With drivers dashing down aspect streets in metropolis neighborhoods and deadly pedestrian crashes rising throughout Massachusetts, Boston will quickly set up extra pace humps and add extra “No Turn on Red” intersections within the hopes of constructing streets safer.
Mayor Michelle Wu on Monday introduced the town’s “Safety Surge,” a avenue security program designed to curb dashing, cut back crashes, and make neighborhoods safer for strolling, biking, and driving.
As a part of the Safety Surge, the town will construct 10 pace hump zones every year. Speed humps encourage driving at speeds of not more than 20 to 25 miles per hour.
“As more and more speeding cars are cutting through our residential side streets, even front yards on a previously quiet neighborhood residential street are now quite scary for parents,” Wu mentioned at a Monday press convention in Mattapan.
“In many cases, kids are no longer able to play outside in the front yard,” she added.
Fatal pedestrian crashes throughout Massachusetts elevated by 35% between 2021 and 2022, in accordance with a report launched in March.
While severe crashes in Boston are down, practically 3,300 crashes occurred in Boston final yr leading to eight fatalities, in accordance with information from Boston Emergency Medical Services and the Boston Police Department.
A current evaluation performed by Boston EMS and MIT researchers confirmed {that a} little one is struck by a automotive whereas strolling or biking as soon as each 4 days in Boston.
“I hear the frustration in the voice of people who tell me they’re tired,” mentioned Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge. “They’re tired of worrying about their kids’ bike ride to school or their parents’ trip to the corner store.”
The zones for the brand new pace humps shall be prioritized primarily based on crash historical past and demographic data. Major roads with MBTA bus routes should not applicable for pace humps, and won’t be included on this program.
As a part of the Safety Surge, the town will even design 25 to 30 safer intersections every year. Officials mentioned they’ll use avenue security instruments that may result in higher sightlines, slower speeds, clearer crossings, and outlined areas for all street customers.
The metropolis will even enhance using “No Turn on Red” laws and signage in excessive pedestrian areas. “No Turn on Red” specifically shall be utilized in downtown and neighborhood enterprise districts, when crossing shared use paths or separated bike lanes, and close to colleges, senior facilities, parks, libraries, mass transit stations, and hospitals.
Wu mentioned, “We want to get ahead of the dangerous incidents that hopefully we can prevent instead of chasing after them once it’s too late, and trying to prevent the next horrible thing.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”