires paying attention to more than what is on the street—also critical is what happens on the edges. Having good civic spaces creates communities that are strong and resilient and neighborhoods that have accessible, walkable destinations.
Speakers include: Aaron Greiner, the director of CultureHouse, will talk about how they use a community-driven model to reimagine vacant storefronts as pop-up community spaces that meet local needs.

November 15th: Register for 11/15 on Zoom.
MA Safe Routes to School

Since 2005, the federally funded Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program has been working to increase safe biking and walking for students grade K-12 by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation. Join this nationally #1 ranked program of MassDOT as we discuss their latest efforts, including the recent inclusion of high schools, driver education materials, and DESE-accreditation for professional development of their pedestrian and bike safety curriculum.
Speakers include: Judy Crocker, Statewide Coordinator, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School – a program of MassDOT.

WalkMassachusetts Announces New Executive Directors Althea Wong-Achorn, Brendan Kearney

WalkMassachusetts Announces New Executive Directors Althea Wong-Achorn, Brendan Kearney

By |

The new leadership, an expanded Board, and a rebrand to WalkMassachusetts, previously WalkBoston, reflect an organizational vision to make walking safer and easier statewide.

BOSTON (August 2, 2023) – WalkMassachusetts, a statewide pedestrian advocacy organization, today announced Althea Wong-Achorn and Brendan Kearney as the organization’s Executive Directors. The announcement comes on the heels of WalkBoston rebranding as WalkMassachusetts to represent an expansion of the organization’s vision and work, also demonstrated by the appointment of new board members and staff representing cities and towns from Springfield to East Boston to Brockton.

“This is an exciting next chapter for the organization. We are implementing our newly developed strategic plan, expanding our reach statewide, and continuing our advocacy work in support of safe pedestrian infrastructure and public policy,” said Board President Betsy Johnson. “It’s a huge task, and Brendan and Althea have proven over the past year that they are equal to the challenge. They are committed to making WalkMassachusetts’ vision – 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 a reality.”

While they are new to the Co-Executive Director roles, Althea and Brendan have collectively spent over a decade at WalkBoston, now WalkMassachusetts, in different roles. Brendan began as the organization’s Communications and Development Coordinator in 2013 and became the Deputy Director in 2019. In 2020, Althea joined as WalkMassachusetts’ Development Director and became Deputy Director of Operations in 2022. 

“The need for equitable streets that promote safer and easier walking for all is ever critical in Massachusetts and the nation,” said Executive Director Brendan Kearney. “I am thrilled to work with Althea to lead WalkMassachusetts’ efforts to promote and advocate for that while encouraging better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities.”

“People across Massachusetts are stepping up to advocate and work towards solutions for better street designs that promote equitable walking and save lives,” said Executive Director Althea Wong-Achorn. “This is an exciting time for the work towards safer streets, and I am honored to lead and work with Brendan, WalkMassachusetts, other advocacy groups, and communities across the state to provide access and tools to make Massachusetts safer.” 

Brendan is WalkMassachusetts’ advocacy and communications lead. He is a founding member of the City of Boston’s Vision Zero Task Force, and is an appointed member of the Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (MABPAB) which serves in an advisory role on advancing bicycle and pedestrian transportation for MassDOT and other State Agencies. Brendan is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross. He lives in Framingham with his wife Hannah and their dog Mavis. 

Althea is WalkMassachusetts’ head fundraiser and administrator. Prior to joining the organization, Althea oversaw fundraising and events for both the USS Constitution Museum, where she led a record setting gala, and Boston Children’s Museum, where she created new and innovative events while earning a Best of Boston® award from Boston Magazine. Althea lives in Winthrop with her husband Joe and their dog Daphne, and is a graduate of Colby College.

In recent years, WalkMassachusetts has strengthened its footprint in the region and positioned itself as the state’s primary pedestrian advocacy group, working with over 130 cities and towns across the state to promote equitable and safer streets for people walking. In 2022, the organization launched its annual Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in Massachusetts report, shedding new light on when and why pedestrian crashes are happening across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and how we can reduce or even eliminate pedestrian deaths.

This year’s report showed fatal pedestrian crashes in Massachusetts were up 35%, and more than 70% (72 of 101) occurred in Environmental Justice Neighborhoods. The report is now a tool for auditing regions impacted by traffic crashes and, ultimately, calls upon MassDOT, the legislature, and local municipalities to take immediate actions to create safer streets. WalkMassachusetts also created and leads the WalkMassachusetts Network, a statewide network of advocacy and municipal walking organizations that meets monthly and works to achieve mobility equity across Massachusetts. 

