The City of Boston announces a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, from 6 – 8 at the Firehouse at 127 Mount Vernon Street, relative to a conceptual plan for a cycle track and intersection improvements around the Public Garden on Arlington Street, Beacon Street, Charles Street, and Boylston Street.  The concept plan envisions a two-way cycle track along the streets around the Public Garden including intersection improvements.  Cycle tracks are sections of road designated for exclusive use by cyclists, physically protected from motor vehicle traffic.  The cycle tracks will be at street grade, separate from the sidewalk, and marked with paint or thermoplastic.  Parked cars and/or flexible bollards will separate cyclists from the moving vehicles.

Why install cycle tracks? The proposed two-way track is a key component of the City’s Bike Network Plan, which seeks to provide safe, protected routes through the City, encouraging all residents to bicycle, from children to senior citizens.  The proposed track would provide a path-like facility connecting the Charles River path to existing and proposed on-street facilities ini the network.  The existing one-way street pattern requires bicyclists to ride significantly out of their way, against traffic, or on the sidewalk, to make important connections.  Cycle tracks in other cities have been shown to increase ridership, decrease sidewalk riding, decrease crashes, and reduce speeds.  Parking and traffic modifications will be discussed at this meeting. Hopefully, police enforcement of bicycle riding traffic violators will also be discussed.

For more information contact Nicole Freedman, City of Boston, at 617-918-4456, or email her at Nicole.freedman@cityofboston.gov.