Danvers Awarded Grant to Enhance Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety

Through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the  will receive a $3000 grant to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.  

“There are many tools available to protect pedestrians and cyclists, including education, enforcement and outreach, and this grant provides much needed funding which will help us reduce pedestrian and bicyclist injuries and fatalities,” said Chief Neil Ouellette.

The Massachusetts Traffic Records Analysis Center (MassTRAC) said from 2006 to 2010, more than 1600 bicyclists and pedestrians were injured in crashes and 360 of those resulted in death.  Bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly vulnerable road users because unlike those in vehicles, there is nothing to protect them from the impact.  Over 70 percent of bicycle and pedestrian crashes involve an injury, compared to 25 percent for all motor vehicle crashes.

According to Sergeant Robert Bettencourt, the department will coordinate with the town's Rail Trail and the Downtown Improvement Committee, to find areas to concentrate on.

The grants will fund a variety of law enforcement activities such as: targeted enforcement and decoy patrols, and the use of equipment like breakaway signs and crosswalk reflective tape.  A combination of techniques and devices will help departments analyze and crack down on both pedestrians and cyclists who put themselves in danger as well as drivers who do not share the road appropriately. 

The Danvers Police Department, in partnership with EOPSS, recognizes that traffic crashes are preventable, and is committed to using this grant to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries relating to pedestrians and bicyclists in Danvers. "Any death or injury on our roadways is one too many."

Local departments also receiving grants include Lynn, Revere, and Woburn. Awards ranged from $3,000 to $7,500 based on the population size of communities.