Fatal Car Crashes In Somerville Spiked In 2019

SOMERVILLE, MA — There were four fatal car crashes in Somerville last year, the city's highest number since 2007, the furthest year back for which Massachusetts Department of Transportation is available. The spike came after four years of zero fatalities in Somerville, according to MassDOT data.

Three of the four fatal crashes were hit-and-runs, prompting the city to examine safety improvements in high-traffic areas. In the immediate aftermath of a hit-and-run on Powder House Boulevard last February, the city improved crosswalk markings and signs and installed a pedestrian-activated crosswalk sign and sidewalk bump-outs, which shorten the distance required to cross the road.

The area has been the focus of an ongoing infrastructure improvement project in recent years, according to the city.

MassDOT has been working with Somerville officials to plan a series of intersections and highway ramps where I-93, Route 28 (McGrath Highway) and Route 38 all meet. The city called a meeting last fall to discuss additional safety improvements along Route 38, where there were two fatal hit-and-runs last summer.

In 2019, there were 818 total crashes in Somerville. Of those, 94 were classified as "older driver related" and 51 were classified as "young driver related." There were 58 crashes involving pedestrians, 57 involving bicycles and 10 involving motorcycles.

According to intersection data from 2014-2016, the latest period it is available, the three intersections with the most crashes were McGrath Highway and Washington Street, Mystic Valley Parkway and Boston Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway and Broadway.