Boston Is Improving Dangerous Mass. Ave. Intersection

Written by Boston Biker on Aug 31

As I noted before, the intersection is definitely under construction.

A protected bike lane, signs calling for turning motorists to yield to pedestrians and cyclists, and optimized traffic signals are some of the improvements coming to the Boston intersection where a bicyclist was killed this month.

The intersection at Massachusetts Avenue and Beacon Street has been repaved, new striping will be applied, and flexible posts protecting the bike lane on Massachusetts Avenue will be installed starting this week, said Vineet Gupta, director of planning for the city’s Transportation Department.

“Our goal is to make it safe for everyone at that intersection,” Gupta said.(via)

I would have liked to see more improvements, but this is a start.  Keeping Mass. Ave. to two lanes as it exits the bridge heading into Boston and making the right most lane a protected cycle track with a large curb bump to slow right turning vehicles (the curb bump out could have a cut through for cyclists) would have been more optimal in my opinion.  The curb bump out would also make it easier for pedestrians to cross.

Even though they have known it was the most dangerous intersection in the town since at least 2013(pdf), it apparently took a fatal crash to get them to fix it up. While I am very glad they are addressing this concern, will it take a dead cyclist at every dangerous intersection to get these well known problems fixed?  The truck drivers name/company still has not been released, and they have still not filed any charges.

It looks to me like he was clearly making a right hand turn from the left most lane.  And if the city has these images, they probably have many more.  This person needs to be charged with something.

A ban on crazy huge vehicles without escorts should also be put in place.

Tags: danger, mass ave., too little too late
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