Westborough – The Westborough Police Department was recently awarded a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research – Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/OGR/HSD) to improve traffic safety on local roads for pedestrians and bicyclists. In total, nearly $700,000 was awarded to 93 police departments across the commonwealth, with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
With close to 6,000 pedestrians killed in 2016 across the country, pedestrians now account for a larger proportion (16 percent) of traffic fatalities than they have in the past 33 years. In Massachusetts, that rate is even higher, with pedestrians representing more than 20 percent of all traffic fatalities. Bicyclists are dying at higher rates nationally as well – the 840 killed in traffic crashes in 2016 are the most since 1991.
In preparing to administer the grant, Westborough Police Department Traffic Division Supervisor, Sergeant Cliff Luce, attended a recent Westborough Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting. Luce provided an overview of the Westborough Police Department’s newly created Traffic Division and obtained input from the committee on areas of concern for pedestrian safety.
Under the grant, departments will pay for overtime enforcement to increase compliance with traffic laws by all road users. Departments are also eligible to purchase educational materials, bicycle helmets, and safety items to help enhance pedestrian and bicyclist visibility at night.
Residents are encouraged to submit traffic enforcement requests through the following link:
https://www.town.westborough.ma.us/police/webforms/traffic-enforcement-request
The Traffic Enforcement Request link can be found on the town website under “news” or on the Westborough Police Department website: www.westboroughpolice.org.
