Tag: Newburyport

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, February 2024

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.

Date2/12/2024, 5:53 PM
LocationSouth St. + Charles St.
TownHolyoke
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age64
SexM

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.


Date2/13/2024, 5:53 PM
LocationMain St.
TownSouthbridge
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age66
SexM

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.


Date2/16/2024, 11:57 AM
Location375 Maple St. + 155 Cabot St.
TownHolyoke
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age74
SexF

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.


Date2/16/2024, 9:35 PM
Location158 Oak St.
TownBrockton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age44
SexM

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.


Date2/17/2024, 6:20 PM
Location223 Worcester-Providence Tpke.
TownSutton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age34
SexF

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.


Date2/28/2024, 4:30 AM
LocationMelnea Cass Blvd. + Hampden St.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age60
SexM

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.


Date2/28/2024, 6:41 PM
Location21 Green St,
TownNewburyport
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age80
SexF

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).

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, June 2023

Statewide Fatal Crashes in MA, June 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 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.

Date6/13/2023, 4:22 AM
LocationI-93 SOUTH, south of EXIT 21
TownMedford
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age31
SexM

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.


Date6/15/2023, 4:56 PM
Location1037 St. James Ave.
TownSpringfield
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age50
SexM

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.


Date6/24/2023, 9:01 PM
Location224 Low St.
TownNewburyport
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age43
SexF

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).

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2021

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, August 2021

Each month in 2021, we plan to 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 the 6 fatal crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in July. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in August 2021. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Information by Year.” The Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

  • Of the 49 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in August in the MassDOT Crash portal, 5 were identified as people walking.
  • The crash portal does not include names. The name of 1 of the people walking who died have not been made public yet.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in August was 48.4.
  • 2 of the crash victims were people who had stopped their vehicle to investigate a problem, and then were hit by other drivers.
  • At least 1 of the crashes were hit & runs (as referenced in news articles).
  • 4 of the crashes involved SUVs or large pickup trucks.
  • The name of the person driving was identified in 1 of the crashes in news articles that we found.

Date8/3/2021, 4:35 PM
Location77 Main St.
TownTaunton
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age58
SexF

Rolando Escobar struck and killed 58-year-old Lisa Rocha as she was getting into her car on Main Street in Taunton. The Taunton Daily Gazette reports that he left the scene, then struck a vehicle on Summer Street causing his SUV to flip over in front of the police station.

The Gazette spoke to Lisa’s friends, family, and co-workers:

Lisa put [her passion for gardening] to work as activities director at Marian Manor nursing home at 33 Summer St. in Taunton. At Marian Manor, she spread her love for flowers by planting a garden, Shantel said. Three times a day Lisa would pick a resident to help her with the garden, said Connie Coelho, Lisa’s co-worker.

Escobar has been charged with operating under the influence of drugs/felony homicide, OUI-drugs second offense, manslaughter, OUI resulting in death, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, and leaving the scene of property damage.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this street is under local jurisdiction. This stretch of road is two-way, with a travel lane in each direction and parking on each side. The road is 30 feet wide. There is a posted 20mph speed limit.


Date8/6/2021, 7:03 PM
LocationI-90 WEST, MM 130.2
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age30
SexM

The Boston Globe reported that a 30 year-old man driving a tractor trailer pulled over to the side to inspect his truck and was struck and killed by another driver who crashed and pinned him into his truck on the MassPike in Allston-Brighton. CBS Boston shared that the driver who struck and killed the man was a 17-year old driving a Chevy Cruze.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this is an interstate highway under MassDOT jurisdiction. The westbound stretch of I-90 is one-way, with a 2-foot left shoulder, 4 12-foot travel lanes, and an 8-foot right shoulder at this mile marker. The speed limit is 55mph.


Date8/6/2021, 9:48 PM
Location9 Graf Rd.
TownNewburyport
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age69
SexM

69 year-old Daniel Rindge was struck and killed by the 65-year old driver of a Jeep Grand Cherokee on Graf Road in Newburyport. The driver was not identified.

The Newburyport News reports:

Rindge was a well-known illustrator and caricature artist who worked for the former Port Planet newspaper in Newburyport. He also was an artist, illustrator and graphic designer at Gulls Brewery, according to his LinkedIn profile.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this street is under local jurisdiction. This stretch of road is one lane in each direction. The road is 24 feet wide. The speed limit is 35mph.

Newburyport Police Lt. Matthew Simons said it is unknown if Rindge was crossing the street but said he was in the travel lane when the accident occurred. (There are no sidewalks on either side of the street, and there do not appear to be any crosswalks on Google Streetview.)


Date8/16/2021, 8:30 AM
Location278 Main St.
TownBourne
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age41
SexF

The Bourne Enterprise reports that 41-year old Caitlyn Sprague was struck and killed on Main Street in Bourne by the driver of a Chevy Silverado pickup.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this street is under local jurisdiction. This stretch of road is one lane in each direction with shoulders on each side. The speed limit is 40mph. Google Streetview shows a crosswalk and bump outs at this address.


