Somerville's Vision Zero Success Highlights the Impact of MPS Partnership

New report recognizes the city as a national leader after three fatality-free years and a 50% decrease in serious injury crashes in 2025

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Municipal Parking Services (MPS) today applauded Somerville after a new report recognized the city as a national Vision Zero leader. MPS said its AI-powered SafetyStick® technology supports the city's broader safety strategy by strengthening parking compliance at bus stops and other restricted curb zones, helping keep critical curb space clear and streets safer. According to the LivableStreets Alliance report, Somerville recorded no fatal crashes for three consecutive years, from 2023 through 2025, and reported a 50% decrease in serious injury crashes in 2025.

Since 2023, MPS has partnered with Somerville to deploy SafetyStick® at bus stops and other restricted curb zones. MPS data from monitored locations show reductions in illegal parking, helping the city's Parking Department keep bus stops accessible, preserve clear sightlines and reduce curbside conflicts that can create safety risks for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and emergency responders.

The 2026 Vision Zero Progress Report examines crash data and policy from 2015 through 2025 in Boston, Cambridge and Somerville. It attributes Somerville's progress to consistent political leadership, lower speed limits, traffic-calming investments, community engagement and coordination among city departments and state agencies. The report also highlights Somerville's investment in the operations needed to support redesigned streets, including a project manager added to the Parking Department in 2023 to help manage reduced curb access, while noting that serious crashes remain a concern, particularly those involving bicyclists. MPS believes Somerville's results show how curb management and parking compliance reinforce the street design and policy investments at the center of a comprehensive Vision Zero strategy.

"Somerville's progress shows what cities can achieve when strong leadership, safer street design and effective curb management work together," said Rob Matthews, vice president of sales and business development at MPS. "SafetyStick® supports that strategy by helping the Parking Department improve compliance in locations where illegal parking can create safety risks for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and emergency responders. We are proud to support Somerville and the results the city is achieving."

AI-powered SafetyStick® technology uses solar power, cameras and license plate recognition to detect and document potential parking violations in designated safety zones, including bus stops, crosswalks, bike lanes, fire lanes, loading zones, areas near fire hydrants and accessible parking and access zones. Parking officials review the evidence and determine whether to issue citations. The platform also provides real-time data that city officials can use to identify recurring problems and track changes in compliance.

For MPS, Somerville's progress also underscores the role curb management and parking operations can play in a comprehensive Vision Zero strategy. Safer street designs deliver their intended benefits when bus stops, bike lanes, crosswalks and emergency access routes remain clear of illegal parking.

"Parking operations are an important part of a comprehensive Vision Zero strategy," Matthews said. "Keeping bus stops, bike lanes, crosswalks and emergency access areas clear is not simply a parking issue. It is a public safety issue."

MPS works with municipalities across the United States to improve compliance in safety-critical curb zones and support safer streets, reliable transit, emergency access, accessibility and more effective curb management through its SafetyStick® platform.

About Municipal Parking Services

Municipal Parking Services Inc. (MPS) is a pioneer in AI-driven enforcement and compliance technologies. Since 2013, MPS has leveraged its unique platform to deliver cloud-connected parking and safety solutions that reduce illegal parking, increase compliance, and improve safety outcomes. MPS solutions use embedded AI to automate license plate recognition, dynamic pricing, zone monitoring, and enforcement, creating safer, smarter communities. The company partners with leading safety organizations, including Vision Zero, IPMI, IACLEA, and IACP. Headquartered in Austin, Texas. Learn more at www.mpspark.com.

SOURCE Municipal Parking Services (MPS)