Grafton Police Receive $6K Pedestrian And Cyclist Grant

GRAFTON, MA — The Grafton Police Department was awarded a $6,000 grant for pedestrian and bicycle safety from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research.

Under the grant, the department will deploy extra patrols specifically geared toward traffic enforcement and increasing compliance with traffic laws. The grant also allows departments to purchase educational materials, bicycle helmets and safety items to help enhance pedestrian and bicyclist visibility at night.

With close to 6,000 pedestrians killed in 2016 across the country, pedestrians now account for a larger proportion of traffic fatalities than they have in the past 33 years, according to Grafton police.

Grafton police said visibility is a major concern for bicyclists who may not always be easily seen by motorists, and unlike those driving motor vehicles, there is nothing to protect bicyclists during a crash.

"We are also analyzing crash reports and previous enforcement data to identify potential crosswalks, intersections and roads where additional efforts will yield the largest impact on overall safety," Grafton police officials said.