Boston is gearing up for more than 20 miles of cycle tracks as part of its citywide Bike Network Plan, in which the government hopes to set up a network of 356 miles of routes for bicyclists in the next 30 years. A proposal for the first of these cycle tracks – to be built around the hub of the Boston Public Garden where Arlington, Charles and Beacon streets meet (rendered above) – was presented to the public this week.
The Transportation Department, along with Boston Bikes and the Beacon Hill Civic Association, held a public meeting Wednesday night outlining the plan for the two-way cycle tracks and how it would affect the area.
If you’re confused over what a cycle track is and how it differs from bike lanes, here’s the deal: Tracks are physically separated from traffic by barriers, which can be anything from parked cars to big potted plants to safety bollards. Whereas bike lanes are just painted lines next to traffic, the cycle tracks proposed will ensure that cyclists are safely out of the way of vehicles to avoid collisions.
Boston Commissioner of Transportation Thomas Tinlin said at the meeting that the goals of the project would be threefold: promote slower and safer traffic, reduce conflicts between pedestrians, cars and bikes, and increase bike connectivity throughout the city. The area around the Garden was chosen by officials because it’s here that the bulk of the city’s cycling activity joins and extends out to other routes.
The tracks will be implemented either one of two ways: The first alternative will have the city create new pavement markings and signage only, and the second will include the actual construction of new lanes. This would also require adjustments made to pedestrian crosswalks and islands in the area, as well as curb extensions and the addition of traffic lights exclusively for cyclists.
Both plans would need to eliminate one traffic lane from the roads surrounding the Garden to make room for the tracks, but initial estimates show that rush hour commutes would only be increased by 25 seconds to two minutes at the most.
Some cities such as New York have already installed similar cycle tracks in select areas to great success rates; an example cited at the meeting is Prospect Park, where car speeds have significantly decreased and no reported injuries between pedestrians and cyclists since the tracks were built have been reported.
Tinlin told the audience that packed the firehouse on Beacon Hill’s Mt. Vernon Street that the city wants to promote bikes as a main form of transportation, not just as an “alternative” mode, referencing cities in Europe that have transformed its roads into bike-friendly havens and ultimately reduced carbon emissions.
You can see an interactive map of the full bike network plan here, including existing and planned routes.
Image via Boston Cyclist Union
