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Police report shows rise in bicycle and pedestrian crashes; Congress Street utility upgrades to continue
Summary
Police told the committee that bicycle- and pedestrian-involved crashes rose in 2025; public works updated the committee on multi-month sewer and drainage replacement work on Congress Street to address aged infrastructure, with detours expected during crossover operations.
The committee received an informational police accident report showing an uptick in bicycle- and pedestrian-involved crashes in 2025 and heard a Congress Street construction update from public works.
Deputy Police Chief Mike Maloney reported that in calendar year 2025 the department recorded five crashes involving bicyclists and nine involving pedestrians; in December there were 70 total crashes (40 reportable) and two pedestrian-related incidents at Market & Bow and Court & Pleasant intersections. Maloney said left-turn vehicle movements and blind spots around A-pillars were contributing factors and that staff would continue to examine hotspots with crime and crash analysts.
Public Works Director Peter Rice told the committee that sewer and drainage replacements between Von Mall and Maplewood will continue for several weeks and that water-system replacement is scheduled for April; the work addresses very old infrastructure — including cast-iron and wooden pipes in places — and some short detours will be necessary during crossover operations. Rice said the upgrades are mandated by the state to replace century-old infrastructure.
Committee members asked questions about the December crashes and safety measures at intersections; police and DPW said they would continue to monitor crash trends and coordinate on remedies where engineering or enforcement could help.
