Greater Lowell Home to Nine of Top 200 Crash Locations in Massachusetts

NMCOG announces Greater Lowell Vision Zero Plan and online dashboard to address need for traffic related safety improvements.

[Lowell, MA, October 28, 2024] – According to 2019-2021 data from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the greater Lowell region is home to nine of the top 200 crash locations in the state. Over the same two-year period, these unsafe conditions at these locations were responsible for 384 crashes, six of them leading to fatalities or serious injuries.

In response, the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) has developed Greater Lowell Vision Zero: the Regional Safety Action Plan. The plan directly addresses high injury and high risk locations throughout the region, and includes key strategies and performance metrics to measure annual progress on reducing serious injuries and fatalities. The plan was funded by a FY22 federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant through the US Department of Transportation and developed in collaboration with WSP.

As of Monday, NMCOG announced the publication of a new web-based dashboard designed to track progress on achieving Vision Zero to provide community members and municipal staff with the ability to monitor efforts to eliminate roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the Greater Lowell region. The dashboard is a key element of Greater Lowell Vision Zero, and invites visitors to explore data-driven maps, view targeted strategies and recommended projects, and access annually updated safety metrics, promoting greater accountability and transparency in the region’s safety initiatives. Visit the dashboard.

The Northern Middlesex Metropolitan Planning Organization (NMMPO) unanimously endorsed Greater Lowell Vision Zero on July 24, marking a significant step toward improving transportation safety. By adopting the plan, the NMMPO is committed to achieving zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2050. The plan’s approval also positions NMCOG’s member municipalities (Lowell, Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Pepperell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford) to access capital funding through SS4A in future years.

In addition to launching the dashboard, NMCOG applied for a FY24 supplemental SS4A grant in August to support key safety projects identified in the Vision Zero plan. NMCOG continues to pursue other funding opportunities to advance goals of the plan. Furthermore, NMCOG staff are presently developing a Regional Safety Toolkit to provide member communities with tools, policies, and educational materials to improve safety across the region. Explore the dashboard, read the plan, and follow project updates at nmcog.org/glvisionzero.

About the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments

NMCOG is one of thirteen regional planning agencies within Massachusetts. Formed under Chapter 40B of the Massachusetts General Laws, NMCOG serves the municipalities of Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Pepperell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford.to support and enhance a wide range of planning objectives related to land use, environmental protection, climate resiliency, economic development, housing, municipal service delivery, and transportation. NMCOG’s professional staff assist member communities in designing, facilitating, and implementing programs and planning initiatives which further the interests of the overall region. NMCOG staff also serve as staff to the Northern Middlesex MPO, to which they provide comprehensive transportation planning services for the region under contract with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Media Contact: Jennifer Raitt Executive Director, NMCOG

(978) 454-8021 x 120 jraitt@nmcog.org. Follow NMCOG on social media for updates.

• Facebook: @northernmiddlesexcog • Instagram: @northernmiddlesexcog • Twitter/X: @NMCOG • LinkedIn: Northern Middlesex Council of Governments

MassDOT Top Crash Locations, accessible at https://gis.massdot.state.ma.us/topcrashlocations