{"id":1452,"date":"2013-07-23T07:08:45","date_gmt":"2013-07-23T07:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roadtrafficsigns.com\/blog\/?p=1452"},"modified":"2023-11-22T23:49:11","modified_gmt":"2023-11-23T04:49:11","slug":"boston-neighborhoods-improve-pedestrian-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roadtrafficsigns.com/blog\/boston-neighborhoods-improve-pedestrian-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Boston neighborhoods try to be more walkable"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Pedestrian

375 out of 1544 pedestrians injured in accidents died (2006-11), according to MassTRAC. Image by roadtrafficsigns.com<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

A city’s walkability is proportional to its economic prosperity, because walkable places do better business<\/a> by attracting an influx of millennials who prefer easier commutes<\/a> to larger homes. This shift toward pedestrian-friendly places then influences residential and commercial value<\/a> and revenues earned in those neighborhoods- all contributing to the growth of a city.<\/p>\n

Besides being a barometer of urban vitality, walkable areas are also a necessary safety component on roads. Across the country, many areas built from the 1950s to be automobile-friendly have lower-income households without cars. The roads serving these areas have not been geared for pedestrians\u2019 needs, all too often meaning that people on foot risk their lives to get to the other side of the road.<\/p>\n

Such a situation led to Atlanta mother Raquel Nelson\u2019s four year old son\u2019s death. Nelson decided to cross a five lane road from a bus stop to her home, instead of walking two-thirds of a mile out of her way to the nearest marked crosswalk. As she crossed, her son was killed by a hit and run driver.<\/p>\n

Incidents like these have led other cities and towns around Boston to emphasize on increasing pedestrian safety. Although Boston has a walkability score of 79<\/a>, ranking third among most walkable large cities, there\u2019s room for improvement in the areas around it.<\/p>\n

Police departments get grants for pedestrian safety enforcement<\/h2>\n

The police departments of Dedham, Norton, Hull, Rockland, Wareham, and Quincy have received $3,000 and more in grants from the state<\/a> to improve pedestrian safety. The grants have come at an important time when more people choose to walk, as summer brings in good weather.<\/p>\n

Police officials are manning crosswalks and busy intersections to step up pedestrian safety enforcement. Some sting operations have also been launched, where officers in plain clothes use crosswalks to see how drivers respond. Police \u201chad someone walking the crosswalk and officers on both sides stopping cars that don\u2019t yield,\u201d says Dedham Police Chief Michael D\u2019entremont.<\/p>\n

Extra patrols help police improve pedestrian safety<\/h2>\n

Wareham, which suffers an average of two pedestrian deaths annually, has welcomed the extra funds for enforcing safety rules. \u201cWe have had (recent) pedestrian accidents,\u201d says<\/a> Wareham police Lieutenant Kevin Walsh. \u201cOne was a fatality, a homeless man.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two officials on motorcycles monitored \u201cdangerous spots\u201d along Onset Avenue near the beach, which sees both more pedestrian and motor traffic during summer. They also kept an eye on a busy Route 6\/28 crosswalk. \u201cPeople run across the highway. It happens on a daily basis,\u201d Walsh says.<\/p>\n

In Quincy, the number of accidents went down after officials reviewed police data on accidents, increased enforcement, and educated drivers and pedestrians on \u201cthe need to be careful,\u201d says mayoral spokesman Chris Walker.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of whether you\u2019re at a crosswalk, you\u2019re never going to win a battle with a 2,000-pound piece of metal,\u201d says Walker.<\/p>\n

\"Onset<\/a>

Cars near the Onset Avenue beach area in Wareham. Image from Google Street View.<\/p><\/div>\n

Improvements in pedestrian safety may bring more business in these areas<\/h2>\n

Creating pedestrian zones is an important urban strategy to redevelop communities.<\/p>\n

In Quincy, creating a top-notch pedestrian environment through streetscaping and roadway upgrades has been the focus of city planners<\/a> for a long time. Pedestrian amenities will bring in more people from downtown and encourage business growth.<\/p>\n

In Dedham, officials have undertaken the task to improve the town square, currently thought of as unfriendly to pedestrians. Dedham Square Improvement Project<\/a> may cost $6.1 million, but it’ll provide more walkable areas, which in turn will attract people and support local businesses.<\/p>\n

Efforts to improve pedestrian safety in Boston neighborhoods fall in line with the state\u2019s goal to triple travel by biking, walking, and public transit<\/a> by 2030.<\/p>\n

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