Mass Ave Reconstruction

A good compromise at Chester Park would be to route the traffic around the park using what are now the carriage lanes. Then the park could be reconnected and restored where the through lanes currently are.

There are basically two main problems with the Mass Ave plan as it currently stands:
- It narrows already narrow sidewalks (down to 4' in some places), the bare minimum ADA standard
- It creates wide (14') shared lanes for bicyclists instead of dedicated bike lanes

Meanwhile, traffic volumes are actually lower since the Big Dig was completed. However, the plan assumes that traffic volumes would be increasing. So, in the end, there will be fewer cars using more roadspace, and an environment that is worse for walking and marginally better for bicycling.
 
cden4 said:
A good compromise at Chester Park would be to route the traffic around the park using what are now the carriage lanes. Then the park could be reconnected and restored where the through lanes currently are.

There are basically two main problems with the Mass Ave plan as it currently stands:
- It narrows already narrow sidewalks (down to 4' in some places), the bare minimum ADA standard
- It creates wide (14') shared lanes for bicyclists instead of dedicated bike lanes

Meanwhile, traffic volumes are actually lower since the Big Dig was completed. However, the plan assumes that traffic volumes would be increasing. So, in the end, there will be fewer cars using more roadspace, and an environment that is worse for walking and marginally better for bicycling.
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You last point is the most important.

Theyre using blueprints drawn up in the 1980s with no changes.

Its 2009, why are we building roads to 1980 standards?


The problem with 14' shared lanes is that they invite double parking even more so than a bike lane would. At least with a bike lane you have a line and an extra infraction that can be ticketed.
 
Any word on the groundbreaking? I live out of state, but noticed the mass hwy site shows that the project is "under construction". Would love to know if any work has begun and hear some progress updates if anyone has one.
 
I talked to someone on the task force tonight and they said it's suppose to start soon. They still hope to get two traffic lanes and a bike lane. Sounds dangerously crowded to me. Guess we'll get to rebuild it right next time.
 
Thanks for the responses Lurker and PaulC. Personally I would be amazed if this project starts on schedule. A designated bike lane would be great, but are they really going to redesign the whole project?
 
This is from the Chester Sq meeting minutes:
a) Work on the Mass. Ave. rebuilding will begin on May 18th with a dedicated bike lane, the city having received a federal waiver for lane widths.
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Excellent news!

Unless they mean the waiver is for a 2 foot bike lane....

Hopefully they mean 9 or 10 foot travel lanes and a 4-6 foot bike lane.
 
I don't know what the end result is but all the talk I heard was about shrinking the car lanes and the parking lane. I find this to be a bit foolish since the cars are not going to shrink too.
 
Unless the current lanes are wider than they need to be (as is often the case), in which case shrinking the lanes will be fine.
 
They don't seem to be any wider than normal and one block has lanes that are too narrow.
 
I don't see why any 'car' lane needs to be wider than 9 feet, anywhere. Unless it's the rightmost lane that is shared with bicycles.
 
Most roads are designed with 11' lanes, but they can easily be narrowed to 10', especially in urban areas, where speeds are relatively low. Most parking lanes are 8' but they can also be narrowed to 7.5' or even 7', as most cars fit within that space. This is a common practice by many cities as they install bike lanes on existing streets without moving curbs or removing travel lanes and/or parking lanes.
 
This is good news. Do the plans eliminate the center median? I walk down there daily on my way from my apartment, which is near Mass Av and Tremont, to the gym and pool, which is near Mass Av and Harrison. Without seeing the actual plans, I can't imagine how narrowing the sidewalk in some places is a very good idea (the only exception being in Chester Square, where the renovation of the park has yielded walkways that are a perfectly acceptable alternative to the existing sidewalks), as the sidewalks along much of the way are barely wide enough for two people, never mind trying to pass a slow moving party..
 
Travel lanes can be as narrow as 8'-0" though that's not a terribly safe idea for anything other than a one way street. 11'-0" is the typical standard for a moderate speed lane which has a reasonable number of trucks and other wide vehicles especially firetrucks or ambulances. 10'-0" can work in other parts of the country, but snowplows in the North East also make wider lanes needed in the winter time. For reference highways are usually a minimum of 14'-0" and shouldn't be copied in any city street.

Parking really should be no less or greater than 8'-0". To narrow and there are issues with mirrors and such protruding into traffic. Too deep and people have a tendency to do a poor job getting close to the curb.
 
A good example of proper lane widths is one lane roads that happen to be 16 or so feet wide....theyre regularly used as two lane roads, showing that 8 feet is possible, and 9 feet is recommended.

Narrow lanes = slower speeds
Narrow parking = better parking
 
You're forgetting to account for the width of lane markings.
 
the latest as of today:
No word yet on Fed or State approval on bike lanes. But word should come soon.

project is supposed to start in early June

Susi Construction Inc. will be ther constractor

project will start at the St. Botolph. end

project should last 2-3 years,
 
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