Striped shoulders and accompanying signage create safer zones for riding
on streets, while calming vehicular traffic by limiting lane width. We
continue to work with the Cities of Newton and Boston to prioritize
projects for school and work commuting, recently including bicycle
accommodations on Beacon, Walnut, and Parker Streets. As road renovation
projects progress, we provide design input for improving
accommodations.Striped and bicycle-signed shoulder lanes
along streets would provide the best bicycle accommodations. However, some
roadways are not always wide enough to accommodate automobile travel lanes plus
sufficiently wide striped shoulders that would officially qualify as bike
lanes. In addition, eliminating on-street
parking often requires an involved and lengthy proce
ss of hearings and
negotiations.
In order to advance safer bicycling in Newton as
quickly as possible, the BPTF as adopted striped "bike shoulders" as
a near-term approach to deliver
immediate results. They offer as much bicycle lane width as
available, and are effective on routes that normally have minimal
parking anyway. We have worked with the city engineers to design and
install bike shoulders on major east-west and north-south routhes through the
city, including Beacon Street, Commonwealth Ave, and Walnut Street.
Longer term, we will continue to collaborate
with Newton Aldermen, the Traffic Council, and the neighborhoods to
implement official bicycle lanes wherever feasible. |
posted Jun 6, 2012, 6:31 AM by Jim Lerner
Last week Traffic Council voted overwhelmingly to support increased safety for bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists on Walnut Street. Results of the restricted parking trial over the past few months have demonstrated many fewer traffic accidents, plus enabled bicycle trips five times greater in number than before. Utilization of Walnut Street has also improved, with the number of cyclists safely riding now far exceeding the number of cars previously parked all day just to access the T station. Local residents have also testified to the improved safety from clear sightlines when crossing the street.
We applaud this Traffic Council decision and successful policy, and urge Public Safety & Transportation to continue to support the rollout of bicycle lanes for key thoroughfares in Newton. |
posted Jun 2, 2012, 10:43 AM by Jim Lerner
[
updated Jun 6, 2012, 6:54 AM
]
We're working on creating a map of bike routes around Newton and environs that avoid the high-traffic corridors. While some bikers are happy to use the major arteries and bike lanes around town, others prefer the quiet and relative safety of the back road routes, which don't require any special biking accommodations. In support of those riders, this map will indicate routes that go to, near, or between village centers, schools, transportation centers, shopping, and other points of interest.
Please feel free to contribute to the map either by directly editing it on Google Maps or by submitting a detailed suggested route description by email to us. And thanks in advance for your help in making Newton a better, safer place to get around without a car! Routes in blue indicate paved roads. Routes in red are trails, aqueducts, or rough paved sections which are suitable for hybrid bikes and accommodating riders. Some red segments are simple, short portages to get across a path to another paved road.
http://g.co/maps/rw9cp
Low traffic bike routes through NewtonLow traffic bike routes through Newton |
posted Apr 24, 2012, 7:51 PM by Jim Lerner
The latest draft of the Newton Bike Plan is attached. Please send comments to Sean for collation and forwarding to the BAC group. |
posted Mar 15, 2012, 12:35 PM by Jim Lerner
[
updated Mar 28, 2012, 9:51 AM
]
Graduate transportation planning students from MIT gave a presentation at Newton City Hall on Oct. 28, 2010 entitled "Envisioning Needham Street". Read their final report is here. The December 2, 2010 meeting final presentation is here.
|
posted Oct 29, 2010, 9:34 AM by Jim Lerner
[
updated Mar 28, 2012, 10:08 AM
]
posted Apr 28, 2010, 8:40 PM by Jim Lerner
Newton DPW is getting ready to rehabilitate the section of Washington St. running from Rte. 30 east to approximately the Mass. Pike entrance. A one page PowerPoint slide of this is here. |
posted Apr 28, 2010, 8:33 PM by Jim Lerner
On 4/27/2010, the Newton Traffic Council unanimously approved the proposed bike lane and striping along Beacon St. from the Boston city line past Boston College. The changes involve removing some parking spaces to make room for a continuous bike lane on both sides of the road. This is actually the first real bike lane in Newton! Sean Roche writes more about it in his blog. |
|
