REVERE, Mass. — Leni Valens has only lived on North Shore Rd. for a year, but he’s already seen three vehicles lose control and crash right outside his building.
“When I walk home, I’m always looking behind me to make sure a car might not hit me,” Valens said.
Residents say the stretch of North Shore Road between Revere Street and Beachland Avenue is notorious for speeders who swerve off the road. Boston 25 News first reported on the problem after two serious crashes in February, including this runaway driver caught on video careening into a condominium building. That crash injured two people and caused extensive damage to the building.
MassDOT crash data shows since that initial February 20 report, there have been at least three other crashes, including a rollover that Valens documented with his camera phone.
“People come really fast and when they hit the intersection it breaks to the left. I feel like that angle makes people lose control,” Valens said.
According to MassDOT crash data, there have been 15 crashes since 2020 on the southbound side of North Shore Road between Revere Street and Beachland Avenue. No one has died but many of the crashes resulted in injury and property damage.
“It’s almost as if in the last few years people have forgotten how to drive,” said Acting Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe.
Keefe said he’s asked the police chief to increase officer presence and is working with MassDOT to improve lighting along that stretch of North Shore. North Shore is a state-maintained roadway, which doesn’t give the city many options outside of enforcing traffic laws, Keefe said.
“These accidents don’t happen during rush hour, they don’t happen during the day. They happen late at night,” Keefe said. “People step on the gas a little too hard.”
A MassDOT spokesperson said the agency is in the process of making several changes to improve safety:
- Replacing the existing illuminated overhead curve warning sign on Route 1A Southbound with an updated unit
- Installing a speed reader feedback sign on Route 1A Southbound
- Replacement of the existing static speed limit signs along this section of Route 1A
MassDOT is also looking into eliminating left turns from Route 1A southbound to Revere St, a MassDOT spokesperson said.
“The results of the evaluation will inform possible pavement marking changes to help improve the horizontal alignment driving through the intersection. Traffic counts for this assignment have been obtained and MassDOT will have more information after the evaluation is complete,” the spokesperson said.
Keefe said adding a speed reader sign may cause drivers to slow down.
“A speed reader is not going to do everything but it might help identify if someone is going faster than it should,” Keefe said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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