Operation Crosswalk: Police Step Up Patrols In South Boston
BOSTON (CBS) - In a city with a dizzying number of intersections and crosswalks, it's a daily game for South Boston resident Mary Cooney to get across busy L Street negotiating four lanes of traffic. "One car might stop, then you've got two other lanes and the cars don't stop, it's like playing chicken," said Cooney.
There's no traffic light to help. There is a crosswalk sign the neighborhood fought for, but Cooney says it's done little to slow the driving. "This is a highway, it's just treated as a highway."
The complaints have apparently been enough for Boston Police to set up so-called Operation Crosswalk at L and East Second Streets this morning, nabbing and citing drivers who fail to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.
"People fly through here because it's like a thruway out of South Boston," said resident Emily Gubitose.
Just last September a woman was killed, her boyfriend seriously injured after being struck at Summer and Melcher Streets in South Boston.
When it comes to pedestrian safety, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh made this pledge during his state of the city address. "This year I'm directing Boston Police and the transportation department to work together to implement a plan to strengthen traffic enforcement in our city," he said.
According to the group WalkBoston there were nearly 700 crashes involving pedestrians who were either injured or killed. They're hoping for more data collection to zero in on the most troublesome spots.
"Data access and collection are not as good as it could be to determine where crashes are happening and people getting hurt," said Stacey Buettel, executive director of WalkBoston.
Boston Police say Operation Crosswalk is based on neighborhood feedback and the availability of officers. "Something has to happen because it's getting ridiculous at this point," said Gubitose.
Residents hope it's more than a one-time sting so drivers get the message.