Driving

The scene. Photograph by Cory Gardner.

Updated with MIT info.

Kanako Miura, 36, a visiting scientist at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, died this afternoon when she was struck by a dump truck, MIT and Stanley Staco report.

Boston Police report the victim was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the 3:30 p.m. incident.

A mangled silver and black bicycle, believed to be hers, was found several blocks away on Bay State Road at Silber Way, Brian D'Amico reports.

Aston Martin Lagonda and an Aston Martin dealership in Waltham are racing at each other full speed in a dispute over whether the car company - whose cheapest model goes for $122,400 - can open another dealership in Wayland.

Aston Martin of New England on Linden Street in Waltham, says the plan would cut its sales dramatically and wants $3 million in damages. The dealership is currently the only place in all of New England to buy a new Aston Martin.

At a public meeting, MassDOT released some opinions on the McGrath Highway.

MassDOT has recommended that the McCarthy Overpass portion of McGrath Highway be grounded and the roadway developed into a Boulevard that reconnects East Somerville, Union Square and Brickbottom.

The recommended plan preserves continuity at Washington Street, while enhancing pedestrian and bicycle connections. The removal of the overpass will allow for wider sidewalks, bicycle paths, added green space that will help spur redevelopment and enhance existing uses along the corridor.

Now, if only we can figure out why there is an extensive McGrath rehab in progress when MassDOT intends to remove it.

They were towing cars off Copenger Street on Mission Hill today, apparently for getting in the way of street sweepers. Only problem, AMO notes, is that the signs declare "No Parking" for the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month and today is the third Wednesday.

Mayor Menino says he wants to reduce injury rates among bicyclists by 50% by 2020. This report examines current bicycling trends in Boston and offers some suggestions, including looking at mandatory helmet use for all bicyclists, greater enforcement of existing traffic laws among both motorists and bicyclists and continuing to expand bicycle-friendly facilities and lanes in the city.

The report identifies specific problem routes and neighborhoods; perhaps not surprisingly, these tend to be centered in densely packed areas of the city, in particular those heavily populated by students, such as Comm. Ave. and Allston/Brighton.

WBZ reports.

At Edward Everett Square in Dorchester.

Look at the traffic on North Street.

Shortly before 9 a.m., firefighters and police responded to 16 North St., which houses the UBurger across from Faneuil Hall Marketplace, on a report of a guy on the roof, just sitting there, dangling his feet off the edge of the building.

Erin B. snapped the resulting traffic jam on North Street, which ended not long after firefighters made their way to the roof and determined the guy was just a maintenance worker doing some maintenance, as maintenance workers are wont to do.

Just another morning on Memorial Drive, Adam Shutes reports.

The van in Union Square. Photo by Melina Schuler.

Update: The Globe reports the victim, 12, died.

A pedestrian was hit by a van shortly after 7 a.m. on Cambridge Street near the intersection with Brighton Avenue, right by the fire station. Scott Eisen reports the person was in "traumatic arrest," which is not a good sign.

Traffic quickly gridlocked as police closed streets to allow EMTs to care for the victim and so that they could investigate what happened.

Mister Jon spotted this note on a car parked in the Back Bay this morning.

Meanwhile, Penny Cherubino ran across a car that was only parked one way in the Back Bay.

When and where was this photo taken? From the Boston City Archives, natch. See it larger.

Boston Police report arresting a gun-wielding man they say was part of an entire family that went berserk after a girl darted into traffic and into the side of a car Saturday morning.

Police say a woman was driving down Schuyler Street around 11:30 a.m.:

A flood of complaints poured in late this afternoon from downtown, the Back Bay and Beacon Hill, where a large contingent of people on dirt bikes, motorcycles and ATVs briefly took over the streets.

At 5:26, Gabe tweeted:

A legit gang of a couple dozen 4wheelers and dirtbikes just ran the red light at Washington & Essex street...confused.

At 5:47, Caitlin tweeted:

What's up with the gang of dirt bikes, ATV's and motorcycles on Newbury St? Weaving in and out of cars with no helmets?

Bill Ilott reports counting 30 riders tonight and says this is the third Sunday in a row for the activity.

Helmetless dirt-bike and ATV riders have long been the scourge of streets such as Blue Hill Avenue.

At 10:50 a.m., Bobby Main tweeted:

Uhaul stuck at bridge on Storrow heading east by Mass. Eye and Ear.

A Norfolk County resident yesterday filed a class-action suit against Ford because she's only getting 32 m.p.g. with her new Ford C-Max rather than the 47 m.p.g. the company promotes in its commercials.

Marianne Cibeu is seeking at least $5 million in damages, for both herself and other members of what she says is a large class of similarly disgruntled Massachusetts purchasers of 2013 C-Max and Fusion Hybrids.

After viewing television advertisements regarding the C-Max Hybrid, Plaintiff then went to the Ford dealership and spoke with a salesperson who confirmed the C-Max Hybrid achieved 47 miles per gallon in real world highway, city and combined driving. ... Plaintiff has only achieved an average of 32 mpg. Had the gas mileage and fuel economy for Plaintiff's C-Max Hybrid been accurately disclosed in Ford's marketing campaign, Plaintiff would not have purchased her C-Max Hybrid or would have paid less for the Vehicle.

Southiegirl captured the scene on the Zakim this afternoon, when police stopped traffic as the Biden motorcade departed the memorial for MIT police officer Sean Collier.

Complete listing; roads, including Memorial Drive between the BU Bridge and Mass. Ave., and the Mass. Ave. bridge into Cambridge, will be closed during the morning rush hour.

Greg Hum, who took this photo, reports:

Car turning corner plows row of parked cars at Erie and Pearl St. in Cambridge.

An outraged citizen posts a photo of a ticketed car on Comm. Ave. in the Back Bay this morning:

Really Boston? The morning after the lock down? So many cars this early morning w these on. As a resident of this city I'm appalled. (My car is parked in my own private spot but I'm still enraged to see these.) please forgive parking violations this week.

Yep, things are quickly returning to normal. Around 12:30 p.m., Charles O'Brien reported:

East bound Storrow Drive, truck can't clear BU footbridge. Major back up.

Last November, I spotted a Lexus with an ironic Yiddish license plate. Turns out the owner, Ruth Shuman, saw the post. And she reports:

This Saturday I was in Auburndale and pulled into a parking spot. When I looked over to the car next to me, look at what I saw! Interesting how we both drive the same model car! I thought this was pretty hysterical.

Don't.

Jed Hresko captured the scene down Boylston yesterday. Mike the Mad Biologist has more photos.

WBUR reports the driver of the tour bus that hit an underpass in February, injuring 33, will be charged with negligent operation.

Drivers this morning were not prepared for yesterday's shutdown of the overpass on the Cambridge side of the BU Bridge - although they'll now have six months to get used to it.

Kathy reports traffic was tied up in knots on the Boston side. Nikki reports from on board a bus:

Driver of the CT2 is freaking out screaming obscenities at other drivers in this INSANE traffic by BU bridge.