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On the morning of July 2, Gregory Crook McGuire was driving home to New Bedford across the New Bedford–Fairhaven bridge. It was raining. Humid. The kind of weather that makes the bridge’s metal grates dangerously slippery.
He had just finished breakfast with a friend — one of his favorite things to do in a life rebuilt through faith and recovery after seven years sober. He was heading back to meet a plumber.
He changed lanes. The car lost control. A pickup truck hit him head-on. He died instantly.
His sister, Tiffani Lapre, found out almost immediately. She was scrolling Facebook Marketplace when a live stream appeared — lights flashing on the bridge. Then she saw the car. “It was a light blue convertible and it was older… there’s not a lot of them in the area,” she said. McGuire was 41.
After the accident, Lapre began hearing more stories of crashes along Route 6, especially near the New Bedford–Fairhaven bridge. Just two days later, on July 4, 16-year-old Raphaela Cristeli was hit by a car while walking nearby and severely injured. The next day, 17-year-old Marin Stackpole was killed in a crash a few miles down the road.
“It’s certainly not a coincidence,” said Will Gardner, a neighborhood development advocate from Fairhaven. “There are features of this corridor that make it more dangerous.”
The holiday week crashes add to a tally of 109 accidents in which people were hurt on the bridge since 2005, including six in which people were killed, according to state transportation data.
At least 49 fatal crashes have taken place on Route 6 between Westport and Wareham in that time, the data shows.
For Lapre, it was devastating to realize how many others had been affected.
“My biggest question is, if this bridge has had this many accidents and it’s been 20-plus years since these things have been occurring, why has nothing been done?” she said.
Now, a group of residents has embarked on a plan to prevent future tragedies on this road.
About 30 people gathered around circular tables inside Fairhaven’s Unitarian Memorial Church on Wednesday night for the first session of the Route 6 Working Group. The event was hosted by South Coast Places for People, a new local organization that hosts meetups centered on neighborhood development and planning. (Readers interested in the Route 6 Working Group can get involved here.)
“I don’t want people bleeding on my lawn,” said Lilia Cabral-Bernard, who lives on Route 6 in Fairhaven. “We should be able to cross the street and talk to our neighbors.”
Cabral-Bernard said she has seen a number of crashes and close calls on this road, enough to make her afraid to even try crossing it.
Another woman from Fairhaven said she knows the Stackpole family, who lost their 17-year-old daughter. She said she was anxious about letting her 15-year-old son navigate Route 6 as he learns to drive.
Gardner led the session. He said he had been thinking about launching a planning effort like this in the future, but the recent series of deadly crashes made him want to start it now.
“Many of you are coming here with specific people in your hearts and minds,” he said.
But Gardner warned the group to avoid mistakes he has seen other communities make after similar tragedies: rattled residents cry out for specific, immediate measures like crosswalks or speed bumps that they think will help, but their solutions are impossible to implement, or they don’t address the safety problem that caused the crashes in the first place.
Instead, Gardner said he wanted this meeting to be the start of a long-term planning process to re-envision Route 6. The goal on Wednesday night was to determine which values residents wanted to see reflected in future redesigns.
Over the course of the two-hour session, residents mainly agreed on one thing: They valued safe infrastructure for people and pedestrians, even if it came at the cost of speed and convenience for drivers.
They said they wanted to feel safe walking and biking in the area. They said Route 6 felt like an uncrossable barrier to anyone who wasn’t inside a car, and they wanted that to change. It’s not that they didn’t appreciate the ability to quickly zip to Walmart — they just cared more about their experiences on foot.
“It’s actually kind of radical what you guys are doing here,” Gardner said, impressed by the group’s willingness to challenge car culture.
Route 6, or U.S. 6, was approved in 1926 as a highway connecting Cape Cod with the South Coast and points west. But the road is “overbuilt” for the community’s needs today, said Jonathan Gray, a bicycle and pedestrian planner for SRPEDD, the South Coast’s regional planning district.
“When roads are overbuilt, you get a lot of negative consequences,” he said during a presentation to the group.
Gray pointed to two SRPEDD studies that identified safety issues for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians on stretches of Route 6 to the west and east of New Bedford. Though the 2020 and 2022 studies didn’t identify the entire corridor as a crash hotspot, they noted that some areas had concerning clusters of crashes.
