The Boston Transportation Department today identified five neighborhoods that, over the next year, will get city-funded street changes in an attempt to make side streets safer by making motorists slow down:

BTD anticipates planning work to begin in the five new communities this year. The Neighborhood Slow Streets process calls for a community walk to kick off the process, allowing residents to identify key challenges and areas where residents would like to see changes. When completed, the selected Neighborhood Slow Streets areas will be equipped with visual and physical cues to slow drivers to 20 MPH, making each street feel more inviting for people of all ages who are walking, playing, or bicycling.

Chinatown, Grove Hall/Quincy Corridor in Dorchester, Highland Park in Roxbury, Mount Hope/Canterbury in Roslindale and West of Washington, an area in Dorchester along Whitfield Street between Talbot Avenue and Harvard Street, will all get "Slow Streets" projects that could include everything from speed humps and tables to signs. Map of the winning neighborhoods and other applicants.

BTD says the winning areas were chosen based on several factors, including having higher than citywide averages of children under 18 and senior citizens, having higher than average rates of car crashes, being near schools, parks and public transportation and neighborhood support.