Family of cyclist killed in Mission Hill pleads for action to improve Boston street safety

The family of Louisa Gag, the Boston transportation planner killed by a truck while riding her bike in Mission Hill in July, addressed the Boston City Council on Wednesday.

It was the first time the family had spoken publicly since Gag's death , at age 36, and revealed how her parents, Laura Gang and Steve Gag, and her sister have been pushing for safer city streets and action toward eliminating traffic fatalities.

"The people in this room are counting on you," her sister Emily Gag told the chamber. "We are counting on you. Louisa was counting on you."

Councilor Enrique Pepén, who represents the district where the family lives, introduced them and asked his colleagues to “listen intently.” He remembered Louisa Gag as “more than just a city staffer and a friendly, kind colleague, but a transit advocate dedicating her life to safer streets.”

Much of Louisa Gag’s work focused on efforts to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious crashes in the city through an initiative called Vision Zero . In the wake of her death, her colleagues and loved ones vowed to advance her passion for safer streets.

Emily Gag told councilors the family has raised more than $100,000 since her sister's death, with help from coworkers and the bike advocacy community.

“ We plan to distribute this money to 10 Boston-based organizations that have been part of the Vision Zero Coalition,” she said.

She thanked the councilors for their support and compassion after Gag’s passing, but urged them to “turn that support into action and make good on your commitments.”

“Your public statements, social media posts and hearing orders have been well-intentioned," she said, "but they are not concrete steps, and they have not produced meaningful action towards achieving the city's Vision Zero goals.”

Road crashes killed eight pedestrians in Boston last year, according to an annual report by WalkMassachusetts, a nonprofit that promotes road safety. The same report found 354 people were killed statewide in traffic crashes.

Emily Gag challenged the council to hold City Hall leaders accountable for their promises to address road safety. She also asked the council to ensure the Street Cabinet, which oversees transportation infrastructure, is “appropriately resourced” and not in danger of budget cuts or layoffs.

“ We know all of you want to make sure no other family in Boston has to suffer the loss that we have,” she said.

Cycling and street safety advocates have accused Mayor Michelle Wu's administration of backing away from bike lane improvements and other projects amid criticism from political opponents. City leaders have said some projects advanced while others were reviewed. In July, Wu released a new street safety plan .

The comments from the Gag family came a day before Thursday's scheduled City Council hearing on bike infrastructure and commercial vehicle safety. Council President Liz Breadon called their message “a call to action.”

“The work is ahead of us. We have a lot to do, and you certainly have my commitment to lead and continue this very important and essential life-saving work,” she said.