Resolution calling for the announcement of a public health crisis related to traffic safety and injuries and implementation of sound prevention policies. Councilor Arroyo in the Chair.
Docketed 08170817 Counsels Lara and Flynn offer the following resolution calling for the announcement of a public health crisis related to traffic, safety and injuries and implementation of some prevention policies. Thank you, Mr. Clarke. The Chair recognizes Councilor Laura Cancellara. You have the floor. Thank you, Chair. Mike. There we go. I rise today to present this resolution alongside Councilor Flynn in the hopes that we'll be able to see the moment for what it is and meet it with the necessary systemic changes. When it comes to road safety here in the city of Boston, in the US, motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death and they are the leading cause of death for children and adolescents. The State of Massachusetts Department of Transportation's traffic related fatality data data shows that 408 people died in Massachusetts roads in 2021 . These 408 deaths are a 19% spike from 2020 and represent more crash fatalities than any year since 2009. In Boston, EMS has already responded to 1248 car crashes in just 2022, 157 of them, which involved pedestrians in 2016. Magalie Santos Acevedo My nephew's grandmother, was hit and killed by a truck in Eggleston Square while crossing the street. In 2019, Marilyn Wentworth, a lifelong West Roxbury resident, was struck and killed by a car on Center Street. Last year on that same road, West Roxbury resident and City Hall employee James Erni was hit and killed while riding his motorcycle on his way to work. The issue of traffic violence has real consequences. And although on their face, these are accidents, as a city, we have made systemic design and investment decisions that continue to put drivers, cyclists and pedestrians at risk on our streets. I'm often reminded of these systemic failures. When I encountered ghost bikes while on the road and doing my first three months as counselor to pedestrians was struck by vehicles in as many weeks at the same intersection of Center Street and Hastings in West Roxbury. This is a public health emergency that requires planning and financial investment to correct mayor, who has already made a commitment to road safety. And I urge this honorable body to do the same by passing this resolution. To that end, I hope to suspend the rules so that the city council can take a vote today. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Lara. Chair now recognizes Councilor Council President Flint. Thank you. Councilor Royle. And thank you, Councilor, for asking me to be part of this and appreciate the working relationship I've had with you council over on this on this issue and working with my colleagues as well on this issue, it's probably the issue I spent the most amount of time with since I came onto the council . One of the first hearings I had was with Councilor Baker on trying to reduce the speed limit from 25 to 20 miles an hour. And I reference that because going 25 miles an hour on a residential street residential neighborhood in Boston is is reckless. It's outrageous. There's no reason that anyone should be driving 25 miles to a residential street. Our streets are narrow. I grew up on a narrow street in south Boston called Gold Street. And cars are going up that street 40, 50 miles an hour. And there's children and elderly people there. And it's not just my street. It's the streets across the city of Boston. Many, many people know my parents. They're elderly and they walk everywhere with with with their special needs, a grand grandson who stays with them several days a week. And even when they're walking up to the library in South Boston or to the supermarket on a Saturday. They'll be in the crosswalk. Two elderly people and a special needs little boy. And cars will go speeding by in 40 miles an hour. And there's a complete disregard for elderly in crosswalks for children with special needs. I see a lot of mothers and fathers taking their little kids to, um, to school as well, to the playground, and people won't let them cross the street in cars. So I agree with the Laura. This is a public health emergency of focus on this, as I mentioned, with Councilor Baker as well. And we also need to educate people about. Being respectful drivers and being and being considerate to others. We also need to do major infrastructure improvements that will address pedestrian safety issues throughout the city of Boston Council and mentioned several people that were were killed because of these these accidents or crashes. I've had several in my neighborhood as well, including a young woman on the corner of Summer Street and Belcher Street a while back. And I had a I had a young a young boy who was five years old, Colin McGrath, who was who was struck and killed. On on Elm Street. But it's an issue that we need to continue to focus on. We're never going to solve the issue, never going to solve the problem. But we have to stay on top of pedestrian safety related issues. And that's our job as city council, as is making sure that we provide the safest, the safest neighborhood for our children, for our families, but especially but especially our seniors and persons with disabilities . Thank you, Mr.. Thank you, Councilor. I'll and thank you, Councilor Lara. Thank you. Council President Flynn. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Seeing no one raise their hand. Would anyone else like to add their name to this? Mr. Clarke, please add Councilor Baker, please add Councilor Bok, please add Councilor Braden, please add Councilor Anderson. Is that Councilor Flaherty. Please add Councilor Louis Jan please at Councilor Coletta please add Councilor me here please add Councilor Murphy. I am pleased that my name councilors Lara and Flynn seek suspension of the rules and adoption of Docket 0817. All those in favor say i, i. All the polls say nay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Docket 817 also adopted, I believe. Mr. Clerk, can you please read Docket 0818 into the record?