Is it Finally Time to Fix Kelley Square?

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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

For as long as anyone can remember, Kelley Square has been an ongoing question of “what if?” Worcester residents drive through the city with bumper stickers that read “This Car Survived Kelley Square” as humorous, but cautioning suggestions that making it through the seven-way intersection without harm isn’t easy to do.

The Urban Dictionary even takes a playful, but unfortunate jab at Kelley Square: A large deathtrap in Worcester, MA consisting of two rotaries and several roads intersecting them. Only the bravest of the brave and/or the craziest of the crazy should even attempt to drive through it.

On Thursday evening, that inevitable “what if?” was answered and the worst possible set of circumstances collided that led to an awful tragedy.  24-year-old Sarah Ewing of Hudson was killed when she was pinned down by a tractor trailer.

According to the Worcester Police Department, the tractor trailer was attempting to avoid a fire truck and climbed up on the sidewalk where Ewing was, hitting a light pole, and turning into Ewing and another male.

Following this terrible accident, is now the time to look at fixing Kelley Square?

"My heart goes out to the family of the poor woman who got killed in the accident at Kelley Square," said Shrewsbury Street Neighborhood Association President Gary Vecchio, "However, that is what is was , an accident. As someone who drives and walks through Kelley Square on a regular basis, I can honestly say is is easier and safer to drive or walk through Kelley Square than it is to drive or walk through Washington Square. That being said, it would certainly make sense, after such a tragic accident, for the city to once again review if anything can be done to make walking and driving through Kelley Square safer."

Tractor Trailer Driver Cited for Vehicular Manslaughter

As GoLocalWorcester reported on Monday, the tractor trailer driver involved in the accident has been cited by the Worcester Police Department for vehicular manslaughter. Gary Shray, 62, of Oriental, North Carolina was cited following an investigation by the WPD Accident Reconstruction Unit. Shray's tractor trailer was impounded after the accident and members of the reconstruction unit are currently inspecting it. The investigation is ongoing.

The 25-year-old male that was also struck with Ewing remains hospitalized with serious injuries to his legs and feet, but is in stable condition.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's 2012 Top Crash Locations report released last fall, Kelley Square ranks as the 13th worst intersection in the city of Worcester and the 131st in the state. From 2010 to 2012, there were 42 crashes in Kelley Square resulting in 15 injuries, but zero fatalities. 

Over a ten year period between 2002 and 2012, there were zero pedestrian or traffic fatalities at Kelley Square. However, there have been two deaths and at least one serious accident where a pedestrian was hit in the Square in the past two years. On June 1, 2013, a motorcyclist driving down Green Street and attempting to pass another vehicle and take a right turn onto Madison Street crashed into the vehicle and slid underneath it. He died at the scene. Exactly two months later, on August 1, a 43-year-old woman was struck by a vehicle and suffered lacerations and a leg injury.

Related Articles

• 24-Year-Old Woman Killed in Tragic Accident at Kelley Square Identified
• Augustus Releases Statement on Kelley Square Protesters
• Protesters Gather in Kelly Square, Chant “I Can’t Breathe”

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