By Dan Murphy
District 2 City Councilor Ed Flynn filed four pieces of legislation last week that intend to improve pedestrian safety in Boston.
Councilor Flynn’s filings included an amended ordinance to effectively ban mopeds and e-bikes from third-party food delivery services, as well as a new ordinance regulating all e-bikes in the city. He also re-filed a hearing order to advocate for traffic-calming infrastructure on main streets and in areas of high foot traffic. Additionally, he joined Councilor Enrique Pepen on a hearing order regarding school zones in Boston.
In April 2024, the City Council passed the Mayor’s Michelle Wu’s ordinance to require third-party delivery giants (e.g. Uber East, Grubhub, DoorDash) to obtain a permit. It remains unclear, however, if drivers will be able to obtain liability insurance. Additional concerns regarding enforcement also persist.
Last fall, an individual died weeks after a collision near Copley Square, so Councilor Flynn maintains it’s now critical for the council to act to prevent more injuries or even fatalities.
Moreover, Councilor Flynn’s ordinance to regulate all e-bikes in the city, “intends to provide clarity and consistency on the regulation of e-bikes, including Class 3 e-bikes, which are currently classified as mopeds in the City of Boston,” according to a statement from his office.
“Since 2022, the City of Boston encouraged large third-party food delivery companies to have drivers use two-wheel vehicles, while the companies also incentivized workers to prioritize speed over safety to get more assignments and higher ratings. The result has been a significantly worsened pedestrian safety crisis, with mopeds and e-bikes going over 20 mph through red lights and stop signs nearly every day,” Councilor Flynn stated. “No reasonable person believes the rules of the road can continue to be optional. It can no longer be the Wild West on the streets of Boston.”