Cost of Separated Bike Lanes
City of Cambridge loses Millions in Parking Revenue
News from Finance Committee Hearing May 11, 2022
City of Cambridge Parking Revenue is “now about $4 million or $5 million behind” One Reason according to Joe Barr is “the Cycling Safety Ordinance, which adds bike lanes to narrow Cambridge streets often at the expense of parking spots. “The vast majority of tickets we issue are meter tickets. If you remove meters, you remove the opportunity to write tickets on those meters.”
Full Story courtesy of Cambridge Day
Resident Parking Sticker Fees may be increased to cover Revenue loss.
New Fee Rate Being Considered per Household:
First Sticker increased from current base rate of $25,
Second sticker possibly $100, Third sticker possibly $200
Cambridge's initial budget $55 Million for 2 -1/2 Miles of Bike Lanes
Letter from the City Manager April 7, 2022
The timeline for completion of the improvements is based on the best available information. As we work with the community to develop the detailed designs, we will have more information on the full scope of the projects and also develop a strategy for how best to phase the improvements to mitigate the impacts of construction. The estimated budget for these projects ($40M for Segments A & B and $15M for Segments C & D) is being included in the recommended budget that will be forwarded to the City Council in May.
Total Contract value for Engineering Services alone to date for Quick-Build projects below
$408,118 for 2.5 miles = $163,247.20/mile avg = $30.92/ft
This Information was gathered from the contract documents received through public records requests. There are two Agreements for Designer Services,
The following sections of Cambridge roadway are under these contracts:
Contract value for Kleinfelder - $259,618
Mt. Auburn – JFK St to Putnam Ave (0.4 miles)
Mass Ave - Trowbridge St to Inman St (0.4 miles)
Mass Ave – Dudley St to Alewife Brook Pkwy (0.5 miles)
Contract value for Alfred Benesch & Co – $148,500
Mass Ave – Beech St to Roseland St (0.3 miles)
Brattle St – Fresh Pond Pkwy to Mason St (0.9 miles)
This is 10% of the ordinance's goal of constructing 25 miles of separated Bike lanes bringing just the engineering costs of this project to: $4,080,000 This figure does not include implementation, or economic cost. An Economic Impact study was never completed to show the full cost of the ordinance, for complete numbers, please see:
Statistics Regarding Bicycling in Cambridge
Second Annual Cycling Safety Ordinance Progress Report:
• Outlines work completed and work planned for Separated Bike Lanes
• Counts mileage totals as indicated in the Cycling Safety Ordinance.
• Separated Bike Lane Construction Summary
This report raises more questions than it answers.
It doesn’t include information on Parking that has been and will be removed, or the information on the effects on Businesses as required by POR 2022 #29 or input from stakeholders as required POR 2021 #277 . It doesn’t include data on Accidents, or the financial effects of building costs and revenue lost.
At the City Council Meeting on 6/13/22 Councilor Toner requested an addendum with this missing information, and the request was agreed to be Joe Barr, head of the Cambridge transportation Department.
2020 Cambridge Bicycle Plan Report
The need for the Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance was based on on an online survey with only 305 responses taken and 75 interviews, all interviews were conducted by the Cambridge Bicycle committee:
52% of respondents were between 35-54 years old, According to the 2019 census this age group is only 20.4% of Cambridge population 77% of respondents are white 2019 Census states Cambridge residents are 66% white
Courtesy of Cambridge Bicycle Plan, 2020 Chapter 3 Information and Reporting 3 - 3
2019 City of Cambridge Census report says: 68.6% of Cambridge households have at least 1 car, 31.4% of Cambridge households do not own a car Cambridge rating for accessible by bike score is already at the highest mark on the scale in 2019 prior to the completion of the bike lane Journey to work-- 32% drive alone or carpool, 29.8 by transit, only 7% bike
Crash Data for the Dudley to Alewife Brook Parkway
Crash Data for the Dudley to Alewife Brook Parkway Project Area
Crash Data for the Dudley to Alewife Brook Parkway Project Area
10 accidents involving cyclists from 1/24/2018 to 8/24/2021 over 3 ½ years of data
Resulting injuries of these accidents involving bikes:
4 - No Injury 3 - Possible injury 3 - Non‐ incapacitating
6 of the accidents involved turns, which would not have been prevented by protected lanes.
Courtesy of the City of Cambridge
There is a completely off road bike path connecting Arlington with Davis Square and The Alewife MBTA station, which could be the reason for the low crash and injury rate in this area of Mass Ave.
Crash Rates 2004-2019
Crash rates involving bicycles are down:
36% from 2004 – 2019.
Crashes are trending down even before the bike lane and even with an increase of bicycle ridership
The report says by 2020 10% of all trips in Cambridge will be made by bike, projects the number to climb to 20% by 2030 - still a low percentage of all travel
Courtesy of Cambridge Bicycle Plan, 2020 Chapter 3 Information and Reporting 3 - 26
Injury Severity for Bicyclists Crashes
Injury Severity 2004-2012 vs 2015-2019
Bicycle accidents are resulting in far less severe accidents even before the bike lane is completed.
Reports on crashes severity involving cyclists comparing statistics from 2004-2012 (8 year span) with Crashes from 2015-2019 (a 4 year span) by percentages.
Between 2004-2012 only 18.3% of crashes resulted in no injury to the cyclist, in 2015-2019 49.8% were without injury.
Between 2004-2012 45.1% of crashes the cyclist had a non- incapacitating injury, in 2015-2019 that number was reduced to 8.8%
Between 2004-2012 5.2% of crashes the cyclist had an incapacitating injury in 2015-2019 that number was reduced to 1.2%
Cambridge Bicycle Plan, 2020 Chapter 3 Information and Reporting 3 - 29
Cambridge Residential Survey
Cambridge Residential Survey
Conducted September 12-October 15, 2018 Published 3/19
Ability to get around by Bicycle-
30% Excellent 43% Good (73% Combined)
Ability to get around by Car
9% Excellent 41% Good (50% Combined)
Ability to park when you travel around town
5% Excellent 23% Good (28% Combined)