The studies found that the road’s current four-lane design is car-centric and encourages drivers to go fast. The speed limit ranges from 30 to 55 mph. The corridor also has inconsistent, unsafe, and inaccessible infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, the authors found.
“The gist of it is Route 6 is too wide,” Gray said.
Gardner, during his part of the presentation, explained the difference between posted speed limits and “design speed,” or the speed that drivers feel they should be going based on cues from the environment around them. For example, drivers slow down on narrow streets with short blocks, he said, and they speed up on long, wide-open roads.
Route 6 is lined with businesses and homes, yet its design has much more in common with a highway than a business district or residential neighborhood, Gardner said. That “lulls” drivers into going faster than they should, he said.
“It does not feel comfortable to drive a safe speed on Route 6,” he said.
Solutions don’t have to be expensive or extensive, Gray said. A little paint and some plastic posts can create a “curb extension,” which narrows the road in certain areas, encouraging drivers to slow down and look out. Flashing signals and targeted lighting can also help make crosswalks safer for pedestrians, he said.
Gray said planners can try these small-scale solutions as temporary “pilot” or “demo” projects to see if they work in one area before funding a large-scale design overhaul.
Attendees seemed to like this idea. Some said that recent roadwork narrowing parts of Route 6 down to two lanes was a pilot project in itself, and the expected “traffic armageddon” never came to pass. Maybe safety and convenience aren’t necessarily trade-offs, they wondered.
The 2020 SRPEDD study was the impetus for some projects currently underway, aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure along certain stretches in Mattapoisett, Marion, and Wareham, according to a MassDOT spokesperson.
With the replacement of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge coming in the next few years, Gray said planners should be thinking about improving safety there. Construction is scheduled to start in 2028.
The Route 6 Working Group plans to reconvene in September to finalize a values statement and conduct an “observational walk” along the corridor with transportation experts.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, in a written statement to The Light, agreed. He called for medians to be installed in the area, similar to other segments of Route 6 in Greater New Bedford.
“In any case, motorists should drive cautiously in the area of the bridge,” his statement said.
A New Bedford police officer on a motorcycle was giving out tickets on the bridge during Wednesday’s meeting. Police have given out 336 tickets in that area this year as they try to crack down on speeding, according to the city’s public information officer. Speed limits on Route 6 on and near the bridge range from 30 to 40 mph.
Speed limit sign placement along Route 6 / New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge
New Bedford police reports show that crashes in the past year had a variety of causes, but wet weather seemed to contribute to at least two of them. In December, a driver lost control while braking in wet conditions and hit the guardrail. Another crash happened in April when a driver spun out on the wet grates, hitting another car and sending it sliding into a third car.
Three crashes were rear-end collisions when traffic was slowing or stopped. In one instance, a driver tried to make a U-turn from the right lane and hit a driver in the left lane. Four other crashes appear to have been caused by drivers veering out of their lanes when they shouldn’t have, including crossing the yellow line into oncoming traffic.
Lapre, the sister of the driver killed on July 2, says she knows not every crash can be prevented. But she says there must be a way to make Route 6 safer.
“There should be no excuse for moving forward,” she said. “What can we do better? So that way, nobody else is impacted like we were.”
Email Grace Ferguson at gferguson@newbedfordlight.org. Email Eleonora Bianchi at ebianchi@newbedfordlight.org.
Timeline of fatal and non-fatal crashes on Route 6 in the area
‣ October 9, 2019 – Abel Grace Sr., 95, a Mattapoisett resident, died in a crash on the New Bedford–Fairhaven Bridge.
‣ August 25, 2020 – Christian Lapaz-Dejesus, 32, a New Bedford resident, was struck and killed by a Fairhaven Police cruiser just west of the 7-Eleven on Route 6.
‣ January 29, 2021 – Jaedin Monterio, 18, a Fall River resident, was killed in a crash on State Road (Route 6) in Dartmouth just before 10 p.m.
‣ July 26, 2023 – A crash on Route 6 near the Seafood Shanty in Bourne injured four men. One was airlifted to a trauma center.
‣ August 26, 2024 – Edward Footer, 56, a Chatham resident, was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Route 6 near the Brewster–Harwich town line.
