Biking in Boston

I commuted on the #1 bus line from Boston to Cambridge before the pandemic. There's no way that you lose 1 lane in for both directions and not mess up the bus. A bus lane on half the bridge is just going to be filled with the cars turning at Memorial. And definitely at Beacon Street.

Just make a bus lane in each direction next to the bike lane. You get more space between cars and bikes and bus drivers are licensed and professional. Better than the jerks driving 40 mph on the bridge to get stuck at the next light.
 
as02143 said:
Just make a bus lane in each direction next to the bike lane. You get more space between cars and bikes and bus drivers are licensed and professional. Better than the jerks driving 40 mph on the bridge to get stuck at the next light.
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There isn't enough width on the bridge to fit bus lanes plus bike lanes in both directions. There's only room for a bus lane in only one direction, plus bike lanes in both directions, plus two general traffic lanes:

mass-ave-bridge-png.18039
 
What about two bus lanes plus a single, wider, bi-directional cycle track? That might allow for easier passing, while at the same time protecting bike riders without sacrificing bus requirements. I'm a little unsure on how it connects on each side of the bridge to the lanes on the other side of the street, though.
 
Charlie_mta said:
There isn't enough width on the bridge to fit bus lanes plus bike lanes in both directions. There's only room for a bus lane in only one direction, plus bike lanes in both directions, plus two general traffic lanes:
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I believe the poster was saying to use existing cross section where there is already bike lanes and make the 2nd travel lane in each direction a bus lane next to the bike lane.
 
real_EthanHunt said:
I believe the poster was saying to use existing cross section where there is already bike lanes and make the 2nd travel lane in each direction a bus lane next to the bike lane.
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Yeah exactly there's already 2 lanes in each direction. Changing one to a bus line makes more sense than cutting a lane from the bridge. The bridge has more bus riders with the #1 line, the LMA, the BU and the MIT buses than there are bikes anyway. And many of those bike riders become bus riders during the winters anyways.
 
BeeLine said:
www.universalhub.com

Mass. Ave. Bridge to get protected bike lanes

MassDOT announced today it will add protected bike lanes to the Mass. Ave. Bridge as part of a wintertime pilot involving signs and traffic barrels. Read more.
www.universalhub.com www.universalhub.com
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Rode these this morning. They basically just put up cones on the outside car lane to convert it into a bike lane - super pleasant to be able to not ride in the puddles in the normal 5-foot bike gutter in the rain. Do we know if this is the "temporary" solution while flex post are built and re-striping can happen? Or are these cones the "winter pilot" that they had in place?

We'll see how things are in the PM rush on the way home.
 
Does Mass Ave traffic have a different bias for morning/evening travel times? If so, could a single "reversible" bus lane run down the middle?
 
W-4 said:
Does Mass Ave traffic have a different bias for morning/evening travel times? If so, could a single "reversible" bus lane run down the middle?
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whats important is the queue jumps at the lights (the bridge rarely never gets backed up with traffic). So we could just have a Z-shaped config (where both ends have two lanes exiting the bridge and one lane entering the bridge). Then One of those two lanes will be bus-only and give a queue jump for buses at both ends.
 
W-4 said:
Does Mass Ave traffic have a different bias for morning/evening travel times? If so, could a single "reversible" bus lane run down the middle?
Click to expand...
As a former commuter using the route 1, no that lane won't help often enough. There were enough backups and cars (prepandemic) that losing a lane in both directions won't work.
 
Was running a bunch of errands today across town and noticed all the new bike lanes on Cummins Highway from Mattapan Square to the cemetery before American Legion/Hyde Park Ave are... just gone. Markings half assed removed with the Lane markings put back, and parked cars all along the curb. Guess it didn't last long? I feel like they put a decent amount of effort into those, rather surprised they have disappeared - although I guess even more surprised when they put them in in the first place. I would guess the City backtracked due to the traffic caused by one travel lane?
 
The Cummins lanes were for testing purposes prior to a complete rebuild between Harvard St. And Blue Hill Ave. The real work begins next year and will include curb protected bike lanes.

www.boston.gov

Cummins Highway

Public Works will reconstruct Cummins Highway from Fairway Street to the intersection of Harvard Street and Wood Avenue. We will completely rebuild the street, including sidewalks, curbs, street lights, traffic signals, road pavement, and replace or update utilities as necessary. Cummins Highway...
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
 
HenryAlan said:
The Cummins lanes were for testing purposes prior to a complete rebuild between Harvard St. And Blue Hill Ave. The real work begins next year and will include curb protected bike lanes.

www.boston.gov

Cummins Highway

Public Works will reconstruct Cummins Highway from Fairway Street to the intersection of Harvard Street and Wood Avenue. We will completely rebuild the street, including sidewalks, curbs, street lights, traffic signals, road pavement, and replace or update utilities as necessary. Cummins Highway...
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
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Ah, thank you, sir - mystery solved. much appreciated. I will say for a temporary test it was all very well done. Although - I do think I am most exicted about the prospect of an actual tree canopy over there and how much nicer that will make that stretch.
 
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