Harvard Installs Side Guards

Harvard University becomes the second university in the nation to install side guards. Walker Blocker installed the first side guards on the University of Washington’s fleet of 30 vehicles.

Harvard is the first on the east coast and announced the new initiative to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety. The truck safety initiative applies not only to vehicles owned by the University, but extends to trucks operated by major vendors as well.

“Side guards are a simple, cost-effective safety improvement we can make to protect the people in the community who bike and walk through our dense, urban campus,” said Meredith Weenick, vice president for Campus Services. “This action builds on our award-winning efforts to promote sustainable transportation as a healthy, safe, and affordable option for our students, faculty, and staff.”

“As 10 of the 16 bicyclist fatalities in the last six years in Boston and Cambridge have involved a large truck, we’re thrilled to see Harvard tackle this serious safety issue, and challenge other private institutions and companies to follow Harvard’s leadership,” said Becca Wolfson, executive director of the Boston Cyclists Union.