MBTA Offers Bicycle Amenities On Capeflyer Boston To Cape Cod Train

Greg Hum plays drums on his bike, organizes the annual Midnight Marathon Bike Ride, and rides bikes after eating too much. He shares stories and more on his personal blog, The Humble Cyclist. Tweet at him, bro: @thehum. 

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The MBTA’s new CapeFlyer train service, which offers an easy alternative to driving or taking the ferry between Boston and Cape Cod, includes some pretty awesome bike amenities, including no charge for bringing your bike on the train and some bike tools on the actual train for bike adjustments:

Want to bring your bike down the Cape on @capeflyer1 ? We have racks & tools on board to get your bike in gear.. twitpic.com/crzyd6

— MBTA (@mbtaGM) May 20, 2013

Not only is this exciting because there has not been a Boston to Cape Cod train since 1959 (or 1996 if you count the Amtrak’s discontinued Cape Cod service), but also because bicycles accommodations are becoming more and more a part of Massachusetts’ transportation infrastructure.

Thanks to the CapeFlyer, getting to the beach with your bicycle, a Boston terrier, and a few beers has never been easier!

P.S. I can’t tell you how excited this makes me personally; the enthusiasm and support from the MBTA/MBCR while working with them to accomodate 700 bicycles on an express train for this year’s Midnight Marathon ride was not only monumental, but absolutely phenomenal. It’s an exciting time to be a bicyclist in Massachusetts, my friends. 

-Greg

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City Releases Crash Statistics: Mayor Proposes Mandatory Helmet Law

As a follow-up to City Councilor Ayanna Pressley’s hearing in December 2012, the City of Boston’s Crash Data Report has finally come out. You can find the report at the following URL: http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/uploads/16776_49_15_27.pdf.

highlights include this lovely opening from the Mayor.

Dear Fellow Bostonians,

During the summer and fall of 2012, our city experienced five fatal bicycle incidents that led to this report. Through detailed analysis of four years of police report data, City officials will have concrete information with which to make the roadways safer for vulnerable users. This document will help us smartly apply our resources to continue improving our streets using the “six E’s of bicycle planning”: Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement, Evaluation, and Equity.

Since the City of Boston bicycle program launched in 2007, we have gone from being called one of the worst cities for cycling in the country to one of the best. The addition of nearly 60 miles of on-street bicycle facilities, hundreds of new bike racks, and the overwhelmingly successful New Balance Hubway bike share program has brought cycling into the mainstream here in Boston. Boston is well on its way to becoming a world-class cycling city. The bicycle has become a critical part of our transportation system.

Boston streets are full of people commuting to work and school, families enjoying a weekend ride together, and every type of rider in-between. This spirited resurgence of the bicycle has placed our city streets in a time of transit ion, from one dependent upon cars, to one embracing more active transportation options. Transitions can be difficult.

The close-knit community among cyclists continues to impress me. When one member of the community suffers from a terrible incident, the degree of separation to all cyclists is not far. We must work tirelessly and collaboratively to continue improving the safety of our streets. This report will help guide the process of continuing to grow Boston’s vibrant bicycle community.

Sincerely,
Thomas M. Menino
Mayor, City of Boston

But what really seems to have some in a tizzy is the notion of a mandatory helmet law being proposed by the mayors office.

Helmets are very useful in reducing injury to your head AFTER the accident occurs. Having a helmet on will reduce your chances of getting brain damage once the car has run into you, but wont keep it from hitting you in the first place. Or from the street being full of pot holes, or from poorly designed intersections, or red light runners etc.

One can only assume at the behest of the Boston Public Health Commission. The BPH seems to be obsessed with helmets, something I (and many others) have disagreed with in the past.

The whole thing is full of statistics here is just a taste:

74% of people are already wearing helmets

21 is the age most likely to be in a crash

Most crashes happen at 5pm

The report is well worth a read, read it all here.  Leave your thoughts, findings, statistical analysis in the comments.

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MassDOT Wants To Do To McGrath What They Are Going To Do To Forest Hills

From here:

MassDOT has recommended that the McCarthy Overpass portion of McGrath Highway be grounded and the roadway developed into a Boulevard that reconnects East Somerville, Union Square and Brickbottom.  Project managers released the recommendation during a May 15 public meeting in Somerville to discuss the Grounding McGrath Study.

A multiyear planning study examining multiple alternatives concluded this approach best balances local and regional needs in the McGrath Highway corridor and area neighborhoods.  The recommended plan preserves continuity at Washington Street, while enhancing pedestrian and bicycle connections. This option will also create a new connection from McGrath Highway northbound to Somerville Avenue and Union Square, providing full access in all directions at that location. The removal of the overpass will allow for wider sidewalks, bicycle paths, added green space that will help spur redevelopment and enhance existing uses along the corridor.

