Boston city officials said Friday, May 17, that they plan to keep up the pace of building new bike lanes over the next year, including a new bike lane through one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods for shopping and dining. Boston installed about 10 miles of bike lanes over the past year, a fact that Boston’s Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge celebrated as the city marked National Bike to Work Day. He also said the city plans to install 10 additional miles of bike lanes over the next year. “We’ll be constructing Boylston Street bike lane through the Back Bay, something that’s been talked about for a long time,” Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston’s chief of streets, said. Work on the new bike lane and a companion bus lane along Boylston Street will begin this month, the city said. The bike lane will stretch from Massachusetts Avenue to Arlington Street, while the bus lane will run from Ring Road to Arlington Street. Despite some businesses and residents expressing frustration with bike lanes, the city maintains that the number of cyclists in the city is growing and that safety is at the forefront of all their decisions.”Sometimes we lose a parking space or two, or we have to make some changes to the street,” Franklin-Hodge said. “Ultimately, we’re always doing it thoughtfully, and we’re always doing it with the intention of trying to make a street that works well for everyone.” Hundreds of cyclists who participated in the celebration of biking on Friday gathered outside City Hall for free breakfast, bike repairs and discussions about regional improvements.”It’s nice to see all these people on the bikes,” Mike Seibert, who attended the celebration of all things cycling, said. “I bike in most days and so it’s a great day to celebrate,” Kat Benesh, another cyclist, said. “It’s a great exercise. I think it helps your heart (and) stamina, too,” Grey Schroeder said. “I came with my bicycle group. We normally bike on the weekends, but we decided to come in today,” Kathryn Wright said. Friday’s gathering was also a platform for discussions about improvements that can be made in the region.”I live in Quincy, and once I get to Boston, it’s pretty good, but, you know, really thinking about the connections from some of the nearby cities,” Wright said.
Boston city officials said Friday, May 17, that they plan to keep up the pace of building new bike lanes over the next year, including a new bike lane through one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods for shopping and dining.
Boston installed about 10 miles of bike lanes over the past year, a fact that Boston’s Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge celebrated as the city marked National Bike to Work Day. He also said the city plans to install 10 additional miles of bike lanes over the next year.
“We’ll be constructing Boylston Street bike lane through the Back Bay, something that’s been talked about for a long time,” Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston’s chief of streets, said.
Work on the new bike lane and a companion bus lane along Boylston Street will begin this month, the city said. The bike lane will stretch from Massachusetts Avenue to Arlington Street, while the bus lane will run from Ring Road to Arlington Street.
Despite some businesses and residents expressing frustration with bike lanes, the city maintains that the number of cyclists in the city is growing and that safety is at the forefront of all their decisions.
“Sometimes we lose a parking space or two, or we have to make some changes to the street,” Franklin-Hodge said. “Ultimately, we’re always doing it thoughtfully, and we’re always doing it with the intention of trying to make a street that works well for everyone.”
Hundreds of cyclists who participated in the celebration of biking on Friday gathered outside City Hall for free breakfast, bike repairs and discussions about regional improvements.
“It’s nice to see all these people on the bikes,” Mike Seibert, who attended the celebration of all things cycling, said.
“I bike in most days and so it’s a great day to celebrate,” Kat Benesh, another cyclist, said.
“It’s a great exercise. I think it helps your heart (and) stamina, too,” Grey Schroeder said.
“I came with my bicycle group. We normally bike on the weekends, but we decided to come in today,” Kathryn Wright said.
Friday’s gathering was also a platform for discussions about improvements that can be made in the region.
“I live in Quincy, and once I get to Boston, it’s pretty good, but, you know, really thinking about the connections from some of the nearby cities,” Wright said.
