4:30pm August 29, 2025 Pedestrian Dies After Back Bay E-Bike Crash
Boston, August 29, 2025 A pedestrian who was struck by an electric bicycle in Boston’s Back Bay earlier this month has died from their injuries, police confirmed Friday.
The collision happened on the morning of August 6 near the intersection of Huntington Avenue and Dartmouth Street, when an e-bike rider struck the victim in a crosswalk. The victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and remained in critical condition until their death this week.
Boston police homicide detectives are continuing to investigate. The rider, believed to be working for a food delivery service, stayed at the scene.
The fatal crash has added urgency to an ongoing conversation in Boston about how the city manages the fast-growing use of electric bicycles. Advocates and policymakers have raised questions about whether regulations e-bike registration, and delivery company accountability are needed to improve safety for both pedestrians and cyclists.
A pedestrian was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries on Wednesday, August 6 after being struck by an e-bike delivery driver in the crosswalk at Dartmouth and Huntington in the Back Bay. Police say the rider stayed on scene and was not injured.
It is still unclear what caused the crash between the two. Police say they are continuing to investigate. As of now, no charges have been filed.
Pedal Safe Boston co-founder Ryan Meehan told 7News, “This intersection is one of the busiest in the city. It’s unacceptable that we keep allowing confusing traffic patterns and zero protection for people walking.”
Nearby resident Stacey Brenner, who lives very close to where the crash happened, told Pedal Safe Boston the incident was devastating but not surprising: “It’s just an accident waiting to happen. I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more.”
Despite repeated promises to prioritize pedestrian safety, Boston continues to delay real change. High-traffic intersections like Dartmouth and Huntington are filled with unclear markings, years-long construction, blocked sightlines, and overlapping uses from tour buses, delivery riders, hotel traffic, and Pike-bound vehicles. There is no coordinated safety plan. There is no accountability. There are only injuries.
Crashes like this are not isolated incidents. They are the result of poor planning, lack of follow-through, and the refusal to implement consistent, data-driven street design. We are not calling for fewer bike lanes. We are calling for smarter ones. We want streets that work for everyone, including pedestrians, cyclists, delivery workers, and drivers. That can only happen through a system that actually makes sense.
Boston needs to act now. The city should immediately release a transportation master plan focused on safety and access, evaluate high-risk intersections such as Dartmouth and Huntington, enforce strong design standards that eliminate chaos from overlapping uses and construction, regulate micromobility and delivery traffic with clear and consistent rules, and establish independent oversight to ensure street projects are built with safety as the top priority.
This crash should never have happened. We are continuing to investigate what led to it and are keeping the injured pedestrian in our thoughts as we await updates on their condition. We have recently reached out to Jascha Franklin-Hodge and the Mayor’s Office for comment and will update this article if they release a statement.
If you live or work near streets like this and have been warning the city for months or even years, now is the time to speak louder. Visit pedalsafeboston.com to share your story or get involved.