Tag: Roxbury

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, September 2022

Statewide Fatal Crashes In MA, September 2022

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

Last month, we took a look at crashes listed in the MassDOT Crash Portal in July; twelve were identified as people walking. In this post, we’ll look at crashes in MA in September 2022. The information in the chart below is compiled from news reports, and was checked against the MassDOT Crash Portal Dashboard “Fatal Crash Information.” Any Google Street View images included below use the address listed in the crash portal.

  • Of the 36 fatal crashes in Massachusetts in September in the MassDOT Crash portal, ten were identified as people walking.
  • The average age of pedestrians hit & killed in September was 68.8.
  • Three people in their 90s (91, 98, 99) were hit & killed in September.
  • 29 year old Matthew Barker was struck and killed in a parking lot in Cambridge on September 1st at 1:22pm by a man in his 20s operating a box truck registered to a local restaurant. This crash is not included in the federal FARS dataset since it does not meet the NHTSA guideline for FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System). “To be included in FARS, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a traffic way customarily open to the public, and must result in the death of a vehicle occupant or a nonoccupant within 30 days of the crash.”

Date9/1/2022, 4:46 AM
LocationCentre St. + Columbus Ave.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age39
SexM

WCVB reports that 39-year old Thomas Ruffen died after Maximo Manzanett ran him over with a Ford Explorer SUV near the Jackson Square MBTA station. Police have charged the driver with murder. From the WCVB story:

Witnesses, including an Orange Line shuttle bus driver, told police Ruffen was on the ground outside the MBTA stop when Mazanett drove up in a brown Ford Explorer SUV. The shuttle bus driver said she got out of her bus and yelled to Mazanett to stop because someone was in the street.

“The driver said, ‘(Expletive) you, I work for the city.’ The driver then drove over the person, dragging the person under the SUV across Columbus Avenue,” according to a Boston police report.

Another witness said she also heard Mazanett yell an expletive before driving over the man.

MACDC shared a post in Thomas Ruffen’s memory, noting his work as an incredibly gifted organizer and community leader in the Mildred C. Hailey community.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this intersection is under local jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction on Ritchie Street leading into the signalized intersection with Columbus Ave and Centre Street. The speed limit is unclear, with one side of Columbus listed as 35mph and the other side listed as 30mph in the database.


Date9/2/2022, 9:01 PM
Location1269 Main St.
TownWorcester
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age79
SexF

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

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. There are two travel lanes in each direction and a painted median divider. There is a sidewalk on each side of the street. The speed limit is unclear, with fields showing 35mph and 30mph in the database. There is also a School Speed Limit 20mph sign for certain hours.


Date9/4/2022, 7:50 PM
LocationGAR Hwy. + I-195 WEST
TownSwansea
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age32
SexM

The Boston Globe reports that a 32-year old man was seriously injured after being struck by the driver of a vehicle in Swansea. We could not find any additional news coverage of this incident; the person passed away from the crash. If you have any information, please let us know.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are two travel lanes in each direction and a painted median divider before the roadway adds another travel lane. There is a sidewalk on each side of the roadway. There are also on/off-ramps for RT-195 at this location with a crosswalk for people continuing along RT-6 / Grand Army of the Republic Highway. The speed limit is unclear, with fields showing 50mph and 40mph in the database.


Date9/8/2022, 9:35 AM
LocationMorton St. + Selden St.
TownBoston
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age91
SexM

WHDH reports that a 91-year old man was struck and killed by the 62-year old driver of a 2007 BMW SUV. The man had been in the crosswalk attempting to walk across Morton Street.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, Morton Street is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There are two travel lanes in each direction with one additional turn lane at the intersection. There is a crosswalk at each leg of the intersection. The speed limit is 30mph.


Date9/12/2022, 12:12 PM
Location26 Shawsheen Rd.
TownBedford
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age99
SexF

The Bedford Citizen reports that 99-year-old Josephine (Iovino) Caporizzo was struck and killed by the driver of a motor vehicle while walking near her home.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street. The speed limit is unclear, with fields showing 30mph and 35mph in the database.


Date9/16/2022, 1:59 PM
Location414 Granby Rd.
TownChicopee
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age48
SexM

MassLive reports that a 48-year old man was struck and killed by the driver of a dump truck in Chicopee on Friday afternoon, September 16th.

