Tag: MassLive

Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021) Report News Coverage

Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021) Report News Coverage

We list all media clips on our website, but on this post we consolidated some of the media coverage for the Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021) Report. Please let us know if we missed any others that you’ve seen and we can try and keep this current.


Report Overview

Every life lost on Massachusetts’ roads is tragic. At WalkBoston, we advocate for the most vulnerable road users – people walking. In 2021, at least 75 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic crashes in Massachusetts, accounting for 18 percent of all lives lost in traffic crashes.

Findings:

  • Of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, 47 had a fatal pedestrian crash in 2021. Over half (40 of 75) of the deaths happened in 12 municipalities.
  • Older adults were hit and killed at a higher rate than those in other age groups: 36% of fatal crash victims were over the age of 65. In Massachusetts, only 17% of the population is over 65.  1  
  • Over half of Massachusetts’ fatal pedestrian crashes (50.67%) occurred on streets with speed limits of 30 to 35 MPH. These are neighborhood streets and main streets where more people are walking.
  • Roughly 65% of the people killed while walking were on roads owned by a city or town, while approximately 35% were walking on roads owned by a state agency (MassDOT or MassDCR).

Read the press release | Read the full report


Coverage

MassLive – “‘It’s going to be a legacy project;’ South Boston community wrestles with vision for historic Northern Avenue Bridge”

MassLive – “‘It’s going to be a legacy project;’ South Boston community wrestles with vision for historic Northern Avenue Bridge”

MassLive: “‘It’s going to be a legacy project;’ South Boston community wrestles with vision for historic Northern Avenue Bridge

But among various neighborhood groups like the Wharf District Council, Walk Boston, The Fort Point Neighborhood Association and six others, consensus on at least one element of the bridge is clear: no cars.

“People danced on the bridge, people had their photographs taken on the bridge…People remembered that bridge,” Anita Johnson, a member of Walk Boston, said to applause at the community meeting.

“I ask you to consider keeping that bridge a pedestrian bridge,” Johnson added. “Those are the uses that make people happy, and that’s important to us.”

Posted November 28, 2018

MassLive – Lincoln Elementary School event in Springfield highlights benefits of sharing the road

MassLive – Lincoln Elementary School event in Springfield highlights benefits of sharing the road

MassLive: “Lincoln Elementary School event in Springfield highlights benefits of sharing the road
by Elizabeth Roman

A coalition of non-profit and public organizations will host an event to inform the public of the ways in which public roadways can be designed so that everyone can drive, ride, walk, and run equally.

The event will be held at the school on May 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Representatives from Walk Bike Springfield, MLK Family Services, RadSpringfield, Springfield Police Department, PVTA, MassRIDES/Safe Routes to School, the ValleyBike Share program, Mercy Medical Center, Age Friendly Springfield, Public Health Institute of Western Mass, Way Finders, Walk Boston, Springfield Department of Public Health, Springfield Department of Public Works, MassDevelopment, and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, will host a series of activities including a complete streets exhibition, an activity fair, a pedestrian safety course and more.

Posted May 13, 2018