Photo: John Miles performing with the Larry Brown Swinglane Orchestra. Photo excerpted from this report by WJAR-TV10. More about John Miles, gifted musician, HERE.
As the Newport community mourns the death of the big-hearted local musician John Miles, discussions are underway about safety on our roads and prevention of such a tragedy. Miles was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Memorial Blvd as he made his way home on his personal mobility scooter.
Miles was killed in the same location where Robert Silvia was similarly struck and killed while using the crosswalk in his wheelchair in 2014. This tragedy is on the heels of the death of Bicycle Safety Advocate and Transportation Planner Louisa Gag on July 9th, struck by a truck while riding her bicycle in Boston. In all cases, talk turns to improved safety after these terrible tragedies. We can do better. And we are poised to do so.
The family of John Miles and other residents reflect on concerns about personal safety on the roads here.
The City’s attention to public safety on our roads is increasing thanks to numerous transportation safety plans adopted in recent years, including the statewide Bicycle Mobility Plan in 2020, Keep Newport Moving in 2023, the Ride Island Bicycle Plan in 2023, and the Newport Safety Action Plan in 2025. In 2026, togehter with Middletown and Portmouth, the City is a recipient of federal funding through Safe Streets for All for safe streets community engagement, design, and implementation.
Also in 2026, the City will experience the Crash Analysis Studio, an initiative by the national organization Strong Towns. Newport is one of ten cities nationwide selected to receive this support free of charge. The guidance will help us to review the broader circumstances around fatal crashes, going beyond assigning blame to correcting conditions.
Too often, meaningful safety improvements come after tragedy. With these analysis, planning and design resources in place, the City of Newport has the tools in hand to act proactively before other lives are lost.
Bike Newport is a partner at the City’s road safety discussions, together with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), the Police, the Interdepartmental Traffic Committee (ITC), and the City’s administrators, planners, engineers, and public safety officials. We will continue to work toward implementation of safety plans in infrastructure, ordinances, enforcement, education, and more. And we will keep public information and engagement at the forefront.
Our hearts go out to all who knew and loved John Miles. And our commitment to safer streets is steadfast.
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