Classic bike lash arguments rehashed by the Crimson without any semblance of balanced coverage https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/1/29/cambridge-bike-lane-proposal-criticism/

• Use of "residents" in the title and throughout the piece only when talking about those opposed to the project framing this as something imposed from the outside and ignoring residents who are in favor
• "During the meeting, nearly a dozen Cambridge residents voiced their concerns about the decrease in street parking."
  • The numerous residents who spoke in favor of the changes don't need to be mentioned apparently
• “I am very worried about parking,” resident Jeremy Gilbert said. “A lot of people are going to be inconvenienced or possibly not find these neighborhoods livable as a result of not being able to find parking.”
  • Always comes down to valuing parking over lives, but wouldn't a livable community be one that is safe to bike in, not simply one that has abundant storage for automobiles?
• “We already have bike lanes on Mass Ave, Cambridge & Hampshire Streets,” the flyer read. “We say enough! We are asking the city for a balanced & inclusive transportation policy that respects ALL residents of Mid-Cambridge & The Port.”
  • Adding bike lanes makes the transportation network more balanced and inclusive. The current distribution of space gives the roadway entirely to automobiles.
• "Residents, however, remained skeptical."
  • Again no reference to the residents who support the proposal. Residents are framed as unanimous in their support of parking over bike lanes.
• “Most residents do not have private driveways, so the removal of so much parking is very discriminatory,”
  • Only providing space for one mode of travel, one disproportionately used by more affluent people, at the expense of a safer, cleaner, and cheaper mode of travel disproportionately used by poorer people is discriminatory. Safe transportation options should be a universal right, free storage of private property in public space cannot.

Staff writer Jack B. Reardon can be reached at jack.reardon@thecrimson.com.

Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at shawn.boehmer@thecrimson.com.

https://baystatebanner.com/2025/01/23/along-the-neponset-advocates-look-to-balance-remediation-work-with-potential-future-use/

Relevant sections:

"When the Environmental Protection Agency declared the Lower Neponset River a Superfund site in 2022, community members celebrated it as a recognition of the community’s need and a way to bring faster repair to a natural resource.
"But Ripley said he and the watershed association have some concerns that how that cap is situated — as well as how willing the state Department of Conservation and Recreation is to possibly amend it later, during the potential construction of a park—might impact what sort of trail and infrastructure can be installed.

"Now, with that work underway — the EPA already completed work at the Lewis Chemical site, further up the river in the fall—visions for what could be next for the spaces along the river are percolating on the horizon.

"'When you create a trail, depending on how robust you want it to be — if it’s just crushed stone dust, if it’s dirt, if it’s actually a multi-use paved trail that has to go down a few feet — the geotextile fabric can impact what kind of trail you can create,' he said.

"The group is advocating for a capping process that will leave a significant layer of soil above the geotextile fabric to make the construction of a path easier."

"When it comes to future work at the site, Ripley said that, in conversations between the watershed association and DCR, the state has been positive about the idea of building a trail or park in the area, even if they haven’t committed to any specifics.

"In a statement to the Banner, a DCR spokeswoman was noncommittal about what work might take place at the site following the remediation work but said the department looks forward to collaborating with the EPA and other stakeholders.

“'We are reviewing the ongoing EPA cleanup and property interests at a variety of locations along the Neponset in order to determine which, if any, of the conservation and recreation goals laid out in the Neponset River Reservation Master Plan could be furthered in the Riverside Square area,' the department said in a statement.

"One prominent goal of the vision would be that the path would be continuous, linking the nearby West Street Urban Wild and Doyle Park — another DCR-owned space that has, in recent years, been gearing up for plans to redesign and revamp the space.

“'The opportunity to have a connection from that Doyle Park project that DCR is starting construction on soon, upstream along this parcel to the West Street Urban Wild, opens up about a third of a mile of riverfront that has not been accessible previously, and [will be] cleaned and has the opportunity for the neighbors to go down there in the local Hyde Park community and enjoy nature in their own neighborhood,' Ripley said.

"Smith Quarcoo, too, said she’d like to see an extended path, but her vision would connect beyond the third of a mile that would be opened with the Riverside Square site, extending farther up and down the river. For that, she’d like to see state and local agencies that own various parcels come together.

