Cambridge continues to reel from three bicycle fatalities this year, two within two weeks in June and one recently in September. All remain under investigation with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, with no charges issued against the drivers who collided with the bicyclists.
The Mercedes SUV driver that killed bicyclist John Corcoran on Memorial Drive had his license suspended after the incident, Streetsblog reported, citing Tim McGuirk, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts State Police. The Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the suspension “while the investigation continues,” Streetsblog said.
Based on prior timelines for bike rider fatality investigations in Cambridge, findings by the district attorney are unlikely to be released anytime soon.
The District Attorney’s Office did not respond to follow-up questions about the expected timeline of the three investigations, but the necessary accident reconstructions, which are conducted by the State Police Collision Reconstruction Section, typically take at least six months.
The 2016 death of bicyclist Joe Lavins remained under investigation for nearly 18 months, and found that the truck driver that killed Lavins was unlikely to have seen him before the collision. The fatal crash involving bicyclist Amanda Phillips, also in 2016, took more than three years. Again, no charges were filed and the crash was deemed “unavoidable.”
Corcoran, 62, was killed Sept. 23 in Area II near the DeWolfe boathouse; Minh-Thi Nguyen, 24, was killed June 21 at Hampshire and Portland streets in The Port neighborhood near Kendall Square; Kim Staley, 55, was killed June 7 at Mount Auburn and DeWolfe streets, south of Harvard Square in the Riverside neighborhood – meaning the death that was was longest ago is still less than five months old.
Shortly after the September incident, Massachusetts State Police Trooper James D. DeAngelis said a “preliminary investigation suggests that a man in his 20s lost control of his vehicle.” There has been no further explanation of what that means.
State police did not respond to a request from Cambridge Day for information.
Conflicting reports
State Rep. Mike Connolly said on social media that he’d asked state police why there was no arrest or citation for the driver that killed Corcoran.
“To be sure, I am a big advocate for criminal justice reform, and yet, I am troubled at how reckless so many drivers are out on the roads these days, and I do think it’s important we have a complete investigation and full accountability in this matter,” Connolly said to Cambridge Day.
But Connolly said he advises against speculating, and that he’s heard conflicting reports about the accident from bystanders, underscoring the need for a thorough investigation.
Improvements to the road’s safety infrastructure is a clear need, Connolly said, and he’s pleased by the immediate changes that the Department of Conservation and Recreation has agreed to make.
“A deeper systemic issue”
More than $1 million in safety upgrades are being implemented, including a speed limit of 25 mph along the bridge corridor; widening sidewalks leading to the rotary, improving and reconfiguring wheelchair ramps and median islands near the bridge, replacing nearly 700 feet of existing fence and restriping crosswalks to include green paint for bike crossings. Connolly said DCR has also agreed to narrowing vehicle lanes and implementing a revised bike ramp from Magazine Beach up to the Boston University Bridge.
Asked about the investigations into the drivers, Chris Cassa of the Cambridge Bicycle Safety group also underscored the need for infrastructure improvements in Cambridge.
“These tragic deaths highlight a deeper systemic issue: Our streets are designed in ways that enable unsafe driving,” Cassa said.
Streets prioritizing speed over safety and a lack of uniform regulation for truck safety contributed to these incidents, he said.
Extension on bike lanes
Improvements to bike infrastructure saw a slight setback Monday, when the Cambridge City Council voted to extend the deadline of its Cycling Safety Ordinance by several months, to November 2026. The vote was a slight compromise from the original proposal, which sought to extend the deadline to 2027.
More than 100 people, including members of Cambridge Bicycle Safety, showed up to the meeting to urge the council to reject the extension entirely.
The extension was approved to give time for the city to draft its new off-street parking ordinance, allowing businesses to open up their private parking to the general public, mitigating the loss of parking from the new bike lanes.
The Parking and Transportation Demand Management language arrived Monday, and could be in place within three months depending on how the city council proceeds.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.
Some members of the Cambridge City Council continue to prioritize driver convenience over public safety, which is unacceptable.
Claims that bike lanes hurt businesses are completely false. Studies consistently show that bike lanes boost business.
For example, Skendarian predicted they’d close due to bike lanes, yet they remain open, while Bagelsaurus is expanding due to increased demand.
Cities nationwide have seen increased retail sales with bike lanes. In NYC, some streets saw a 45% sales boost after adding bike lanes.
The benefits of bike lanes are clear:
Bike-car collisions have dropped 50% since 2012.
Severe injuries are down 84% compared to 2004-2012.
Up to 80% fewer cyclists ride on sidewalks, reducing accidents with pedestrians.
25% of visitors to Cambridge’s business districts now arrive by bike, matching car arrivals.
Councilors Toner, Wilson, Nolan, and Mayor Simmons: You are endangering lives by ignoring facts in favor of false business concerns. You’re prioritizing a minority’s convenience over public safety.
Bike lanes and similar measures improve safety for everyone—pedestrians, drivers, and cyclists.
