An Act to improve parking and pedestrian safety

This bill requires new commercial buildings in Massachusetts to install physical barriers, such as bollards or planters, that separate parking areas from sidewalks and building entrances to prevent vehicles from hitting pedestrians or structures. It specifically applies to commercial developments costing over $1 million and mandates that these safety features be strong enough to stop a car from breaching the pedestrian zone while still allowing for necessary building access. The legislation also creates a new 15-member advisory group to study best practices for pedestrian safety and develop recommendations for future rules on installing these protective measures. Additionally, the bill allows for waivers in unique circumstances if developers can prove that standard barriers would be unreasonable, provided they submit alternative safety plans for review.