Streetsblog MASS reported in late September that the “Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities” was sent from the Governor back to the legislature with recommendations for changes before it would be signed. This bill as written includes additional regulations for some trucks to include convex and crossover mirrors, backup cameras, and lateral protective devices. 

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


Date9/16/2022, 2:58 PM
Location12 Railroad Ave.
TownRockport
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age98
SexF

The Gloucester Times reported that Virginia “Ginny” Hale, age 98 1/2, was struck and killed by the driver of a box truck as she was crossing the street by Cumberland Farms on Railroad Avenue in Rockport. From the article:

Virginia “Ginny” Hale, 98 1/2 — she insisted on the half, said her daughter-in-law — was a daily walker, going out in the mornings and late afternoon and covering miles.

“She would greet people along way and visit the local shops,” said Betsy Hale, her daughter-in-law, adding she never meet a stranger. “She was a positive, loving fashionista. She always dressed up, did her makeup and did her hair to go out.”

A life resident of Rockport, Ginny and her sister, daughters of Swedish immigrants, were brought up by family after her mother died. Her daughter-in-law said her love of beautiful clothes probably started with the outfits her aunts saw that the girls wore. Photos from the 1930s show Ginny wearing suits and gloves when she hopped the train to Boston — she never drove — where she was an office worker.

“She always dressed to the nines,” Betsy Hale said. Many mentioned “Ginny sightings,” describing her outfits, and Betsy Hale said she thrived on the compliments. and she devoured fashion magazines.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. There is 1 travel lane in each direction, a sidewalk on both sides of the street, and a crosswalk. The speed limit is 25mph.


Date9/26/2022, 7:52 AM
Location94 Berkeley St.
TownLawrence
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age67
SexF

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

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under local jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and sidewalks on both sides of each street at the four way stop intersection. There are no painted crosswalks. The speed limit is 20mph.


Date9/26/2022, 8:47 PM
Location172 Winter St.
TownHaverhill
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age79
SexF

Wavelengths/97.9WHAV reports that a 79-year old woman was struck and killed by the driver of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta on Winter Street near the intersection of Locust Street.

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


Date9/28/2022, 7:20 PM
Location115 SR-28
TownYarmouth
TypePEDESTRIAN
Age56
SexF

The Boston Globe reports that 56-year old Dawn Squires was struck and killed on Route 28 in West Yarmouth by a driver of a truck from New York.

In 2016, Callie Crossley penned a commentary for WGBH titled, “Brought to Light: The Case for Street Lights on Cape Cod. It’s Life and Death“:

I know there are residents who are reluctant to mar the horizon with a string of street lights. Easier to see the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay that Patti Page croons about so sweetly. But, if my unobscured view must be sacrificed to save someone’s life, then so be it.

According to the MassDOT Road Inventory, this road is under MassDOT jurisdiction. There is one travel lane in each direction and a sidewalk on each side of the street. (However, the most recent Google Street View image is from 2019, and shows a rolled curb sidewalk on one side of the street; the crash photo from CapeCod.com also does not show a sidewalk on one side of the street.) The speed limit is 35mph.


Updates

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

Yearly trackers:  |  ||||| 2022

Report: Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in MA (2021)


Reminder about the data from the MassDOT portal

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

South End Patch – “Pedestrian Killed In Crash On Mass Ave Connector, Prompts Delays

South End Patch – “Pedestrian Killed In Crash On Mass Ave Connector, Prompts Delays

South End Patch: “Pedestrian Killed In Crash On Mass Ave Connector, Prompts Delays

“There are multiple jurisdictions at this intersection, which complicates Boston being able to do something to fix it,” said Brendan Kearney communication director at WalkBoston.

And that’s a problem all across the state. Some of the most dangerous intersections are not actually controlled by the local jurisdiction, he said.

Although MassDOT gives Complete Streets funding for communities to make fixes to problem areas within their communities, and more than 200 communities have come up with plans on how to improve roadways, that money can’t go toward fixing areas under MassDOT or DCR jurisdiction.

“It’s not like MassDOT or DCR doesn’t make changes, they do,” said Kearney. “But the question is how can they do it quicker and not have to wait for a fatal crash to get it done?”

June 24, 2019

Event: Roxbury Safe Streets for Kids: What if streets were designed with children as the focus? 

Event: Roxbury Safe Streets for Kids: What if streets were designed with children as the focus? 

