Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance
Cycling Safety Ordinance
In October 2020, the Cambridge City Council amended the Cycling Safety Ordinance to require the installation of approximately 25 Miles of Separated Bike Lanes Across the Entire City, Including the Whole Length of Mass Ave., within the next five to seven years. Their design has severely impacted businesses, pedestrians, traffic and all who use Mass Ave. A design is needed that allows for safe streets, and supports our residents, businesses, elderly and disabled.
The Map shows the City of Cambridge’s proposed network of protected bike lanes, from its 2015 Bicycle Plan, Updated in 2020. Proposed amendments to the city’s Cycling Safety Ordinance would require at least 22.6 lane-miles of this network – including the specific segments highlighted in red dashed lines – to be built by 2026.
Click on Map for Larger image, Map Courtesy of the City of Cambridge.
Now we need to speak up and make our needs and concerns known.
Signing our petition will keep you informed of what the City of Cambridge is proposing, upcoming meetings, and important developments in installing the separated bicycle lanes so you have a chance to be part of the planning process.
We deserve a plan that works for everyone.
Brattle Street: Between Mason St & Mount Auburn St
Cambridge Historical Commission Next Meeting - September 8, 2022
The final step before implementation of phase 1 of the new Brattle St. protected bike lanes (between Mason St. and Sparks St.) involved the city submitting their design to the Historical Commission for approval. At last week’s meeting the Commission expressed some concerns about the aesthetics of the design, and the decision was delayed to September 8,2022 , at which point the city will come back with an updated design. Members of the public are invited to attend Historical Commission meetings and may comment or ask questions of fact. Information on how to attend the meeting, along with a full agenda, will be posted on the Historical Commission website.
The third community meeting Recap August 2 . This meeting covered both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project. City staff shared draft plans for Phase 1 of the project between Mason Street and Sparks Street. This portion will be installed in summer or fall of this year. Staff also shared preliminary plans for Phase 2 of the project, between Sparks Street and Mount Auburn Street. We plan to install Phase 2 in 2023.
Meeting Materials
- Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
- Click here for a recording of the meeting. .
The design removes all parking from the North side of the street to install a 2 way separated Bile Lane, Most of the parking will be retained on the South side of the street.
The design includes a temporary redesign of the intersection at Craigie St and Sparks Street, with long term plans to install a “Roundabout” Rotary at this intersection
Let the City know how you use the corridor and what you think of the project. Click here to fill out a short survey
Garden Street: Huron Ave to Mason St. near Cambridge Common
Project information available here:
The City will be removing 91-76 spaces from Garden Street during this project, trying to retain much of the parking from Shepard Street to Harvard Square. Parking will not be added to adjacent side streets.
Recap of Third Community Meeting Tuesday, August 9
Meeting Materials
- Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
- Click here to view a video recording of the meeting.
- Click here to read Toole Design's analysis of the impacts of making Garden Street one-way
- Section A: Huron Avenue to Linnaean Street
- Section B: Linnaean Street to Shepard Street
- Section C: Shepard Street to Concord Avenue
- Section D: Concord Avenue to Mason Street
Based on community feedback and the width constraints of the roadway, staff prepared draft three layouts for the area between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue (Sections A, B, and C). We have one preferred layout for the area between Concord Avenue and Mason Street, closest to Cambridge Common (Section D).
Sections A, B, and C Option 1:
- Two way vehicle traffic
- Two-way separated bike lane on the south side
Sections A, B, and C Option 2:
- Two-way vehicle traffic from Huron Avenue to Shepard Street (Sections A and B)
- One-way vehicle traffic eastbound (toward Cambridge Common) from Shepard Street to Concord Avenue (Section C)
- Two-way separated bike lane on the south side from Huron Avenue to Linnaean Street (Section A)
- One-way separated bike lane on both sides from Linnaean Street to Concord Avenue (Sections B and C)
Sections A, B, and C Option 3:
- One-way vehicle traffic eastbound (toward Cambridge Common)
- One-way separated bike lanes on both sides of the street
- Two-way vehicle traffic
- One-way separated bike lanes on both sides. The eastbound separated bike lane will go toward Berkeley Street only.
To understand the impacts of making Garden Street one way, Toole Design analyzed how people currently use the corridor.
Parking impacts summary for each of the options.
