Biking in Boston

Well, the first thing she does say is about the commercial companies and there is pretty obvious enforcement opportunities there, particularly now that the city is requiring registration (has that gone into effect yet?).
 
KCasiglio said:
Well, the first thing she does say is about the commercial companies and there is pretty obvious enforcement opportunities there, particularly now that the city is requiring registration (has that gone into effect yet?).
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Can you link or tell us more about this registration? You have my interest.
 
Short of banning the pay-by-the-piece model, which is a non-starter, it’s only going to nibble around the edges of a broken system.
 
Can’t we in the not too distant future just have some sort of big brother-ish yet effective broadband control of e bike speeds? Ban any e bike that doesn’t allow for such control, some sort of signal blocks it from capping a certain speed anywhere in the town limits. Sounds crazy and draconian but honestly probably not too far off. Could apply this to cars, too.
 
FK4 said:
Can’t we in the not too distant future just have some sort of big brother-ish yet effective broadband control of e bike speeds? Ban any e bike that doesn’t allow for such control, some sort of signal blocks it from capping a certain speed anywhere in the town limits. Sounds crazy and draconian but honestly probably not too far off. Could apply this to cars, too.
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Now that’s just crazy talk. Let’s focus on the bigger problem - bicycles that are slightly easier to pedal - before we sweat the little things
 
Americans will give up their ability to mash the throttle at the same time they give up their ability purchase assault weapons no questions asked.
 
With the mayoral race over, delineators have returned to Arlington St*


0n1ujakitqrf1.jpeg


*I do not actually believe the prior removal of flex posts or the new installation has anything to do with the mayoral race
 
KCasiglio said:
With the mayoral race over, delineators have returned to Arlington St*


View attachment 67306

*I do not actually believe the prior removal of flex posts or the new installation has anything to do with the mayoral race
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What on earth are these things. They won’t do anything as a car can drive over them so easily
 
cubbe8 said:
What on earth are these things. They won’t do anything as a car can drive over them so easily
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Agree, might as well have just put in a rumble strip. I'll grant they are better than nothing, it does prevent a car from casually drifting into the lane unintentionally, but to me this is the city tacitly acknowledging that they view this as a bike lane only when someone doesn't want to use it as a loading zone.

EDIT: I have been told this was what emerged from "collaborative dialogue" with emergency services, so they can get by traffic without permanently damaging something like a flex post.
 
KCasiglio said:
Agree, might as well have just put in a rumble strip. I'll grant they are better than nothing, it does prevent a car from casually drifting into the lane unintentionally, but to me this is the city tacitly acknowledging that they view this as a bike lane only when someone doesn't want to use it as a loading zone.

EDIT: I have been told this was what emerged from "collaborative dialogue" with emergency services, so they can get by traffic without permanently damaging something like a flex post.
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Flexposts are supposed to be built to get hit on occasion and not get permanently damaged. Smells like some BS.
 
as02143 said:
Flexposts are supposed to be built to get hit on occasion and not get permanently damaged. Smells like some BS.
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I mean... flexposts don't take getting hit occasionally gracefully. Wu is on record as saying they end up as "gross-looking crumpled plastic all over the place, because cars and trucks are running over the posts." If aesthetics are important to the admin, those will almost definitely take getting run over more gracefully.

Also, if the Google cache is accurate, the city posted a page about "Better Buffers" 4 days ago that evidently hasn't gotten any traction anywhere. As a replacement to flexposts, the city is apparently moving to cast-in-place concrete, built on top of the existing pavement without a full depth sidewalk foundation. This is evidently something they're also looking into for quick-build pedestrian refuges, and based on the promo image, one of the first places that will get it is Bolyston by the common.
1000041535.png

We’re focused on replacing flexposts with concrete at locations that:

  • Will provide a significant safety benefit over flexposts
  • Have experienced the most wear-and-tear and maintenance costs since flexposts were originally installed
  • Have proven designs that have been installed with flexposts or other interim materials for several years
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www.boston.gov

Better Buffers

We’re switching out materials to enhance safety for all travelers.
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
 

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KCasiglio said:
With the mayoral race over, delineators have returned to Arlington St*


View attachment 67306

*I do not actually believe the prior removal of flex posts or the new installation has anything to do with the mayoral race
Click to expand...
It looks like there are holes for posts in these things? I can’t imagine the little bumps themselves are the whole plan: that seems very dangerous for bikes and cars once you get a few inches of snow that covers them.

