Project Look Out started our collaboration with the community of Mattapan in 2023, through a strategic partnership with the community group, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC). The Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC) is a collaborative organization, bringing together Mattapan residents, organizations and others to work on improving the food and physical activity environments in Mattapan, Massachusetts.

According to a WalkBoston report, there were 101 pedestrian deaths in Massachusetts in 2022, a number that has not been seen in over 20 years. Most of the Massachusetts pedestrian fatalities (71%) occurred in “environmental justice neighborhoods,” (EJN) including Mattapan. Residents in EJNs face a heightened risk of pedestrian fatalities for a variety of reasons, from proximity to high-speed busy roads to greater economic disinvestment in their infrastructure​.

Our partnership, which now also includes members from the Boston Transportation Department, the City of Boston, and the Blue Hill Transportation Action Plan Team, had led to a mixed-methods survey to understand pedestrian experiences and a collaborative social media-based outreach plan. Our goal is to produce comprehensive policy and data briefs for future development efforts in the area.

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