Roxbury Safe Streets for Kids:
What if streets were designed with children as the focus? 

Tuesday, April 10, 2018 6:30-8PM
Crispus Attucks Children’s Center, 105 Crawford St, Dorchester, MA

Join the Roxbury Slow Streets-Safe Schools Coalition to learn how to make streets more walkable and friendly for children walking to school. Presentation by Northeastern University Civil Engineering Capstone as they help to mitigate safety concerns around walkability in the Garrison Trotter Neighborhood focusing on Safe Routes to Schools. Schools included: Ellis, Higginson, Higginson-Lewis, Trotter, BLA, Bridge Boston & Crispus Attucks Children’s Center. Comments, question and answer session will follow.

Download a flyer

Light snacks & refreshments provided. Questions, please contact:
roxburyslowstreetssafeschools@gmail.com

#PutABradyOnIt links

#PutABradyOnIt links

We list all media clips on our website, but on this post we consolidated some of the media coverage this particular project received. Please let us know if we missed any others that you’ve seen and we can try and keep this current.

Image

Teacher Sam Balto added a photo of Tom Brady to an in-street pedestrian sign that kept getting hit outside a school in Roxbury. Would drivers on Walnut Ave slow down in respect to beloved Patriots QB more than the normal school zone “yield to pedestrian” sign? First covered by Steve Annear in the Boston Globe, the photos and story of a teacher trying to improve safety on the street for students and family walking or biking to school took off! The story was picked up quickly by other local outlets, and then by the Associated Press and United Press International – and even the New England Patriots! Thanks in part to this effort, the City of Boston is now looking at making improvements to Walnut Avenue.

From the Boston Globe article, Teacher uses Tom Brady cutouts to get cars to slow down in school zone:

Balto launched the experiment on Walnut Avenue with the help of Brendan Kearney, a spokesman for WalkBoston, an advocacy group that works to make streets safer for pedestrians around the city.

“People really fly down Walnut Avenue or use it as a cut through, and that’s not right on any neighborhood street — let alone one with so many kids walking down it,” said Kearney. “I’m glad Sam has taken this step. He’s looking at a way to call attention to the crosswalk. . . . If Tom Brady can make that happen it’s great.”

NECN / NBC Boston: This Famous Face was attached to a sign to battle speeding

CBS WBZ: ‘Cars Will Have To Slow Down For Him’: Teacher Uses Tom Brady Face On Crosswalk Signs 

WBZ / iheartradio: Teacher Puts Tom Brady Photo on Crossing Walk Sign 

WCVB: Teacher uses Tom Brady’s famous face to slow down drivers

Universalhub: No Bostonian would sack Tom Brady, right?

ESPN: Tom Brady photos help slow down drivers in Boston school zone

Boston Herald: Tom Brady photos slow down drivers in school zone 

Associated Press: Tom Brady photos slow down drivers in school zone 

Fox News: Tom Brady photos slow down drivers in school zone 

Boston.com: Teacher uses Tom Brady photos to slow down drivers in school zone 

UPI: Boston teacher seeks to deter speeders with Tom Brady photo

Sports Illustrated: A Massachusetts Teacher Used a Picture of Tom Brady to Get Cars to Slow Down

Patriots.com: Before crossing the street: Stop, look, Tom Brady 

USA Today – For the Win: Brilliant teacher uses Tom Brady’s beautiful face to slow down school traffic

Newstalk 1010: TOM BRADY PHOTOS SLOW DOWN DRIVERS IN SCHOOL ZONE 

DailyMail: ‘He is so good looking. Cars will have to slow down for him’: Teacher puts Tom Brady’s face on pedestrian crossing signs to stop speeding outside Boston elementary school 

ESPN Radio: Golic & Wingo radio show 

Boston 25 News: #PutABradyOnIt: Organization uses Tom Brady’s face on yield signs to slow drivers down 

WDJX: Teacher Uses Tom Brady To Get People To Slow Down

ACQ5: Boston teacher seeks to deter speeders with Tom Brady photo

Newsline: Boston teacher seeks to deter speeders with Tom Brady photo

Safety Sign dot com: Don’t Sack the Sign 

Off the Monster Sports: Local School Puts Picture of Tom Brady on Crosswalk to Slow Down Drivers 

International Business Times: Boston Teacher Uses Tom Brady’s Face To Slow Cars For His Students