20 Plaintiffs File Lawsuit vs City of Cambridge 08/04/2022
Cambridge Residents & Small Businesses File Lawsuit vs City of Cambridge Bike Lanes
The new case focuses that the City Council lacked the authority to pass its Cycling Safety Ordinance in 2019 and an amendment the next year setting a timeline for bike lane installation, and the city’s traffic director also lacks authority. Instead, the city should follow Chapter 455 of the Acts of 1961 and have a traffic board make decisions, the filing says.
Click on Image to Read the Complaint
Cambridge Streets for All filed a Lawsuit
Cambridge Residents & Small Businesses File Lawsuit versus City of Cambridge Over Removal of Parking
Cambridge Streets for All (CSA), a group of Cambridge Residents and Businesses was formed due to their concern for the impact of the design and process of the Cycling Safety Ordinance. Recognizing that traditional advocacy is not working, CSA has filed a lawsuit against the City of Cambridge on June 10, 2022. Along with the lawsuit, about 30 affidavits from businesses and residents who have been harmed were also filed.
Cambridge Streets for All is seeking relief from the court system to stop the redesign of 26 miles of our city streets from continuing until the validity of the Cycling Safety Ordinance is examined, and all stakeholders are heard. This action is not against bike safety but against a process that excluded residents and businesses, lacked balance and thoughtful analysis upfront about impacts and was done during the pandemic.
Lawsuit Time Line:
Thursday 06/23/22: At the bike-lane lawsuit initial hearing , with Middlesex County Superior Court judge John Pappas granting the sides until the end of business on Monday 06/27/22, to submit more information. For further details read about the hearing Marc Levy’s Cambridge Day article
July 1, 2022 Needs of Cambridge Residents and Small Businesses Ignored Again - Court Denies Temporary Restraining Order Against City of Cambridge Bike Project CSA Proceeds to Appeal the Decision Press Release
Friday, July 15 Cambridge Streets for All appealed the denial of the preliminary injunction to block more bicycle lanes (and remove the current ones) on
Tuesday July 19 The Appeals Court judge denied the appeal.
Basically the Appeals Court defers to the judgement of the trial court, since the trial court had heard all the testimony and had seen all the evidence:
"[T]he petitioner has failed to show that the judge committed an error of law or otherwise abused his discretion in denying the motion..."
"In most cases, based on the deference normally accorded determinations by the judge who heard the matter in the first instance, the single justice will decline to act on an application for relief under G.L. c. 231, § 118, first par., that does not disclose clear error of law or abuse of discretion."
Cambridge Streets for All is accepting donations to help fund their lawsuit : Donate Here
Click on Image to Read the Complaint
Porter Square Beech St to Roseland St
Quick Build Separated Bike lane Porter Square installation beginning July 26, 2022
Link to Parking and Loading Maps
Project Timeline:
The City will begin installing separated bike lanes in Porter Square between Beech Street and Roseland Street on Tuesday 26, 2022
This work is weather dependent. Stay tuned for additional updates.
This work includes:
- Installing new pavement markings
- Changes to parking regulations
- Modifications to signal timing
- Installation of white stanchions, or “flex-posts”, to separate people biking and people driving
In order to lessen the impact on nearby residents and businesses, most work will take place during the overnight hours, starting at 8 p.m. Parking restrictions will be posted in the area at least 48 hours prior to the work taking place.
Porter Square Survey is an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes to Porter Square Plan eliminates metered Parking on Mass Ave without creating improved bike lanes at the intersection of Mass Ave And Somerville Ave. It does not provide enough parking to support our businesses, Elderly, disabled and all others who need to depend on cars Click Here
North Mass Ave
North Mass Ave: Alewife Brook Parkway to Dudley St Metered Parking allowed in Express Bus Lane 9am - 10pm
Quick Build Bike Lanes installed November 2021
Link to Parking & Loading Maps
10 x 1–2 hour Metered parking spaces have been restored to Mass Ave between 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM on the Inbound Side. Parking spots are marked with white hash marks.
MassAve4 Dudley St to Beech St and Roseland to Waterhouse
Mass Ave Bike Lanes:
MassAve4 Project Page
The City Council Meeting April 25, voted in a timeline for the Mass Ave4 which includes partial construction and allows until June 2024 to finalize a design, and construction to be completed by 2026.
City Council Meeting Monday April 25 2022 Video
MBTA Trolley Catenary Wires and Parking
The MBTA wires limit access to buildings for the ladders of Fire Trucks. Originally the Traffic Department had stated that if the MBTA wires remained up all parking would be removed. Once the MBTA wires have been removed the Traffic Department thought they would be able to maintain 40-50% of the current parking.
