Ghost Bike ceremony held for cyclist fatally struck by cement truck in Boston

The dedication of a Ghost Bike is becoming a somber tradition in the Boston area, and activists say it's one that's happening far too often.

The latest ceremony came after the death of Paula Sharaga, who was killed last week after being struck by a cement truck while riding a bike through an intersection in Boston.

The long-time activist, who lived in Cambridge, would have turned 70 this year.

"She's one of the most alive, present and passionate people I have ever known," Susan Carpenter, a friend of Sharaga, said.

Many went in cold rain to the haunted intersection to gather around a bicycle painted white in Sharaga's honor.

Many Boston intersections are likely considered dangerous for cyclists, with the spot of Sharaga's fatal crash likely high on that list.

"Five streets coming together, 17 lanes for cars and no space dedicated to people who bike through," Becca Wolfson of the Boston Cyclists Union said.

Plenty of people do bike through, Wolfson said, as biking is a popular way to get around with all the colleges, hospitals and apartment buildings in the area.

"We're frustrated," Wolfson said. "We're angry that crashes like this and Paula's death could have been prevented."

>>PREVIOUS: Beloved librarian killed after being hit on bicycle by cement truck in Boston

Sharaga was remembered Sunday as a champion for peace, and someone who cared about the planet.

"We put together some demonstrations to try and stop the Iraw War before it started," one friend said. "She would just light up any organization she was involved in, because she just had so much energy and so much spirit."

Cox Media Group