Though Boston bikers have surely enjoyed the benefits of the likes of bike-share service Hubway, repainted bike lanes and various cycle-related innovations, there’s still much to be done in terms of safety measures. To help expedite this process, advocacy groups WalkBoston and Livable Streets Alliance will be hosting a rally Tuesday morning to highlight one of the city’s most notorious problem areas.
Cambridge Street in Allston is a fickle roadway to manage, whether by foot, bike or even car. With people trying to reach their neighborhood homes using increasingly popular alternative transit methods, as well as cars zooming off the nearby Massachusetts Turnpike, Cambridge Street is a constant hazard for those brave enough to traverse it and has been for years now.
Tuesday morning’s rally, held at 210 Cambridge Street in Allston at 8 a.m., is intended to spread warning messages to non-motorists and ask the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the City of Boston to consider bolstering safety measures when revamping the area.
According to the Facebook event page created by WalkBoston, MassDOT and the City of Boston are “designing a new Cambridge Street as part of the Mass Pike reconstruction project and the City’s street and intersection project.” Given the fact that this particular stretch of Allston pavement has been the site of numerous, and preventable, deaths, one has to wonder why MassDOT and the City of Boston didn’t include any new regulations of their own.
WalkBoston has already suggested some temporary solutions before permanent construction breaks ground, including:
- Fix the broken street lights
- Slow the speeds of traffic on and near the Mass Pike ramps
- Make sure users can safely access MBTA bus stops via crosswalks
According to an online MassDOT report, an approximately $11.5 million construction project to replace the Cambridge Street deck above the Mass Pike and preserve the accompanying Lincoln Street pedestrian overpass is currently awaiting construction bids.
In fact, the report says the current status of the project is “This project has been advertised for construction bids. (as of 02/08/2014).”
It notes further that designs have been received as of April but there’s been no word yet as to whether they’ve been altered or approved.
“We have some plans to make some significant changes to the area of Cambridge Street between Linden Street and Harvard Ave/Franklin Street, that includes separating cyclists and walkers from active traffic,” a MassDOT spokesperson told BostInno in an email. “Also, we’ll be installing an overhead signal system for a new pedestrian crossing at the top of the bridge.”
BostInno reached out to the City of Boston for more information on the project, and we’ll be sure to update this piece upon receiving their comments.
In the meantime, if you plan on joining the cause, head down to Cambridge Street in Allston Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. to voice your opinion on improving bike and pedestrian safety measures for that neighborhood and for the entire city.
Image via WalkBoston Facebook