To learn more about WalkMassachusetts’ mission and vision, leadership, and ways to get involved, visit www.walkboston.org 

About WalkMassachusetts
WalkMassachusetts (founded in 1990 as WalkBoston, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) advocacy organization), makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. We have a vision of 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. Our small, committed staff work as a team to make change: whether it’s getting a crosswalk painted in a neighborhood or influencing Massachusetts state policy to make streets safer for all. Key to our effort is the value we place in Community, Equity, and Partnership. www.walkboston.org 

###

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, June 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, June 2023

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.

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in May; six were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in June 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 20 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in June in the MassDOT Crash portal, 3 were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in June was 41.3.
Date 6/13/2023, 4:22 AM
Location I-93 SOUTH, south of EXIT 21
Town Medford
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 31
Sex M

WCVB reports a 31-year old man was struck and killed after jumping from an overpass onto 93-South.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, I-93 is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a limited access highway, with 4 travel lanes in each direction with a divided median. The speed limit is 55mph.

Date 6/15/2023, 4:56 PM
Location 1037 St. James Ave.
Town Springfield
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 50
Sex M

WWLP reported that a 50 year old man was struck by the driver of a vehicle as the man was crossing the street near a bank. The man was transported to Baystate Medical Center with serious injuries. This crash was categorized as a fatal crash in the MassDOT portal when checked on July 21st.

The nearby intersections of St. James Avenue, Carew Street, and St. James Boulevard is listed for construction through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP); locations are selected based on the HSIP Top 200 Crash Cluster mapping and in coordination with the District and Regional Planning Agency. This project is planned to be funded through the 2023 Transportation Improvement Program for the Pioneer Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization; notice to proceed was given on May 17, 2023.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, St. James Avenue is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. (The travel lanes are wide; the road inventory lists the surface width as 44 feet). There is a sidewalk on each side of the street. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date 6/24/2023, 9:01 PM
Location 224 Low St.
Town Newburyport
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 43
Sex F

MassLive reports 43-year old Mercy Kimani was struck and killed by the driver of a GMC Denali SUV near Port Plaza on Low Street in Newburyport.

The Daily News reported that the investigation is ongoing: 

“The circumstances that led to the fatal accident remain unclear with officials still trying to piece together whether the victim was crossing the road, walking alongside the road where there is no sidewalk or if something else happened.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Low Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on each side of the street. The speed limit is 30mph. (It is listed as 99 on the road inventory, but viewable nearby on street view.)

Google Street View images show that vegetation has encroached on sidewalk access in previous years near the plaza.

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)

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).

July 2023 Network Meeting – “Walk the Talk: Understanding Pedestrian Behavior & Creating Analytic Tools to Aid Planning & Policy” Recording

July 2023 Network Meeting – “Walk the Talk: Understanding Pedestrian Behavior & Creating Analytic Tools to Aid Planning & Policy” Recording

By |

Rounaq Basu is the Manager of Multimodal Planning and Design at the Boston Region MPO, as well as a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT joined us for this month’s WalkMassachusetts Network discussion. Rounaq shared research on many of the questions he’s been studying: Why do pedestrians choose one route over others? Which street attributes are considered attractive and which ones are onerous? What should urban planners and designers be looking out for? How do we then incorporate these behaviors into a framework that allows us to understand and predict where people walk? What are the implications for Vision Zero policies?

The session was recorded, and you can view the presentation below.

The WalkMassachusetts Network typically meets every third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Register for upcoming Zoom calls at this link.

Anyone can listen in and participate in monthly calls!  Join the Google Group to get a reminder about these Zoom calls.

Do you have a topic that should be discussed at a future meeting? Suggestions welcome!

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, May 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, May 2023

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.

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in April; five were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in May 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 33 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in May in the MassDOT Crash portal, 6 were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in May was 44.6.
  • At least one person was on a sidewalk and two others were in crosswalks when drivers hit & killed them.
Date 5/7/2023, 1:37 PM
Location Massachusetts Ave. + Cobblestone Cir.
Town North Andover
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 47
Sex F

47-year old Angela Desmond was walking on the sidewalk in North Andover when the driver of a Honda Civic struck and killed her. Boston 25 News spoke to a neighbor:

Bill Dolan also lives nearby — and frequently walks his dog along Mass. Ave. Dolan said he’s actually seen vehicles veer up onto the sidewalk, in an attempt to get around drivers making a turn.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Massachusetts Avenue is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides (note: road inventory says 1 side). The speed limit is 35mph.

