Hundreds of mourners, friends, and colleagues gathered at Boston City Hall Plaza on Thursday, July 16, to remember Louisa Gag, a Roslindale bike activist and city employee killed July 9 in a collision with a truck at Parker and Tremont streets.

Gag was a Boston Transportation Department (BTD) planner who had previously worked at the LivableStreets Alliance and interned in Mayor Michelle Wu’s office when Wu was a city councilor. The Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition organized the event to honor Gag while calling for changes to prevent future traffic crashes and deaths.

Brendan Kearney, the director of WalkMassachusetts, said many organizations were participating, including Massachusetts Bike Coalition, Livable Streets Alliance, Transportation for Massachusetts, and Transit Matters. Referring to a letter sent to Wu by over 3,000 co-signers demanding action, Kearney said that the death of Louisa Gag has brought out a range of emotions from those who knew her.

“I've known Louisa for over a decade. I think stuff's really raw right now. But I think what that speaks to is people just want to hear from the city, to hear from the mayor about what is the plan.” Kearney said he expected that Wu would respond soon, as she had met twice with organizations in the past week. “I think people do want to hear from her because this is also personal for her. It's not just someone that worked at City Hall. It's someone that worked in her city council office.”

Stacy Thompson, former director of LivableStreets and Emcee for the event introduced herself as Louisa’s friend. “We are here to do two things: to remember Louisa's life and legacy, and to remember that it is time and that we are all here to spur greater action to get to Vision Zero.”

Vision Zero supports the elimination of all traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries through road redesign, speed management, and equitable mobility. Thompson spoke about how it was time now to unite. “And what I will say is that today, in this space, the invisible and visible barriers that divide us between the people inside the building and the people outside the building do not exist.” She called on all to pick up the work that has now been left behind.

Each speaker shared stories of Gag’s impact on their lives. Hannah Fong worked with Gag at BTD. “Louisa and I started working together in 2022. Our line of work can be emotionally difficult at times and having a friend and colleague like Louisa who can offer honesty, kindness, and support is absolutely essential. Louisa taught me patience, grace, and how to find joy during the most difficult times.”

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Sarah Davis also worked with Gag and is now a transportation planner in Cleveland. “You can find Louisa's impact all across Boston. In Allston and Brighton, we worked together on design and community engagement for North Beacon Street, Winship Street, and South Street … Louisa was also the friend who always made you feel loved.” Joshua Barber, a colleague, friend, and partner described the past week in his remarks: “We're all so sorry. I can't believe it's been a week without you. Years happen in moments. There's a lingering good morning text in your phone, 8:06 a.m. that'll never be answered … you're missed so dearly.”

Wu, who was not listed on the agenda, did speak. She has been criticized for stalling safety projects that were designed and funded, which caused a fissure with the bicycle community. “I really struggled with whether I should come here tonight or not. Whether it would help the healing that is so needed for a community in such grief and pain, and whether I would be able to get any words out at all,” she said, struggling to keep her voice from breaking. She said she decided to speak because Gag’s mother said that it was hoped she would come to the vigil. They “wanted to hear her vision.”

Wu recounted Lousia’s contributions of personally securing 1,500 new e-bikes for the city, blue bikes for the city’s neighborhoods, and how more children learned to ride bikes. “She devoted her life and career to building a Boston where every resident and every visitor could move through our city safely with comfort and dignity and confidence. And she was killed on our streets.”

Wu went on to say that there would be “a full investigation of the facts of the crash, stepped up enforcement of blocked bike lane crosswalk and other double parking violations, a mapped out plan to install protected bike lane infrastructure.” She continued, “I've assigned two senior members of my team to the streets cabinet full-time to accelerate the policies, planning, and capital delivery work that will make our streets safer. My vision for Boston, my vision, is that everyone should get to grow old in our city.”

Thompson asked for all those present to commit to supporting Vision Zero in every community, to e-mail elected officials to commit to it also, to expect more details from the mayor, to show up at every public meeting, push for more truck safety, and put pressure on the state legislature. “Are we going to do it together?” asked Thompson. The crowd responded, “Vision Zero now!