Boston Cyclists Union
Sign the petition: Put protected bike lanes on the Mass Ave. bridge!

Massachusetts Avenue across the Harvard Bridge (commonly known as the "Mass Ave Bridge") is one of the most heavily-used bike routes in the region. It's also one of the most dangerous, squeezing people on bikes in between 4 lanes of cars and a crash barrier. Although Boston and Cambridge have put bike lanes at both ends, the state controls the bridge and has yet to follow suit. We're determined to change that, and to get protected bike lanes on the Mass Ave. bridge this fall/winter.

We're callng on the state to implement short-term safety improvements (flex posts and a lane reduction) this year, before winter weather makes the bridge even more unwelcoming to people on bikes. Longer term, we're seeking bike lanes fully separated from traffic (behind a solid crash barrier) and bus-only lanes.

Sign below if you want protected bike lanes on the Mass Ave. Bridge!

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The Harvard Bridge (commonly called the “Mass Ave Bridge”) is one of the most heavily-utilized and most dangerous bicycling links in the state. Radar speed measurements found nearly 100% of vehicles exceeding the 25 mph posted speed limit, with a median speed of 41 mph during daytime hours. There were multiple observations of vehicles traveling in excess of 50 mph (double the posted limit) with speeds of 64 and 66 mph observed.

The difference between 25 and 41 mph is enormous: one study identified that about 40 percent of pedestrians would die if impacted by a vehicle traveling 30 mph; 80 percent at 40 mph; and nearly 100 percent at speeds over 50 mph. To ensure that people can bike safely to their destinations along this route, we ask MassDOT to implement traffic-calming measures and separated bike lanes before the end of this construction season. Specifically, we ask for an immediate reduction from 4 to 3 general travel lanes to slow motor vehicle speeds and create space for wider bike lanes with flex posts and a buffer in both directions. We suggest the new lane configuration include one through-travel lane in each direction entering the bridge, with the third lane splitting near the bridge's midpoint to form a second exit lane in each direction. This third lane can be used, with signal changes, to prioritize buses at intersections (please see our attached proposal).