Cambridge City Council Unanimously Approves Safety Audits Following Fatal Intersection Collision
In response to the death of Minh-Thi Nguyen G on the morning of June 21 following a fatal collision with a truck, the Cambridge City Council voted unanimously on June 24 to initiate safety audits at intersections where serious collisions have occurred.
Nguyen, who was 24 at the time of her death and a dedicated member of the Institute physics community, was fatally injured in a traffic collision at Mount Auburn and DeWolfe Streets while commuting to campus by bicycle. Her passing sparked widespread calls for action from transit advocates and deep sorrow among her colleagues and friends.
The policy order, led by Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler and supported by Vice Mayor Marc C. McGovern and others, directed City Manager Yi-An Huang to develop a comprehensive plan for conducting safety audits and implementing necessary infrastructure improvements at identified high-risk intersections.
"While Cambridge routinely updates street infrastructure, this moment calls for proactive measures to address our most dangerous intersections," stated Sobrinho-Wheeler during the council session. The policy order underscores community demands for enhanced intersection safety protocols, prompted by more than 100 supportive messages received by the council.
Although the order proposes various potential improvements like traffic signal adjustments, it avoids commitments to contentious modifications like separated bike lanes, which have historically divided council opinions. The Council previously contentiously passed the Cycling Safety Ordinance in 2019, requiring bike lanes that are separate from vehicular traffic. Studies show that the policy has been a success.
In addition to the intersection audits, the council also approved a separate policy order aimed at enhancing public education on roadway safety rules.