A pedestrian was killed Friday after being struck by a tractor-trailer on the Lynnway near Commercial Street, according to city and state police. Several northbound lanes were shut down, backing up traffic along one of Lynn’s busiest stretches as emergency crews worked the scene and urged drivers to stay away.
What Officials Say Happened
According to Boston 25 News, the collision occurred around 11:00 a.m. The pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital and later died, Massachusetts State Police said. Troopers temporarily closed multiple northbound lanes of the Lynnway while investigators and crash reconstruction teams documented the scene and directed traffic around the closure.
A Dangerous Crossing With a History
According to The Boston Globe, another pedestrian was killed at the Lynnway and Commercial Street intersection in January during a snowstorm. Neighbors told reporters then that the crossing felt hazardous, and advocates have for years pushed for stronger protections for people walking and biking along the corridor.
Big Redesign Aims to Tame the Lynnway
The Lynnway Multimodal Corridor Project - a joint effort involving the MBTA, the City of Lynn, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and MassDOT - is intended to calm traffic, shorten crossings, and improve access for transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists. Federal RAISE grant funding has supported early design work, according to state notices. Public open houses and surveys were held this spring as planners weighed options such as shorter crosswalks, upgraded traffic signals, and space for a multiuse path, with those concepts outlined in project materials.
Residents Press for Faster Fixes
Residents and cycling advocates point to repeated crashes as a reason to move faster on physical changes like raised crosswalks or a pedestrian bridge, arguing that design can be the difference between life and death. Officials say community feedback will shape the final plans. Massachusetts State Police said the crash remains under investigation, the victim’s identity has not been released, and the agency has not said whether any charges will be filed, per local reporting.
