Biking in Boston

Several bike lane-related updates in Back Bay from a public meeting earlier this week:
  • Boylston St separated bike lane between Mass Ave and Arlington St starting construction soon
  • Berkeley St separated bike lane between Columbus Ave and Comm Ave happening sometime this year
  • Starting design on closing the gap with a separated bike lane project on Beacon St and Arlington St
  • Starting design on a two-way separated bike lane on Dartmouth St between Boylston St and Back St (connects to Esplanade footbridge)
Solid, safe, connected bike network taking shape in Back Bay that makes it easier for people outside the neighborhood to access it too.

Screenshot 2024-05-04 at 12.45.49 PM.png
 
Several bike lane-related updates in Back Bay from a public meeting earlier this week:
  • Boylston St separated bike lane between Mass Ave and Arlington St starting construction soon
  • Berkeley St separated bike lane between Columbus Ave and Comm Ave happening sometime this year
  • Starting design on closing the gap with a separated bike lane project on Beacon St and Arlington St
  • Starting design on a two-way separated bike lane on Dartmouth St between Boylston St and Back St (connects to Esplanade footbridge)
Solid, safe, connected bike network taking shape in Back Bay that makes it easier for people outside the neighborhood to access it too.

View attachment 50219
What's the timeline on the Boylston St lane? I thought it was one of the 2023 mayoral commitments.

The one major missing link is southbound from Back Bay to South End:
  • Exeter-Stuart-Dartmouth: fine on Exetero, Exeter-Stuart movement is not good at all then Dartmouth it self is no good.
  • Clarendon not shown for anything
  • Arlington is scary with all the folks racing to be first in line on the pike or the expressway.
 
What's the timeline on the Boylston St lane? I thought it was one of the 2023 mayoral commitments.

The one major missing link is southbound from Back Bay to South End:
  • Exeter-Stuart-Dartmouth: fine on Exetero, Exeter-Stuart movement is not good at all then Dartmouth it self is no good.
  • Clarendon not shown for anything
  • Arlington is scary with all the folks racing to be first in line on the pike or the expressway.
Several bike lane-related updates in Back Bay from a public meeting earlier this week:
  • Boylston St separated bike lane between Mass Ave and Arlington St starting construction soon
  • Berkeley St separated bike lane between Columbus Ave and Comm Ave happening sometime this year
  • Starting design on closing the gap with a separated bike lane project on Beacon St and Arlington St
  • Starting design on a two-way separated bike lane on Dartmouth St between Boylston St and Back St (connects to Esplanade footbridge)
Solid, safe, connected bike network taking shape in Back Bay that makes it easier for people outside the neighborhood to access it too.

View attachment 50219
For the love of all that is holy, we need repaving before any lanes are installed. There is some attrocious pavement on Boylston and Dartmouth St (and Beacon) which is unrideable without a full-suspension mountain bike.
 
For the love of all that is holy, we need repaving before any lanes are installed. There is some attrocious pavement on Boylston and Dartmouth St (and Beacon) which is unrideable without a full-suspension mountain bike.
I hope they find a way to do some thing between Beacon Street (2018) with the majorly rough moon-like surface and Tremont Street (2023?) with the complete resurface and islands.
 
View attachment 50274
The Carlton Bridge bike channels have still not been fixed
Interesting. I always bike up and down the ramps, but I was there last week with a group of other riders, some of whom chose to use the bike channels. They seemed to work for these riders, but I really wasn't directly watching their activity. I didn't get a good look at this side of the bridge, but I agree that the pictured channel doesn't look to be correctly positioned. The other side looked right to me, though. At any rate, I'll have to actually try using them next time, because I had assumed it was all set.
 
The Carlton Bridge bike channels have still not been fixed

They did make some modifications after people complained - the poles supporting the handrails used to go straight down, but as you can see in the photo, they are now offset to the side, which helps with pedal clearance. Doesn't help handlebar clearance though. If by "fix" you mean moving the runnels away from the edges, my understanding is that would create a trip hazard for people who need to use the handrail for support.

I personally haven't had an issue using the runnels (even before the handrail modifications), I just tilt my bike/hold it at an angle as I roll, and sometimes also rotate my pedals so the side near the wall is higher up and therefore gains more clearance from the tilt, if that makes sense. But maybe that's just my bike.
 
They did make some modifications after people complained - the poles supporting the handrails used to go straight down, but as you can see in the photo, they are now offset to the side, which helps with pedal clearance. Doesn't help handlebar clearance though. If by "fix" you mean moving the runnels away from the edges, my understanding is that would create a trip hazard for people who need to use the handrail for support.

I personally haven't had an issue using the runnels (even before the handrail modifications), I just tilt my bike/hold it at an angle as I roll, and sometimes also rotate my pedals so the side near the wall is higher up and therefore gains more clearance from the tilt, if that makes sense. But maybe that's just my bike.
Not had a problem with them too.
 

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