Bike and Pedestrian Safety 

Term One Achievements

Promoting Bicycle Use and Protecting Cyclist Safety: 

Bicycle use promotes the health of our residents, and is a key component of creating an environmentally sustainable Cambridge. During my first term, I worked to improve our bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. To increase bicycle ridership and decrease motor vehicle speed, I supported the “Cycling Safety Ordinance.” To improve the connectedness of existing bike lanes, I co-sponsored policy orders to explore options for creating a formal street connection between Terminal Road and New Street, to support the implementation of protected bike lanes on Webster Ave, Museum Way, O’Brien Highway, and Craigie Bridge, and to create a pedestrian/bicycle shuttle bridge connecting Concord Avenue to the Triangle area on Cambridgepark Drive. I also I co-sponsored a policy order to identify whether a Bluebikes station may be located near Rafferty Park, a centrally located green space within the Alewife Quad, providing Bluebikes riders traveling between the Alewife Quad and Cambridge Highlands neighborhoods with a place to pick up and drop off bikes.  Additionally, I co-sponsored a policy order to identify traffic-calming and safety features for the Fresh Pond Mall area as the current conditions in the lot compromise pedestrian and bicyclist safety by failing to clearly separate where vehicles should travel and where to expect pedestrians and cyclists moving safely.

Pedestrian Safety:

To protect pedestrians in congested areas, I joined my colleagues in installing a pedestrian Super LPI at the intersection of Mass Ave, Prospect St., and Western Ave to give pedestrians a 10-15 head start on traffic. Traffic and Parking is also re-evaluating safety measures at the intersections of Prospect and Broadway and Prospect and Hampshire. To protect pedestrians at these intersections during morning rush hour, two officers were stationed between 7:00 am and 9:00 am, and are making daily reports on pedestrian safety.

Ongoing Efforts: 

  • Pushing to distribute city pamphlets regarding safety at all bicycle shops in Cambridge.

  • Incorporating bicycle “traffic lights,” like those on Western Avenue, to other separated lanes in order to limit cyclists’ speed and decrease the number of collisions with pedestrians. 

  • Supporting a light and helmet giveaway program at schools and community centers. The high cost of bicycle accessories can scare away many cyclists from investing in these safety measures, putting cyclists in greater danger of injury. 

  • Implementing a Bikes For All Giveaway program for young people and adults. Cambridge can hundreds of low in families who have children ages 4-8 in need of a working bike and a helmet.