Date 5/9/2023, 5:30 PM
Location 2 Elm St. South + Main St.
Town Andover
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 5
Sex F

5-year old Sidney Mae Olson was struck and killed by the driver of a large truck in a crosswalk in Andover. From WCVB:

The Olson family statement said the girl and another family member were in the crosswalk on Elm Street, and “the walk sign showed it was still safe to cross.”

“As long-time residents of the neighborhood, we’ve followed that route hundreds of times before. The rest was a blur, and Sidney was struck by a truck and killed, leaving an impossible void in our lives,” the family said.

The Eagle Tribute reports that MassDOT was leading a road safety audit in response to the crash:

Technically, MassDOT will be conducting what is known as a Road Safety Audit, which are reviews of existing, or planned roads and intersections, according to the state’s website.

In order to complete the audit, MassDOT is going to begin compiling crash data and other pertinent information as “soon as possible,” according to the MassDOT email to Finegold’s office.

“In an effort to assist the community, MassDOT will be organizing a Road Safety Audit for the location that can be used to determine potential safety countermeasures that could be implemented in the immediate, short and long term scenarios,” the email said.

MassDOT added that state, and local officials and departments will be involved in the audit.

News of the audit comes following a May 11 letter sent by local legislators to MassDOT asking that the state “focus resources on improving pedestrian safety at the intersection.”

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, each road at this intersection is under local jurisdiction. Elm Street is a two-way street, with three travel lanes in one direction (a channelized right turn lane, one travel lane, and left turn as it approaches the intersection) and one travel lane away from the intersection. There is a sidewalk on both sides. The speed limit is 30mph.

Date 5/14/2023, 7:20 PM
Location E. Grove St. + Merchants Way
Town Middleborough
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 15
Sex M

15-year old Dylan Levesque was struck and killed by the driver of a car while crossing the street at the corner of Route 28 and the shopping entrance to the Hannaford Supermarket plaza in Taunton on Mother’s Day.

From the Taunton Daily Gazette:

Officials said there have been longstanding concerns over the lack of a traffic signal or crosswalk light at the intersection of Merchants Way and Route 28/East Grove Street where Dylan was hit.

Within the vicinity of the shopping plaza, also known as Middleboro Crossing, where Dylan was coming from, are two elementary schools, Middleboro High School and the YMCA.

“There are always kids, walking, riding bikes, families walking to and from the grocery store/shopping center. We need something so these people that aren’t in cars can be safe from cars flying by,” said Erika Rusconi, who started a Change.org petition to get a crosswalk light installed at that intersection.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, E. Grove Street is under MassDOT jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lane in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one side of the street and a shoulder on both sides. The speed limit is 40mph. A “Do Not Pass” sign is visible on Google Street View.

Date 5/19/2023, 8:42 PM
Location Water St. + Nichols St.
Town Fitchburg
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 76
Sex M

The Telegram & Gazette reports 76-year old Mario Bratkon was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle while crossing the street in a crosswalk in Fitchburg near the Fitchburg/Leominster line.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Water Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 2 travel lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the street. The speed limit is 35mph.

This intersection is at the Leominster / Fitchburg line; on the other side of Nichols Street, Fitchburg’s Water Street becomes Leominster’s North Main Street.

Date 5/20/2023, 2:02 PM
Location 243 Haverhill St.
Town Reading
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 79
Sex F

NBC Boston reports a 79-year old woman was struck and seriously injured by the 19-year old driver of a Nissan Rogue. The woman was taken by ambulance to Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington. This crash was categorized as a fatal crash in the MassDOT portal when checked on June 30th.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Haverhill Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk on one of the street. The speed limit is 35mph.

Date 5/28/2023, 3:11 AM
Location 54 Woodlawn St.
Town Everett
Type PEDESTRIAN
Age 46
Sex F

A 46-year old woman was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle.The call log of Everett, MA police for May 28th lists “911-FEMALE POSSIBLY STRUCK BY MV.” We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Woodlawn Street is under local jurisdiction. It is a two-way street, with 1 travel lanes in each direction. There is a sidewalk and street parking on both sides of the street. The speed limit is unclear, as it is listed as 99 and not viewable nearby on street view. The default speed limit in Everett 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)

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).