Date8/29/2021, 6:45 PM
LocationSR-2 WEST, MM 100.8
TownLeominster
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age44
SexM

NBC Boston reports that a 51 year-old driver of a Chevy Sonic drifted into the breakdown lane on Route 2 in Leominster and struck and killed 44-year old Daniel Levangie. Levangie was changing a tire in the breakdown lane when he was struck.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Route 2 / Concord Turnpike is under MassDOT jurisdiction. The westbound stretch of road is two 12-foot lanes with a 10-foot shoulder. The speed limit is 55 mph.


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 . 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:  |||||


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).

Comments on the Environmental Notification form for the second phase of the Clipper City Rail Trail Phase II in Newburyport and Newbury, MA MEPA# 15191

Comments on the Environmental Notification form for the second phase of the Clipper City Rail Trail Phase II in Newburyport and Newbury, MA MEPA# 15191

May 12, 2014

Richard K. Sullivan, Jr. 
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: Alex Strysky
100 Cambridge St., Suite 900
Boston MA 02114

RE: Comments on the Environmental Notification form for the second phase of the Clipper City Rail Trail Phase II in Newburyport and Newbury, MA MEPA# 15191

Dear Secretary Sullivan:

WalkBoston has reviewed the Environmental Notification Form for the Clipper City Rail Trail Phase II, which calls for a new multi-purpose trail on a 1.5 mile section of former rail property – the old City Branch line – in the eastern part of the city. Phase II will also extend along a significant portion of the Merrimack River waterfront in the city center. This new trail adds to the existing 1.1 mile rail trail (Phase I) which links the MBTA commuter rail station and Merrimack River not far from the center of the city. A later Phase III will join these two segments in the vicinity of the existing commuter rail station south of the city, but not along the Merrimack River.

Our review leads us to offer these comments:

Design the trail for expansion 
The proposal for Phase II includes an 8-10 foot wide path. The right-of-way for the trail is irregular, as it passes through publicly owned land that includes 19.4 acres. With this space, plans should recognize the possibility that the path will need to be widened if it is successful in drawing users. Many rail trails in Massachusetts are 10-12 feet wide, permitting a 5-6 foot path in each direction. For example, an extension of the Bruce Freeman Trail in Acton will provide a 12-foot trail with 2-foot wide shoulders on both sides to allow space for pedestrians to step aside from other users of the path if they feel the need to let them pass (a possibility if bicycles are passing).

Design the rail trail to include runners 
Rail trails are a success in Massachusetts. Concurrent with the growth in use, new paths need to be carefully designed to serve a wide variety of users. Phase II of the Clipper City Rail Trail appears to be a very desirable facility, and it makes sense to design it to accommodate runners who are frequent users of trails. Runners often prefer a softer surface than that favored by cyclists and walkers; stone dust has frequently been used because it is resilient and provides a comfortable running surface.

Phase II of the Clipper City Rail Trail has significant right-of-way space that would allow more than a basic bicycle and pedestrian path. With space available, a parallel running track should be considered for the Trail. Even if such a running track is a future addition to the facility, space for such a track should be preserved for the future. In a state known around the world for the Boston Marathon and the many sponsored running events, runners should be included, along with the walkers and bicyclists who may be the prime users of the proposed facility.

Connecting Phase I and Phase II in the city center 
Plans for connecting Phase I and Phase II of the Trail along the Merrimack River in the waterfront area of Newburyport are not included in this document. Omitting mention of such a potential connection seems to diminish the potential created by Phase II construction. Phase II, paralleling the Merrimack River, terminates at Custom House Way, at a point that appears to be adjacent to a portion of the existing Waterfront Promenade Park. This open space has a seawall and boardwalk that can extend the walk two to three blocks further west. Admittedly, at the western end of Promenade Park, an off-street right-of-way may be difficult to find. Sidewalks may have to be used to pass along these few blocks, but if completed, this connection between Phase I and Phase II would afford a 2.4 mile loop around many of the older portions of the city.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important project.

Sincerely, 

Robert Sloane 
Senior Planner

Clipper City Rail Trail Comment Letter

Clipper City Rail Trail Comment Letter

WalkBoston has reviewed the Environmental Notification Form for the Clipper City Rail Trail Phase II, which calls for a new multi-purpose trail on a 1.5 mile section of former rail property – the old City Branch line – in the eastern part of the city. Phase II will also extend along a significant portion of the Merrimack River waterfront in the city center. This new trail adds to the existing 1.1 mile rail trail (Phase I) which links the MBTA commuter rail station and Merrimack River not far from the center of the city. A later Phase III will join these two segments in the vicinity of the existing commuter rail station south of the city, but not along the Merrimack River.

Read the full letter here:
WalkBoston-CommentENF-ClipperCityRailTrail-Newbury