Highways and overpasses have no place inside cities. This town is slowly recovering from decades of poor planning, and all you have to do is go outside to see that its working.

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Holy Hubway: Hubway Set To Break A Million Trips

Hubway had a good year last year, with half a million trips before shutting down for the winter.

They reopened the service April 2, and as of May 7th had already logged 85,000 trips. If they keep up this pace the system should hit 1 million plus trips this year. See the email they sent me below.

We’ve made it! Another winter is under our collective belts and the miles are starting to pile up on the Hubway fleet. Did you know that since we reopened the system on April 2, riders have logged more than 85,000 trips? That’s right, Hubway is #RealTransportation.

Hubway is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with Bicycle Benefits, your single source for discounts at local businesses throughout metro-Boston and beyond, available to you simply by riding your bike and wearing a helmet. Beginning May 1, every Hubway member will receive a Bicycle Benefits sticker in their new member packet! Affix the sticker to your helmet and you’re ready to enjoy exclusive savings at great local businesses! Already a Hubway member? Follow Hubway on Facebook and Twitter to learn when we’ll be out and about around town. Show us your Hubway key fob and your helmet, and we’ll hook you up with your own sticker! Visit http://www.thehubway.com/bicycle-benefits for a list of participating businesses and to learn more about this great program.

And don’t forget that May is National Bike Month and here in Massachusetts, May 11th-19th is Bay State Bike Week. There are dozens of great events to choose from so get on a bike and ride!

85,000 trips during April (an admittedly cold miserable month) rivals some of the busiest months the system had last year, one can assume that once the weather is really nice the trip counter is going to smoke it goes up so fast.

One can hope that the success of the program will allow them to expand the system into Dorchester, and other under-served neighborhoods. These areas could really benefit from such a reliable and cheap form of transportation.

I personally have seen more Hubway riders in the last couple weeks than ever before, the streets are thick with them during commute times, and on the weekends. I love it, long live Hubway!

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MBTA Going To Let Some Trains Have Bikes On Them During Rush Hour

Its as if someone finally realized there is no difference between a double wide stroller, a wheel chair, a bunch of bags of groceries, and a bicycle. Its still not full access but hey its a start. Lets hope they will see that bikes are easily accommodated on the trains (also if you are going to take your bike on the train don’t be a dick head).

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from the email: (thanks John)

Newburyport/Rockport Line
Pilot Bike Program
Effective Monday, May 13th
A pilot program permitting bikes to be transported on peak period trains
between specific stations will begin on Monday, May 13th.
Passengers with bikes must board at the mini high platform.
Passengers with bikes will get off the train first or as directed by a train
crew member.
Preference will always be given to wheelchair passengers. If there is not
enough room for wheelchair passengers and passengers with bikes, the
passengers with bikes will not be permitted to board the train with their
bikes,
This pilot program will apply to the following stations:
Rockport Line
Bikes will be carried, as specified above, between Rockport, Gloucester,
West Gloucester, Manchester, Beverly Farms, Prides Crossing and Montserrat
stations.
Inbound peak service trains: 102, 104, 106, 108 and 110
No bikes will be allowed to go beyond Montserrat Station.
Outbound peak service trains: 127, 129, 131 and 133
Newburyport Line
Bikes will be carried, as specified above, between Newburyport, Rowley,
Ipswich, Hamilton/Wenham and North Beverly stations.
Inbound peak service trains: 152, 154, 156, 158 and 162
No bikes will be allowed to go beyond North Beverly Station.
Outbound peak service trains: 177, 181, 183 and 185

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5th Annual Boston Bikes Update

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New Bike Lanes Pop Up On A-Street In South Boston!

Incoming from our friend Jon Ramos at Southie Bikes:

“I took those with my handy-dandy helmet cam last night and this morning.”

Loving the traffic buffer.

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MBTA Opening New Pedal And Park Cages

Awesome, I hope every station gets one.  From here:

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As part of a federal grant program to provide access to safer bike-locking options, MBTA officials said they are officially opening new “Pedal and Park” facilities to the public on April 16. The first structure will be unveiled to riders at the Oak Grove station, and allow cyclists to place their two-wheeled modes of transportation inside a caged area that can only be accessed with the use of a registered CharlieCard or Bike CharlieCard.

The Oak Grove facility will be one of the first of 12 new “high security” bike parking cages that will be rolled out for public use between April and September of this year. Other spots that will be getting the bike upgrades include South Station and Braintree. Additional card-access bike cages will be opened in Malden, Davis Square, Ashmont, Back Bay, Dudley, Alewife, Salem, and Beverly. Seven will open later this summer, and the last two will open in 2014.

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