Dear WalkMedford,
GottaKnowMedford recently wrote an article detailing the progress at the Salem St rotary, with the help of our hard working traffic engineer, Todd Blake,
and recognizing the loss of two seniors from our community this past year, a loss that WalkMedford and our community continue to feel deeply. We extend our ongoing condolences to the families of Dan Dill and Arthur Webber and thank GottaKnowMedford for the recognition and reminder that what we advocate for in this city is, at its heart, to save lives, and to prevent the loss of someone's whole world. To make this city a place where kids and seniors alike can be safe walking and riding bikes anywhere; and by extension, all of us.
The article focused on the rotary, the work and the reason for the work. So, WalkMedford also wants to thank returning city councilor Emily Lazzaro for her quick response to these events and her ongoing work championing safe streets in the past year. Emily has been very active in awareness and action on safe streets, including:
- attended WM's walk audits and successfully invited the Medford police department to attend the Salem St. walk audit; invited MassDOT to city council
- got a resolution passed, so that Medford formally asked MassDOT and DCR to lower the speed limit on their state roads to 25 mph (MassDOT said no; DCR has not responded, but this means that Medford has formally documented our desire for safer state roads in our cites at the state level.)
- immediately called for a resolution on the City Council agenda following Arthur Webber’s death
- communicated regularly with MassDOT to follow up about the Salem St. rotary and how they were planning to address it.
- secured a $750,000 state budget earmark through Sen. Pat Jehlen, to redesign the rotaries in Medford and Arlington that lead to the crosswalk where Dan Dill was killed
We are very excited to continue working with Emily Lazzaro and the majority of the incoming city councilors, who have stated an interest in working for safer streets and for more bicycling, walking and good transit in our city, and also thank them for their support of these actions.
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We have a few new members on our list this fall. We'd like to organize a meetup in early December at Deep Cuts deli to invite folks to meet each other, discuss ideas for what to push for in the upcoming term, and revitalize this group as many longtime members have moved, or will be moving away. We'll be checking DeepCuts calendar for possible quiet evenings there; in the meantime, if you are very interested in being involved in WM advocacy this year or have ideas, please reach out with suggested dates to safewal...@gmail.com. Stay tuned!
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a ride - led by Boston Cyclists Union;
a walk - led by our formal statewide walking advocacy organization, WalkMassachusetts;
and a rally - led by the new
support and advocacy group Families for Safe Streets MA, founded by WalkMedford's Emily Stein - at the Statehouse, to commemorate all those lost in MA to traffic violence this year, to raise awareness of the issue, and advocate for change at the state and local levels.
Enjoy this lovely fall walking and cycling weather -
Yours,
Ellery Klein, WalkMedford
Join us next Sunday on the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
Memorial ride (organized by BCU): Departs Cambridge Common at 11 a.m.
Memorial walk (organized by WalkMass): Meets at Boston Common, by the State House, at 11 a.m.
Rally (organized by Families for Safe Streets MA): Begins at 12 p.m. in front of the State House
Rain date: Saturday, November 22
Click here to register or learn more. Please bring a friend and share the event widely so we can maximally motivate legislators!
Ride and Walk For Your Life 2025 is organized by the Boston Cyclists Union, WalkMassachusetts, Families for Safe Streets Massachusetts, the Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Fund, MassBike, Cambridge Bicycle Safety, and Safe Roads Alliance.
Families for Safe Streets MA is a new chapter of the national organization and is centered on grief support and building advocacy among survivors and loved ones of victims. Learn more here. Folks interested in joining after the event can contact safestr...@gmail.com.
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