Biking in Boston

[ritchiew]

Cambridge is kicking off it's Broadway bike lane project. No drawings available as yet, but it doesn't appear to have been too badly impacted / compromised by the city council vote - segment A to be completed in Winter 25, Segments B+C to begin in Early 26 - which is roughly in line with the original CSO timeline. Per the email, they'd be removing ~¾ of the extant parking spaces, which would be ~240/322.

View attachment 58000

• Change the layout of the street with quick-build materials: new pavement markings, traffic signs, and flex posts.
• Add separated bike lanes:
  • Move bike lanes to be next to the curb
  • Add white flex posts to physically separate them from moving vehicles
• Reduce on-street parking
  • Most parking on Broadway will be removed. We expect to keep about one quarter of the existing parking spaces.
  • We will work with businesses and residents to identify the best use for the remaining parking and loading spaces

Broadway Safety Improvement Project

We are installing separated bike lanes on Broadway between Quincy St and Portland St.

www.cambridgema.gov

So how did the city council vote end up affecting this? They voted for an 18 month freeze on this project. This plan looks like they're getting everything ready so they can start building the minute the freeze is over. Is that right? Did anything else change?

 

[sneijder]

Cambridge is kicking off it's Broadway bike lane project. No drawings available as yet, but it doesn't appear to have been too badly impacted / compromised by the city council vote - segment A to be completed in Winter 25, Segments B+C to begin in Early 26 - which is roughly in line with the original CSO timeline. Per the email, they'd be removing ~¾ of the extant parking spaces, which would be ~240/322.

View attachment 58000

• Change the layout of the street with quick-build materials: new pavement markings, traffic signs, and flex posts.
• Add separated bike lanes:
  • Move bike lanes to be next to the curb
  • Add white flex posts to physically separate them from moving vehicles
• Reduce on-street parking
  • Most parking on Broadway will be removed. We expect to keep about one quarter of the existing parking spaces.
  • We will work with businesses and residents to identify the best use for the remaining parking and loading spaces

Broadway Safety Improvement Project

We are installing separated bike lanes on Broadway between Quincy St and Portland St.

www.cambridgema.gov

This is probably the boldest project in cambridge so far, as far as % of parking spaces lost. Main st/hampshire st/cambridge st preserved about half of the spots, but broadway is currently the predominant east-west boulevard for cars. I think this is going to face decent opposition and it's important that us supporters write pro-bike (and anti-parking) comments on the comment map and show up when the community meetings begin.

 

[Stlin]

So how did the city council vote end up affecting this? They voted for an 18 month freeze on this project. This plan looks like they're getting everything ready so they can start building the minute the freeze is over. Is that right? Did anything else change?

They partially reversed in October, substituting a Nov 30 2026 deadline, which represents only a 7 month delay. That's apparently mostly caused by the pause in work between April 30 and today - they need a replacement construction season.

This is mostly because they've introduced new zoning language so that garage / lot owners can make their existing off street spaces available along "flexible parking corridors," to replace lost on street parking, it's apparently back to full steam ahead.

Bike lanes for three streets get a late '26 deadline as change promises to open Cambridge parking - Cambridge Day

A way to reuse private parking to make up for the loss of street spaces to protected bike lanes arrived Monday, but it was too late to get the creation of some lanes back on schedule.

www.cambridgeday.com

CMA 2024 #229 A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 24-20, regarding recommendations for amendments to the Parking and Transportation Demand Management (PTDM) and Zoning Ordinances. - Camb

cambridgema.iqm2.com

 

[FK4]

This is probably the boldest project in cambridge so far, as far as % of parking spaces lost. Main st/hampshire st/cambridge st preserved about half of the spots, but broadway is currently the predominant east-west boulevard for cars. I think this is going to face decent opposition and it's important that us supporters write pro-bike (and anti-parking) comments on the comment map and show up when the community meetings begin.

If businesses want to encourage people to drive in from out of town, maybe they ought to start lobbying Cambridge to not have every single side street be 100% resident parking only. If they only want local traffic, they will be fine.

 

[ceo]

Welp, that's going to suck for me. My guitar teacher is on Broadway, and while I usually don't have a problem finding a parking place (I use his guest permit), there's not a whole lot of margin. And riding a bike carrying an acoustic guitar is kind of difficult.

 

[bigeman312]

Welp, that's going to suck for me. My guitar teacher is on Broadway, and while I usually don't have a problem finding a parking place (I use his guest permit), there's not a whole lot of margin. And riding a bike carrying an acoustic guitar is kind of difficult.

Could you take a rideshare or taxi? The Red Line to Harvard, Central, or Kendall?

 

[HenryAlan]

Welp, that's going to suck for me. My guitar teacher is on Broadway, and while I usually don't have a problem finding a parking place (I use his guest permit), there's not a whole lot of margin. And riding a bike carrying an acoustic guitar is kind of difficult.

I have no personal experience with such things, but maybe a hard case with a shoulder strap so that you can carry it on your back while riding? I've seen a guy biking around my neighborhood with a full stand-up base strapped to his back, and while I don't think I'd try that, I suspect a guitar might be feasible.