@Stlin @as02143 the flex posts put in on Walter St in Roslindale got destroyed within about a year. I think a lot of the damage might’ve been from snow plows, but they definitely don’t do well getting hit—they can do ok if they’re in the middle of a wider striped off strip, but not too close to the edge of an active car lane, i think.
 
Stlin said:
I mean... flexposts don't take getting hit occasionally gracefully. Wu is on record as saying they end up as "gross-looking crumpled plastic all over the place, because cars and trucks are running over the posts." If aesthetics are important to the admin, those will almost definitely take getting run over more gracefully.

Also, if the Google cache is accurate, the city posted a page about "Better Buffers" 4 days ago that evidently hasn't gotten any traction anywhere. As a replacement to flexposts, the city is apparently moving to cast-in-place concrete, built on top of the existing pavement without a full depth sidewalk foundation. This is evidently something they're also looking into for quick-build pedestrian refuges, and based on the promo image, one of the first places that will get it is Bolyston by the common.
View attachment 67329


www.boston.gov

Better Buffers

We’re switching out materials to enhance safety for all travelers.
www.boston.gov www.boston.gov
Click to expand...
Newton used similar concrete barriers for the "Quick Build" Washington Street Pilot.
https://www.newtonma.gov/government...ion-planning/projects/washington-street-pilot
1759071178187.png
 
FK4 said:
It looks like there are holes for posts in these things? I can’t imagine the little bumps themselves are the whole plan: that seems very dangerous for bikes and cars once you get a few inches of snow that covers them.

@Stlin @as02143 the flex posts put in on Walter St in Roslindale got destroyed within about a year. I think a lot of the damage might’ve been from snow plows, but they definitely don’t do well getting hit—they can do ok if they’re in the middle of a wider striped off strip, but not too close to the edge of an active car lane, i think.
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Based on this spec sheet, nope; that's a third hole for screwing it into the road surface. However, the linked user guide does show indicate a contraindication for heavy snow, where it suggests they be interspersed with traditional flexposts for visibility.

Zebra Bike Lane Separator: Halt Equipment Canada

Durable recycled plastic Zebra bike lane separator by Halt in Canada. Highly visible, modular design for urban safety. Request a quote!
www.halt-inc.com www.halt-inc.com
 
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Stlin said:
Based on this spec sheet, nope; that's a third hole for screwing it into the road surface. However, the linked user guide does show indicate a contraindication for heavy snow, where it suggests they be interspersed with traditional flexposts for visibility.

Zebra Bike Lane Separator: Halt Equipment Canada

Durable recycled plastic Zebra bike lane separator by Halt in Canada. Highly visible, modular design for urban safety. Request a quote!
www.halt-inc.com www.halt-inc.com
Click to expand...
As both a driver and cyclist, I really think we need to insist on better visibility for these barriers. I am appalled, for example, with the sharp granite curb barriers used in the Northern Strand extension along the Carroll Pkwy/Lynnway. There has been no attempt to make the curbing visible with paint or any reflective indications. The curbs come right to the edge of the travel lane (no buffer space), and actually randomly flex into the lane in some areas. During low visibility driving or cycling conditions those curb barriers are an accident waiting to happen.
 
JeffDowntown said:
As both a driver and cyclist, I really think we need to insist on better visibility for these barriers. I am appalled, for example, with the sharp granite curb barriers used in the Northern Strand extension along the Carroll Pkwy/Lynnway. There has been no attempt to make the curbing visible with paint or any reflective indications. The curbs come right to the edge of the travel lane (no buffer space), and actually randomly flex into the lane in some areas. During low visibility driving or cycling conditions those curb barriers are an accident waiting to happen.
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Agreed, they appear easy to miss (compared to something bright yellow), and they are low to the ground, but high enough that if you hit one at decent speed on a bike you are likely going over the handlebars. Seems like the worst of all worlds here.
 
I'm most appalled that these went back in the second the mayoral race was over. I hope we can just blame that on Kraft's agenda, and now that he's out of the way, Wu can push forward unopposed for infrastructure across the city.

And for separators, I too don't love flexposts or zebra bumpers, but these are a necessary intermediate step before a full-depth reconstruction can happen. Looking at Cambridge's build-out (which is highly successful by North American standards at increasing mode shift) they are almost exclusively using flexposts but emphasizing daylighting and smaller turn radius at intersections. Sure, I would love to have concrete and planters instead but having a connected, protected network is first and foremost the top priority. I'd argue cambridge is very very close to achieving that, Boston is like 60% of the way there with some routes still not possible to connect safely. Once we can achieve greater usage, the infrastructure can be upgraded later on.
 
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