Longer WALK times at crosswalks
Resident asks for longer, consistent crosswalk WALK times so people with disabilities and children can cross safely without relying on driver patience.
English title and summary written with AI from the resident's text.
The resident's idea, as submitted
The idea
It would be amazing if crosswalks could have longer WALK times! Some offer longer periods of time for pedestrians to cross than others. If we could get that time extended on all of them, it would be a big help.
Who it helps and why
More time makes it safer for people with disabilities and people with children to get across. Our system now relies on the kindness/consideration of drivers - which means that whether or not you safely cross largely comes down to the drivers preconceived ideas about you. Implicit bias influences how willing they are to wait, and how they react if they think you are taking too long (honking, swears, etc).
Details
- Cycle
- 2025–26
- Submitted
- July 29, 2025
- Neighborhood
- City-wide
- Portal category
- Streets & Sidewalks
- How it was submitted
- Community partner workshop
- Partner organization
- Boston Center for Independent Living
- Submission language
- English
- Themes
- Pedestrian & bike safety
Themes grouped with AI from resident idea text.
The same need in other cycles
City-wide ideas in Pedestrian & bike safety from the other cycles, up to 3 from each.
2026–27 (53 matching)
- Planters at intersection daylighting areasResident proposes planters in striped daylighting zones near crosswalks to stop illegal parking and speeding turns, improving pedestrian safety and adding greenery, especially in minority neighborhoods.2026–27City-wide
- Murals and pavement art outside BPS schoolsPaint murals and sidewalk or pavement art outside all BPS schools to build school pride and remind drivers to slow down, as a scalable alternative to slow traffic calming.2026–27City-wide
- Pedestrian safety education campaignPromote education about crossing the street safely as a pedestrian, framed as both a public health and public safety issue.2026–27City-wide
2024–25 (37 matching)
- Expand bike lanes to underserved neighborhoodsResident asks for bike lanes connecting lower-income communities and communities of color to existing networks in Downtown and Back Bay, offering a cheaper commute and more foot traffic.2024–25City-wide
- Make Boston more bike friendlyResident asks for a more bike-friendly Boston with fewer cars, noting biking can be faster than the train for their commute.2024–25City-wide
- App to report drivers endangering pedestriansResident proposes a BOS311-style app for submitting photos and videos of drivers endangering pedestrians so police can fine or charge them, citing unsafe crossings and road rage.2024–25City-wide