Tag: safety

Inman Square Walk and Bike Assessment

Inman Square Walk and Bike Assessment

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Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) and WalkBoston led a walk and bike assessment in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. The assessment is part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program, funded by the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP), in association with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The MassDOT program is a collaboration among Federal, State, regional, and local agencies, along with advocacy groups, WalkBoston and MassBike, working to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety in identified high – crash areas.

Inman Square is a vibrant residential and retail district between Harvard Square and Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA. The Square has several well – known neighborhood restaurants, entertainment and retail destinations. People coming to Inman arrive by bike, foot, bus and car. Unlike Harvard and Kendall Squares, Inman Square does not have a Red Line T Station.

Read the full report here:

WalkBoston-InmanSquareWalkandBikeAssessment-Cambridge

Walk Assessment, Fall River

Walk Assessment, Fall River

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The City of Fall River identified several high-priority intersections that are particularly dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. With input from the Mass in Motion program, City officials and the Fall River Police Department, WalkBoston established a walking route that incorporated one of these intersections, and also looked at the safety of the pedestrian environment for students attending the Mary L. Fonseca Elementary School and the Boys and Girls Club of America before and after school programs. The route also included the Pine and Robeson intersection which is at the corner of Ruggles Park, a popular city park. The walk assessment was conducted on October 15, 2014, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The weather was clear with temperatures in the high 60s.

Read the full report:
WalkBoston-WalkAssessment-FallRiver

Front Page of the Globe – “How Dangerous, No One Knows” highlights gaps in Boston crash data

Front Page of the Globe – “How Dangerous, No One Knows” highlights gaps in Boston crash data

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This article was featured on the front page of the Boston Globe, Tuesday, 8/19/2014 – click here for the full story 

By not reporting crashes to the state, [Boston] may have missed out on grants and programs such as an innovative MassDOT effort to improve enforcement, awareness, and infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Announced in April, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program will share about a half-million dollars to help 12 communities around the state pay for stepped-up enforcement and awareness campaigns such as training for the public and police.

Landman and WalkBoston have been participating in walking audits in high-crash areas like Fall River and Chelsea. That information, along with feedback from the program’s enforcement component, will help to identify hazards, with the state helping to make infrastructure improvements in the future.

“Understanding what’s going on is important before you come up with solutions,” Landman said. 

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MassDOT Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program

MassDOT Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program

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With MassDOT and the Massachusetts Dept of Public Health (DPH), WalkBoston and MassBike are helping develop and implement pedestrian and bicycle safety strategies aimed at achieving the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) goal of reducing fatalities and injuries among bicyclists and pedestrians by 20% in the next 5 years. 

The three major components of the strategy are:
1.     Enforcement
2.     Education/Awareness
3.     Preparation of communities for infrastructure improvements 

The pilot program is focused on 12 communities which were selected based on high rates of non-motorist crashes, high rates of walking and biking activity, and participation in the DPH Mass in Motion program (8 of the 12 communities selected are Mass in Motion communities).

The community-based efforts to increase walking and biking in Mass in Motion communities provides an excellent platform to support increased pedestrian and bicycle safety strategies, and then make effective infrastructure investments to make the built environment safer for those trips.

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Like our work? Support WalkBoston – Donate Now!
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Niagara Senior Center Walk Audit Fall River

Niagara Senior Center Walk Audit Fall River

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The Niagara Senior Center is located on Tucker Street, in Fall River’s Niagara/Maplewood neighborhood. Under the auspices of the Fall River Division of Health and Human Services Mass in Motion program, led by Julie Kelly, and the Massachusetts Council on Aging Healthy Aging Program, WalkBoston led a walk audit training on July 9, 2014 with approximately 20 participants. Most of the participants were seniors living in Fall River who have expressed interest in helping make the City an easier, safer and more pleasant place to walk.

Read the full report here:
WalkBoston-WalkAudit-FallRiver