Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Residents and Boston city councilors alike are calling for immediate safety improvements on Hyde Park Avenue.
“There’s a lot of frustration from everyone that’s using Hyde Park Avenue that they just don’t feel safe,” said Councilor Enrique Pepén, who is spearheading the cause.
Hundreds of members of the Forest Hills community spoke out about safety issues at a Planning, Development, and Transportation meeting earlier this month.
Complaints focused on how hard it is to cross the corridor since cars often go too fast and ignore pedestrians. Bicyclists also said they have little to no room.
“Back in August, I was crossing the street with my one year old in her stroller, and we had the walk signal. A car ran the red light and came inches from hitting us,” said local resident Lauren Brown, who grew emotional recounting the experience.
“Biking on Hyde Park Ave. should not be as scary as it is. I would feel immensely safer with bike lanes,” said Chrstine Roque, another local resident.
A proposal earlier this year included turning four lanes into three on the corridor and adding bike lane. Councilor Ben Weber, whose district touches Hyde Park Ave., said the idea was overwhelming backed by the community, but the city of Boston declined to implement it.
The city has decided to go ahead with a repaving project slated to start next year, but residents say that isn’t enough.
“Now that they were able to hear directly from the residents, I think [we should go] back to city hall to see what options make sense here,” Pepén said.
Making crosswalks more visible is another way to make the corridor safer, Pepén said.
“This is exactly what I’m advocating for across all of our streets, especially around our schools, and around our residential areas,” Pepén said.
Several safety proposals are still under review. Along with residents’ testimony about the dangers of the corridor, Pepén said the numbers don’t lie.
“Just in this year, in 2025, there have been over 30 car accidents and 10 pedestrian accidents on Hyde Park Ave. alone,” Pepén said.
The city councilor wrote an op-ed for StreetsblogMASS this week, detailing what he heard during the hearing on Hyde Park Ave.
Our elders and young people, many of whom rely on walking, biking, or public transit, deserve streets designed with their needs at the center,” he said. “A walk to school or the corner store should not feel like a life-or-death decision.”
WBZ’s James Rojas (@JamesRojas.bsky.social) reports.