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Two Boston city councilors have filed an ordinance proposing to change city law and require annual public reports on street safety, after the death of a city transit planner who was struck and killed while cycling this month.
“Residents deserve accessible information on how their tax dollars are being invested and how street safety projects are advancing,” said Boston City Council President Liz Breadon, who filed the ordinance with Councilor Enrique Pepén on Monday.
“From large transportation projects to speed hump installation, residents need to be kept informed. This ordinance represents a significant step by our City Council, one that calls for transparency and accountability on safer streets for Bostonians,” Breadon wrote.
The proposed ordinance comes after the death of Louisa Gag, 36, a prominent Boston bicycle safety advocate. Gag was employed as a city transportation planner at the time of her death and had previously served as an intern for Mayor Michelle Wu when Wu was a city councilor.
Gag had been bicycling to her job when she was struck by a truck on Tremont Street near Roxbury Crossing before 9 a.m. on July 9, according to the Boston Police Department and Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. Traffic was closed on the roadway for over two hours as police investigated the fatal crash.
Cycling for a safer city
“Louisa was a tireless advocate for safer streets who dedicated her life to making our communities more accessible, connected and safe for everyone,” Louijeune said.
“Beyond her advocacy, she was the heart of a beautiful and deeply involved family, and her kindness touched countless lives,” she said. Louijeune’s sentiments were echoed by groups like the National Associated of City Transportation Officials and Abundant Housing Massachusetts, who called her a “respected leader” in her field.
Before Gag joined the city’s transit department four years ago, she worked for six years at the advocacy group Livable Streets Alliance, where she tracked Boston’s progress toward its Vision Zero street safety goals, according to NACTO.
During her time working for the city, Gag helped expand the BlueBikes system with plans for 100 new stations, oversaw public outreach for street redesign projects in Allston and Brighton and became a leading voice for city bicycle and pedestrian safety.
What would the ordinance do?
The ordinance proposed this week by Breadon and Pepén would require the city to issue annual public reports detailing the status, progress and challenges of transportation, mobility and street safety projects across Boston. The measure would give residents a clearer picture of how taxpayer dollars are spent and whether promised safety improvements are moving forward, they argued.
Pepén said concerns about street conditions are among the most common complaints his office receives and stated residents deserve more information about the progression of projects intended to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
At least two transportation advocacy groups endorsed the measure, including Reggie Ramos, executive director of Transportation for Massachusetts. Ramos said public reporting would help keep the city accountable while allowing residents to track projects focused on transit, accessibility and safety.
Ben Bruno, of WalkUP Roslindale, called the ordinance “a critical part” of demonstrating Boston’s commitment to Vision Zero goals and ensuring officials follow through on promises to create safer streets.
The ordinance was filed for consideration at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. Pepén and Breadon said they hope to work with fellow councilors and the Wu administration to advance the proposal.
Who was Louisa Gag?
Beyond her advocacy, Gag’s loved ones remembered her as “a beacon of kindness,” according to her obituary. She grew up on South Street in Roslindale and attended Boston Latin School before earning degrees from the University of Rochester and Tufts University.
Friends and family described Gag as “the most outgoing introvert you can imagine,” known for her warmth, humor and curiosity. She loved dogs, ice cream, chocolate, sewing, thrift shopping and long bicycle rides through Boston.
Gag found joy in hiking New Hampshire’s White Mountains, camping on Cape Cod, cycling around Boston and spending time in the Arnold Arboretum. She was also an avid reader, a devoted cribbage player and the person her friends counted on to bring the cleverest gift to a Yankee swap.
Her passion for safer, more people-centered transportation systems took shape during a semester in Copenhagen, where she studied urban planning and cycling infrastructure. One colleague later recalled that “empathy came to her like breathing” and that she “simultaneously hated to be the center of attention but could command a room by accident.”
“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” Gag recently told a friend, according to her obituary. She had been fulfilled by her work, relationships and the impact she had made on the city she spent her life trying to improve.
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