The Cycling Safety Ordinance is about more than just Mass Ave! The city is beginning the public process for protected bike lanes on Brattle Street between Mason St and Mount Auburn St, and will also make improvements to pedestrian crossings along the corridor.
The first public meeting will be on Tuesday May 3, 2022 at 6pm on Zoom. This will be an opportunity to learn about the goals and timeline of the project and provide feedback. Details about the project and community meetings can be found on the city’s website here.
In 2017, the City added two-way separated bike lanes to Brattle Street from Eliot Street in Harvard Square to Mason Street. During warmer months, the bike lane is separated from traffic by white flex posts. In the winter, those are removed and replaced with large traffic cones with heavy bases.
In March 2019, the city released a project evaluation summary that examined the impact of the new two-way protected bike lanes. Bicycle counts showed increases in the number of people traveling by bicycle as well as a decrease in the number of people riding on the sidewalk. The study also found a decrease in the number of crashes along the corridor. Parking inventory observations revealed that spaces were well utilized and that there was enough parking supply to meet the demand.