Tonight, beginning at 6pm at the Tynan School, transportation officials from the Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Marty Walsh administrations will address residents on their proposed plans to improve transportation and road safety. An accident causing the death of a 3-year-old boy and injuring his 4-year-old sister has rocked South Boston to its core. The investigation into the cause of the accident at the corner of L and East Sixth street was still ongoing at the time this paper went to print.
Since the fatal July 25 accident, residents have questioned why more hasn’t been done to prevent speeding on South Boston streets by commuters cutting through the neighborhood to get downtown. Last week, on its front page, South Boston Today (SBT) pointed out that the South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan (SBWSTP), published in January 2015, contained short term recommendations that would have addressed many of the concerns that residents have. These recommendations were slated as “immediate/short term” projects to be completed within 3 years. Funding for “immediate/short term” projects had been authorized by the Legislature as part of the state’s transportation bond bill signed into law by former Governor Patrick in 2014. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), currently under the leadership of Secretary Stephanie Pollack, a Baker appointee, is the steward of these funds. In addition, MassDOT according to its website, has been authorized over $300m in its annual budget since FY2015. So, money doesn’t seem to be the issue.
After SBT’s front page story last week brought these plans and funding mechanisms to light, residents have been seeking answers to a now common question: Why have road safety plans that were spelled out on MassDOT’s own website in January of 2015 with 3-year timeline not been completed?
Beginning this past Sunday evening, the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) began implementing some of the 2015 SBWSTP’s recommendations for L Street. One of the other intersections slated for improvements in the 2015 plan was the intersection at East Broadway and Farragut Road, where lifelong South Boston resident Katie Donovan and her son were hit by a driver, who blew through a stop sign on May 31. Donovan and her son are recuperating from serious injuries. After discovering that plans for that intersection haven’t been executed yet within the recommended time frame, Donovan took to social media organizing citizen action and keeping the pressure on public officials and agencies, stating that “we should all be outraged and demand answers”.
Another priority project identified in the 2015 plan was the intersection at L street and Day Boulevard. Liam McDermott, son of the late William McDermott, Esq., who was killed in February 2013 when he was hit by an SUV crossing Day Boulevard at night, took to social media as well stating, “public and elected officials owe us all more than promises…they owe us all, action’.
In a July 18, 2018 meeting held at the Curley Recreation Center, MassDOT presented findings on their Road Safety Audit, conducted in February of this year, for Day Boulevard, including recommended changes to the Boulevard that is currently used as an extension of the highway for downtown commuters. In the 2015 plan, the Road Safety Audit was to be the first step toward implementation of Day Boulevard changes.
This all begs the question to transportation officials: What’s taking so long? Attempts to seek comments from the respective state and city agencies were made and have not been answered by the time SBT went to print.
What’s clear is that they better have answers for residents Thursday night.
