The news is being spread through the Boston bike community that there are plans afoot to consider building bike lanes along Mass Av from the Symphony Hall area to Harvard Bridge. A public meeting will be held to gauge interest in these bike lanes will be held at the Boston Public Library on April 14th, 7-9 pm. The Boston Cyclists Union has a petition online to show your support for Mass Av bike lanes.
I figured I would add my little blog to the chorus of support for bike lanes since my regular commute to work and my son’s child care takes me along this stretch of Mass. Ave. I can definitely see how this road is intimidating and how bike lanes would make it more friendly to inexperienced riders. There are places – especially in the area around the Christian Science Center – that I think would even support an Amsterdam-style cycle track. Bike lanes on Mass Av would also connect Boston’s two main “bike highways” the Charles River Bike Path and the Southwest Corridor Bike Path. Connecting these two routes would encourage more bicycling and improve Boston’s overall bicycling network.
More information on the campaign from the Boston Cyclists Union below:
Meeting to assess interest in bike lanes on Mass Ave from the Harvard Bridge to the Symphony area.
Boston Public Library, Main Branch
(700 Boylston Street, Boston)
Thursday, April 14, 2011 @ 7:00pm – 9:00pm[The meeting room has not yet been announced but
either well placed signs or Boston Cyclist Union volunteers will be there to direct you on Thursday.]Also find this event on Facebook and share with your friends!
What are bike lanes? Bike lanes are sections of road designated for exclusive use by cyclists. Paint or thermoplastic lane markings plus accompanying signage mark the bike lanes. Why install bike lanes on Mass Ave? Mass Ave currently sees some of the highest volumes of cycling in the City. It is the spine of the bike network in the City. At peak periods, cyclists account for 6-14% of all vehicle traffic. However, Mass Ave has the highest accident rate for cyclists in the City. Bike lanes can dramatically improve safety and facilitate cycling for more novice cyclists.
What about safety? Bike lanes are proven to make the roads safer for all users. Proposed plans would improve safety in the following ways.
- Designate a safe riding zone for cyclists;
- Provide guidance for vehicles wishing to pass cyclists;
- Encourage cars to drive at slower, safer speeds;
- Encourage cyclists to bicycle more respectfully and predictably; and,
- Make pedestrians and drivers more aware of cyclists.
Describe the design The proposed design includes a standard 5’ bike lane on either side of Mass Ave. To allow for a bike lane, either parking or a travel lane would need to be removed. The engineers have evaluated the impacts of both options and will be prepared to discuss the issues in detail.
What are the project limits and scope? The bike facilities being discussed would extend from the Mass Ave Bridge to Symphony area.