I’m biking down mass ave towards Arlington near Washburn ave, with two random bikes ahead of me we all go around a car in the bike lane, I think nothing of it I just took a second to glance at the bus lane and make sure it was safe and go around. I hear one of the bikes says something negative (no idea what) to the driver but we all keep going. As we approach Clarendon Ave the car runs the red light and attempts to completely flatten both of the bikes ahead of me. He misses and pulls onto Churchill Ave. I followed to see if he was gonna try to kill them again and he’s just waiting blocking the road. Me being on a bike and him in a car I’m too scared to say anything knowing what he just attempted so I kept going. Finally at the corner of alewife brook and Clarendon he throws an orange peel at me and says not to spit on his car (not only was that not me I didn’t even say a word to him when I passed) of course he did this while speeding off because no chance he was gonna get out of his car and confront me like a man. Anyone on here witness this? there was a lot of bikes and peds around. I didn’t get his plate but I guess I’ll hopelessly tell the police about a murderous Acura (integra maybe). Just thought I would share and hope you all stay vigilant because people are not afraid to murder you over trivial things.

Advocates for safer streets in the Boston neighborhood of Hyde Park delivered the following letter to Boston City Hall on Friday. In addition to the 7 co-authors in the byline, 709 Boston residents added their names to the letter, and hundreds of them offered their own personalized notes about safety hazards they’d experienced on Hyde Park Avenue. https://mass.streetsblog.org/2025/01/24/guest-column-lethal-hyde-park-avenue-needs-changes-not-more-meetings

Hey bikeboston, hopefully a fun one that's well received here. What's been your longest or gnarliest slide while biking in the city? Can be any year, doesn't have to be recent.

Tell me about your wipeouts.

I'll start. Biking Mission Hill in 2012, I bombed it UP calumet st area to make it to a run club type thing on time, but I hit some type of oil slick (like industrial waste kinda), and ended up slowly but surely sliding halfway down half the entire hill with my feet on the ground and brakes pressed. Humbling.

I have other stories from out of state but this is bikeboston not bikeallovertheplace

Mods kindly delete this if it's inappropriate.

I am looking to sell BNIB fenders that I missized. In case anyone is interested, please PM me.

They retail for $135, I am looking to sell for $110. The partner wants them gone :D

I’ve heard the Somerville Community Path is historically excellent at clearing snow and ice immediately. Was wondering if anyone had any information on the following paths?

Watertown-Cambridge Greenway, Minuteman Bikeway, Dudley White Bike Path on both sides/ends of the Charles, Southwest Corridor, Esplanade, Aborway/ Jamaicaway/ Jamaica Pond

Thanks!!! 🚲

Biking down Longwood towards Harvard (the direction where cyclists are allowed full use of the lane because there isn’t a bike lane) the car behind me was honking. I finally looked over my shoulder at a stoplight and the lady is gesturing for me to scoot over???? I took a photo of her but ugh I hate that there’s no other recourse lol. Rant over.

Worcester put out the draft for its vision zero action plan: https://www.worcesterma.gov/mobility/document-center/vision-zero-draft-plan.pdf

You can provide feedback here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=3ZhZ8uYbxkKkTIeF8-bett4cN6SM7NNIp0-r_AkhSaxUQVVJMVM0NkxZN1JONEdVUk5CMkNFNVYwSSQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

New research shows that by slowing cars at intersections, bike lanes increase safety for all road users: https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/how-bike-lanes-slow-drivers-and-save-lives

Going to an improv show tomorrow night at MGM Music Hall. I’ve never biked over there and don’t otherwise hangout much in Fenway, so I’m not familiar w the parking situation. Any recommendations for parking a bike for a few hours tomorrow night starting around 7?

We’re trying to piece together what happened in this bIke crash on 12/19/24 in which a Cambridge-owned garbage truck struck and seriously wounded a bicyclist.

The Old Colony Planning Council (The area around/between Brockton and Plymouth) is doing a Vision Zero action plan. They have a map where you can submit safety concerns or areas you would like to see improved. You can also reach out to the project team directly: Bill McNulty, wmcnulty@ocpcrpa.org, (774) 539-5103

Merrimack Valley Planning Council is doing a Vision Zero Action plan. The plan itself can be seen here. There is also a crowdsourced map/survey where you can submit your safety concerns in the area.

You can also Request a walk audit. "If you are concerned about safety on a road segment or intersection in the Merrimack Valley, let us know and we will help you to organize a walk audit. A walk audit is a good way to brainstorm safety solutions and initiate discussions for improvements and funding with your community. Please reach out to Elizabeth Maldari emaldari@mvpc.org with your name and the location where you wouldlike to organize the walk audit."