Woman hit by city vehicle, critically hurt

A city truck hit an elderly woman crossing the street near the Boston Common yesterday morning, leaving the victim clinging to life and local vendors urging greater oversight of an area that sees “close calls every day.”

A Boston Public Works vehicle struck the 76-year-old woman as she crossed Tremont Street from the Common to Winter Street. She was in critical condition last night. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Bobby Moran, who works at a nearby hot dog stand, said he sees people darting across Tremont Street there all the time. The intersection is often swarmed with pedestrians and is located near the State House, Downtown Crossing and Park Street station — the fourth-busiest in the MBTA system.

Rob McIntyre, 47, sells fried dough at a stand there and said the accident “sounded like a car hitting another car.”
“That’s a bad spot,” he continued. “I see it all the time. Not that bad, but close calls.”

The accident comes only a few days after Boston was named as one of the nation’s safest cities for pedestrians.

– Melissa Leiter contributed to this report.