‣ October 10, 2024 – Sheila Kelley, 63, of Eastham, was killed when her Toyota Sienna collided with a delivery truck on Route 6 in South Wellfleet.
‣ November 17, 2024 – A multi-vehicle crash on Scenic Highway (Route 6) near Edgehill Road in Bourne left four people hospitalized. A dog was killed.
‣ February 20, 2025 – Mason Evich, 28, a Fairhaven resident, died in a head-on crash on the New Bedford–Fairhaven Bridge.
‣ July 2, 2025 – Gregory Crook McGuire, 41, a New Bedford resident, was killed when his car lost control on the New Bedford–Fairhaven Bridge.
‣ July 4, 2025 – Raphaela “Rafa” Cristeli, 16, was struck by a vehicle while walking on Route 6 near the New Bedford–Fairhaven Bridge.
‣ July 5, 2025 – Marin Stackpole, 17, a Fairhaven resident, was killed in a crash on Route 6 just blocks from her home around 9:30 p.m.
— Not a comprehensive list
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Ok so I am all for reducing crashes and saving lives. Here is my point of view from driving this everyday.
1.) Most people disregard the speed signs. Even the flashing ones that record your speed. People do not care. I see at least one car a day if not more driving highway speeds. Unless the machines with the flashing lights telling you to slow down take your license plates and issues you a ticket…nothing will change.
2.) As a resident of Mattapoisett and someone who works in New Bedford, more crosswalk will not do anything. Do you know how people do not use crosswalks even if they are 5 feet away from them? It is mind boggling everytime I see this.
3.) Mattapoisett has since put up their flashing light signs for speed control. Again it doesn’t record your plate so nobody cares. I live on a back road where the speed limit is 30 its very curvy. Numerous drivers a day are going 50+ mph. Everytime I see this is ask myself where are the cops now? Obviously we cannot have one stationed on every road but it appears there are never any around when these people are driving the country roads and route 6 at racetrack speeds.
4.) Maybe make drivers retest for license renewals. Stop sign mean stop. Red light means stop. Perhaps the same can be said you cyclists. There are few who ride on the street lawfully, but most of them do not. As someone related to avid cyclist, the other cyclists who think they can do what they want on the road give all cyclists a bad name. They must follow the same laws as drivers.
The State has the responsibility to make improvements on the Fairhaven and New Bedford Bridge. A large draw Bridge is what’s needed. Paid for by the Commonwealth and where are State reps and Senator?
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN TO THAT STATEMENT. Start stopping, start writing up speeders, and take their licenses. ‘nough said. Remember this, You fly, You Die.
It’s being designed right now. There was a public meeting about it earlier this year: https://newbedfordlight.org/city-questions-state-over-plans-for-route-6-bridge/
A noble cause. But look at the ramifications. Basic infrastructure everywhere is in need of upgrading and our population is growing. To do all the things everyone wants done will require large increases in spending and major tax increases.
Today, I received an email from an architect in another state with an article referencing the Strong Towns movement. This article references Westport, so I will send it along.
https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2024/10/25/when-should-a-stroad-become-a-road
The author hints at how Route 6, a “stroad” and by inference Route 177 might be rethought in future. However, there are certainly issues with the current residential and commercial mix along these routes and the layout of the road with a narrow central lawn with turning-lane cuts within it. From my travels, I recall how Olmsted designed Blue Hill Avenue from Mattapan through Milton to Blue Hills Parkway as a connecting greenway to the Blue Hills. The MDC has a wide central greenway with a safe walking path within, with an allee of elm-like Zelkova trees on either side of this central walkway with one-way traffic lanes with separate bicycle lanes on either side of the central greenway. The difference between Route 6 and Blue Hills Parkway is striking. Pedestrians and bicyclists are welcome on Blue Hill Avenue. On Route 6, pedestrians and bicyclists are outcasts to the automobile. Is it possible that the central greenway could be widened in future with the potential water and sewer line extensions to reconnect the neighborhoods along Route 6 and by incorporating traffic calming design elements to make the road safer for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians?
However, no matter how carefully roadways are designed, drivers have to exercise caution, keep within the speed limits, and slow down in rains, and freezing weather. Many drivers are on cell phones, speeding, tailgating, and not paying attention. Driver education is critical. A bit of courtesy and common sense go a long way to make our roads safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.