Do your job: protect the public and resist special interests.
Hey Paul Toner, Ayesha Wilson, Patty Nolan, and Denise Simmons,
The bike lanes are effective—they’ve significantly reduced accidents and injuries. Bike use has surged, leading to fewer cars on the road, less parking competition, and reduced pollution.
According to a new study, separated bike lanes have increased bicycle use: https://momentummag.com/bicycle-use-soars-following-installation-of-separated-bike-lanes-according-to-cambridge-study/
In contrast, expanding parking will only encourage more driving, worsening congestion and pollution. This is a well-documented case of Induced Demand—it’s not speculative. It’s a pattern observed repeatedly: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/10/books/review/paved-paradise-henry-grabar.html
Most Cambridge residents don’t drive, and there’s no evidence that bike lanes harm businesses—if anything, they tend to help.
It’s time to prioritize the interests of the broader community, not just those wealthy enough to own cars and businesses. Your current approach will increase injuries, deaths, and traffic.
Cambridge prides itself on being progressive. Your policies should reflect that.
The most disappointing figure here is Patty “Swing Vote” Nolan. She praised bike lanes in her neighborhood for keeping her family safe, yet voted to delay bike lanes that would protect other families.
Nolan claims to base her decisions on science and evidence, but her vote suggests otherwise. She prioritized rumors and unproven claims of harm over documented safety benefits.
Make no mistake: people will be injured, and possibly killed, because of that vote. I guess that’s acceptable to her—as long as her own family is safe.
While I bike regularly, and I’m ambivalent about the need for so changes toward cycling when the MBTA is a mess, its disgraceful that the investigations and charges are so completely minimal. The level of enforcement is also an embarassment, the sheer number of cars and vehicles in bike lanes, the sheer number of cyclists blowing lights and almost hitting each other, the lack of good signage and paucty of cyclist light, the lack of planning to create designated dropoff areas for uber and amazon etc has been really disappointing. I hope these are growing pains and we get better and more complete signage and planning before the next round of lanes goes in.
@q99 I agree that drivers should be held accountable, but enforcement alone isn’t the solution. Furthermore, criticizing cyclists is victim-blaming.
1. Cyclists breaking the rules aren’t the main issue.
Studies show drivers violate traffic laws as often, if not more, with far more severe consequences. In 2022, 7,522 pedestrians and 1,105 cyclists were killed by vehicles in the US. Since 2011, pedestrian fatalities have risen by 68-77%. In contrast, pedestrian deaths caused by bikes are nearly nonexistent.
2. Cyclists rarely “blow through” red lights.
They perform the safer “Idaho Stop,” where they pause and proceed if clear. This helps prevent right-hook accidents, which were linked to two recent cyclist deaths.
3. Bike lanes are effective, significantly reducing accidents and injuries. They enhance safety not just for cyclists but for pedestrians as well.
Design and infrastructure can always been improved. But it is clear that the bike lanes in Cambridge are reducing accidents and increasing cycling, as they were designed to do.
4. Given the state of the MBTA, cycling is a good alternative.
The “idaho stop” is not legal. The better solution that I’m advocating is to install bicycle stop lights or more signs that say “bikes may cross with pedestrians.” I’d prefer we spend our money (maybe from enforcement) on that than these bollards that are breaking constantly and leave more hazards for cars and cyclists, in addition to garbage.
Its anecdotal data, but my son was hit by another cyclist once, and I was almost hit twice with my daughter on the back by a cyclist “blowing a red light” that was far from an Idaho stop.
I’ve only had once close call with a car in Harvard Square last summer.
I have no doubt car accidents are more dangerous, but I’m skeptical of how its measured that cars break the rules of the road more often.
The Idaho Stop is illegal here, but it’s legal elsewhere because it’s safer.
Anecdotes are just that. I’ve nearly been hit by cars more times than I can count.
Ideally, people would follow the rules, but they don’t—everyone misbehaves. That’s why the streets need to be made safer.
Here’s a more concise and clear version of the text:
I witnessed two drivers speeding through red lights today. This is common; I see it almost daily. Cyclists typically only perform Idaho Stops. Cars pose a much greater threat, as statistics show.
While we can’t ensure perfect behavior, we can improve street safety.
I love auto proofreading. Finally a god use of AI.
Cyclist Hit by Car in Harvard Square: A Wake-Up Call
Paul Toner, Ayesha Wilson, Patty Nolan, and Denise Simmons:
It’s time to prioritize human lives over unwarranted business concerns and driver convenience.
Your pro-car policies will lead to:
Increased traffic and pollution
More parking issues
Higher risk of injuries and deaths
We can’t afford another close call. The next cyclist might not be as fortunate.
Cyclist Struck by Car in Harvard Square
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/10/29/cyclist-accident-cambridge-traffic-safety/
Bikes need to follow the rules, they don’t (most) stop at red lights and pedestrians have to run to not get hit by a bike!
Curious that the length of time to assess fault of accident seems to depend on who is at fault.