By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Taking a closer look at notable city data—and interesting numbers.

7: That figure represents the number of cases of elevated blood lead levels in Somerville children in 2013 (the most recent year for which we have state health data). While even one case is too many, the encouraging news is that the number is down from 43 cases in 2001. The decrease can be attributed to many policies aimed at reducing the interaction between children and lead, particularly by eliminating it from paint used in homes. However, approximately 90 percent of homes in Somerville were built before 1978 when the federal government banned consumer uses of lead-containing paint, and potentially hazardous lead paint is still present in some residences. It’s crucial that we continue to prioritize reducing children’s exposure to lead until the number of cases becomes zero. The City of Somerville’s lead paint abatement program offers eligible homeowners, landlords, or tenants financial assistance with the removal of lead paint. For more information, contact Russell Koty at 617-625-6600 x2568 or rkoty@somervillema.gov.

$5,000: That’s the cost added to each bid we issue when purchasing qualifying new City vehicles to make sure each one is outfitted with life-saving side guards. Truck side guards are a safety device designed to protect pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear wheels of large trucks. Without them, pedestrians and bicyclists can be pulled under the carriage of trucks during a side collision, which usually results in horrific and fatal injuries. The data on this are clear. They show a substantial decrease in side-impact fatalities involving vehicles that have side-guards installed. That’s why for every City vehicle purchased since 2014, if it can be fitted with a side guard, it has a side guard.

601: That’s the total number of unique drivers who used the three electric vehicle charging stations in the city in 2016. Together, the drivers using the City Hall, Davis Square, and Union Square charging stations saved 10,016 kilograms in greenhouse gas emissions by charging up here. Currently, there are more than 5,000 electric vehicles registered in Massachusetts, so that means about one-fifth of them have stopped by to use our charging stations, which we installed with funds from the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program and the state’s Green Community Program. In 2013, Massachusetts signed onto a Zero-Emission Vehicle agreement, setting a goal to have 300,000 electric vehicles registered in the Commonwealth by 2025. A key to increasing those numbers is the availability of convenient charging stations. Somerville is happy to do its part.

659: That’s the number of Facebook users who have already declared their interest in attending the “A Very Somerville Birthday Party” event on Wednesday, March 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. As many of you know by now, this year marks Somerville’s 175th birthday, and it was in March 1842 that we officially split from Charlestown to become our own city. Join us on Broadway near the Charlestown line for an informal celebration followed by appetizers and cake at Mount Vernon Pub and Restaurant along with the unveiling of Aeronaut’s commemorative gluten-free birthday beer named after the City’s motto: Municipal Freedom Gives National Strength.

Data-based decision making is at the core of how the City of Somerville develops policy and sets priorities. Every day we check the latest 311 stats, and throughout the week we meet for in-depth review of departmental data and city trends. The monthly Data Download column shares some of the data we’ve been reviewing recently. To see more Somerville Data, visit the online Somerville Data Farm at http://www.somervillema.gov/datafarm/.