Screenshot 2024-12-23 at 10.32.18 PM
Blue Hills Parkway, Milton, MA, circa 1985
Note: The current layout has a central lawn for walking which has an allee of trees planted on either side.
Cross streets are well defined and lit at night.
Screenshot 2024-12-23 at 10.50.55 PM
One way two lane Blue Hills Parkway with designated bicycle path and street lighting and sidewalks
Hard to place blame on infrastructure for operators that speed and drive distracted.
Focus has to be in the operator to really positively impact issues …
Routes 3, 28 and 9 are other routes in MA. The most populous routes have issues, because it’s not Route 6 that is unsafe, it is the drivers. There needs to be more police presence and enforcement of speeding, traffic rules. Route 9 is hugely populated with shopping, residences and etc., what do they do? When I was growing up in Mattapoisett, we had respect for the fact that Route 6 is a highway, not a simple street. If pedestrians happen to want/need to cross, GO TO A CROSSING LIGHT. Don’t narrow the road, make turning lanes. Pay attention, get off your phone and give yourself enough time to get from point A to point B and stop speeding and endangering others.
Using Route 6 as a highway is redundant since I-195 runs parallel. The route was designed for a time before the interstate system and its time to re-think it. It’s important to reconsider infrastructure in a modern context and not just keep things the same because “that’s how it was when I grew up.” When I was growing up you could ride your bike around New Bedford as a kid without being worried about oversized SUVs and super duty pickups not being able to see you. Things have changed and our roadways are most deadly than ever.
Sending heartfelt condolences and prayers of support to all that have loss loved ones. While it’s important to make upgrades to the bridge, the road, and install in signage, we need more to remove the operators that are breaking laws, driving recklessly, and endangering others.
I remember the case of the former Gold Medal Olympic hockey player who caused a crash that resulted in the death of a former New Bedford woman. Route 6 is a death trap.
I understand Fairhaven is upset and as New Bedford resident I totally agree something needs to be done about Rte 6. In particular, ALL along Rte 6’s heavy pedestrian , bicycle and car, mixed areas.
I grew up and live along the New Bedford Rte 6 corridor. And as the cars have increased so have the accidents. As soon as the light turns green on the Kempton Street/ Rockdale Avenue corner going east, for example, cars fly down the street. Along the corridor on Kempton Street and Mill Street (where Rte 6 is heavily residential) there are markings to show the speed limit and pedestrians crossing but the amount of accidents every year shows more should be done.
I hope there will be a New Bedford public meeting like there was was in Fairhaven inviting: SRPEDD; Mayor Mitchell; local ward Councilors; the Traffic Dept; a representative from the Planning Dept.; and local residents who have lived along the corridor; so New Bedford residents can give input on Rte 6 as well. If 20 years of reports were pulled on accidents and fatalities along Rte 6 from the Brownell Ave/ Rte 140 corner to the Fairhaven bridge, a person will see that more safety precautions need to be done.
I agree with the statements that drivers need to be more cautious but unfortunately not everyone is adhering to that warning. It is not uncommon for larger cities with heavier pedestrian traffic to insert speed tables into the roadways to enforce cars to slow down. Why can’t both New Bedford and Fairhaven do that? If not speed tables, how about other methods of slowing people down like stop signs? If not signs maybe speed cameras along the heavier noted areas of accidents and fatalities that are being monitored by law enforcement? Maybe there is a grant or the state can assist in financing better safety measures?
Overall, to read about and know that these fatalities and accidents have been going on and more has not been done to prevent is beyond words. I agree with the Fairhaven residents and their efforts. And since Mayor Mitchell has made a statement in the attached article, maybe New Bedford residents will finally get to be heard in regards to Rte 6 as well.
Rte 6 has been a hazard for pedestrians, cyclist and other drivers for over the 50 years I have lived on it New Bedford. My heart felt sympathies go to those who have lost loved ones all along route 6. I agree with sentiments of more law enforcement up and down route 6 which includes Kempton St. and Mill St.
Rte 6 should be made into a 1 kane in each direction. My house is on rte 6 and have seen too many accidents and no dollar amount can be placed on a human being. Like I said previously make rte 6 on lane in each direction with maybe a island in the middle and several stop signs or lights. People would take 195 vs rte 6.