 

[TheRatmeister]

I have no personal experience with such things, but maybe a hard case with a shoulder strap so that you can carry it on your back while riding? I've seen a guy biking around my neighborhood with a full stand-up base strapped to his back, and while I don't think I'd try that, I suspect a guitar might be feasible.

I've seen some wild stuff in NL, I'm 100% certain it's possible.

 

[thepixelnation]

I have no personal experience with such things, but maybe a hard case with a shoulder strap so that you can carry it on your back while riding? I've seen a guy biking around my neighborhood with a full stand-up base strapped to his back, and while I don't think I'd try that, I suspect a guitar might be feasible.

This got me thinking, I wonder if we'll ever see a cargo bike share as an option in a city. I doubt it would be feasible, but there are some wacky ideas out there. Maybe UHaul offering cargo bikes is the first step.

 

[Stlin]

This got me thinking, I wonder if we'll ever see a cargo bike share as an option in a city. I doubt it would be feasible, but there are some wacky ideas out there. Maybe UHaul offering cargo bikes is the first step.

Meet CargoB, which is based around Camberville and is apparently first-in-the-nation for that. They launched around July this year. It doesn't have a spectacularly large network, but rates are $2.50 to unlock and 25¢/min, which is on-par with the blue ebikes.

CargoB

CargoB - Electric Cargo Bike Share in Boston

www.ridecargob.com

 

[thepixelnation]

Meet CargoB, which is based around Camberville and is apparently first-in-the-nation for that. They launched around July this year. It doesn't have a spectacularly large network, but rates are $2.50 to unlock and 25¢/min, which is on-par with the blue ebikes.

CargoB

CargoB - Electric Cargo Bike Share in Boston

www.ridecargob.com

Woah that's awesome! Seems pretty cheap, and it's helpful that you can pause rentals Very nice, I'm a fan.

Has anyone here tried this out? @ceo, maybe this is your solution?

 

[HenryAlan]

Meet CargoB, which is based around Camberville and is apparently first-in-the-nation for that. They launched around July this year. It doesn't have a spectacularly large network, but rates are $2.50 to unlock and 25¢/min, which is on-par with the blue ebikes.

CargoB

CargoB - Electric Cargo Bike Share in Boston

www.ridecargob.com

Has anyone here tried this out? @ceo, maybe this is your solution?

They have a couple of bikes in my neighborhood. I haven't tried one yet, but a few friends have done so and found it quite useful.

[edit]I guess just one CargoB location, but there is another, less formal cargo bike share that also has a bike near me. Either way, it is a growing phenomenon.

 

[Badusername]

Woah that's awesome! Seems pretty cheap, and it's helpful that you can pause rentals Very nice, I'm a fan.

Has anyone here tried this out? @ceo, maybe this is your solution?

Yes there is one in my neighborhood and I‘ve used it a few times to go to Home Depot. It was my first time riding a cargo bike so there is a bit of a learning curve but it’s extremely useful and the app is easy to use. Interestingly the one near me is just parked in a person’s driveway. I wonder if the company made a deal with the homeowner or if they just placed it at an employee’s house?

 

[ceo]

Interesting concept, but none of them are reasonable walking distance while carrying a guitar from me. And the nearest Red Line station is a 15-minute walk from both my teacher and I, which would make it at least a 45-minute commute in each direction. It is a 15-minute bike ride, however (and driving home takes longer than that due to traffic). If the parking situation becomes intolerable, I may have to look into getting one of these things, or maybe a small cargo trailer.

 

[pfd12]

I wonder if the company made a deal with the homeowner or if they just placed it at an employee’s house?

Think they're doing it Zipcar-style. According to one of the cofounders: "All locations are in collaboration with a property owner, which are all currently private but will also include designated public property in the future."

Interesting concept, but none of them are reasonable walking distance while carrying a guitar from me.

They are planning to expand, though slowly. Regarding their locations in Cambridge: "The one near Porter is it currently. We’re a bootstrapped start-up so very much dependent on grant cycles at this scale/stage. Central Square coming this winter. Harvard Square likely to happen this spring. East Cambridge and Kendall in the summer. Union Square also likely in the spring which is preeeetty close to Cambridge. The “Porter” bike will also likely relocate right into Porter Square in 2025." Hopefully one of these future locations works better for you?

Above info is from this Reddit post.

 

[BOS2BON]

Whoops, I put this in the wrong thread.

Looks like Newburyport is going to get a bikeshare system next year.

Newburyport’s Bike Share Initiative

Newburyport’s Master Plan recommends implementing a local bike share program to reduce car dependency for tourism and commuting. The City of Newburyport and Newburyport Livable Streets are proposin…

newburyportlivablestreets.org

Bike Share

Bike Share Newburyport Livable Streets is working with the Newburyport Mayor’s Office and Department of Public Services on a bike share pilot program for the city. A bike share system is a pu…

newburyportlivablestreets.org

A significant source of funding has already been identified. The Merrimack Valley Metropolitan Transportation Organization has voted to reserve $180,000 in federal funds to support the capital costs of a three-year pilot program (2025 through 2027). This represents about two-thirds of the estimated total cost of the three-year pilot. Pending state and federal approval of the project scope and budget, these funds will become available to the City in early 2025.