Cyclist Killed On O’Brien Highway

Not much information yet, more when I get it.

CORRECTION: Victim who was struck by a pickup truck this AM on O'Brien Hwy in #Boston was a bicyclist, not a pedestrian. That victim, an adult male, has since been pronounced deceased. Lane restrictions remain in place on O'Brien Hwy for investigation. https://t.co/IgHG6h9SDg

— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) November 9, 2018

Slightly more info here

The cyclist has been identified. 

A ripple of rage went through the bike community Friday when it was learned a 24-year-old cyclist and Cambridge resident was struck and killed by a dump truck at Museum Way and Monsignor O’Brien Highway, near the Museum of Science.

The truck was reportedly trying to make a turn onto Museum Way shortly before 8:15 a.m., with the cyclist on the right waiting to make the same turn. “When both the truck and bicyclist began to make their right turn, the bicyclist was struck by a tire of the truck,” according to state police.

The bicyclist was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from injuries from the incident, police said. The crash is under investigation and police are withholding the name of the victim until next of kin is notified. Boston student media identified the victim as Meng Jin, of Shanghai, who expected a graduate degree in economics next year.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Cambridge Bike Safety Update

From the email:

This week there are two ways you can take action to help improve bicycle safety in Cambridge: (a) ask your employer to sign our business platform; (b) donate to help start a cycling program for seniors and people with disabilities in Cambridge. We also have an update on last week’s policy orders and the S Mass Ave protected bike lane below.

Employer campaign

The employer campaign is off to a great start! We have had a lot of interest from businesses who want show that they want their employees to be safe commuting to and from work. Most notably Microsoft and Cambridge Health Alliance have signed onto our business platform over the past week!

But we want to give a special mention to Shoobx who went above and beyond and also emailed the city in support of protected bike lanes. Thank you Shoobx! See the end of this email for more information about them.

Employers are often very supportive of safe bike infrastructure, they just need a way to show it. The employer campaign gives them an opportunity to show how supportive they are to a wide audience and it helps us in showing the city that bike infrastructure is good for business. See here for instructions for talking to your employer about our business platform.

Donate to help start Cycling Without Age in Cambridge

We believe people of all ages should enjoy biking around the city and Cycling Without Age makes this a reality, by offering chauffeured tricycle rides around the city to the elderly and people with disabilities.

Manny Lusardi is trying to start a branch of Cycling Without Age in Cambridge. He writes: “For 2 1/2 years or so, I was paralyzed from mid chest down. One of the activities I missed the most was a simple bike ride. Biking again after years of rehab and hard work, made me realize how much other’s, especially the elderly and those living with a disability, would simply appreciate a slow bike ride through our community. My hope is to bring this dream to reality and help the elderly and those living with physical disabilities enjoy what many of us take for granted.”

Donate here to help the elderly and people with disabilities feel the joy of getting around the city on a bike! Cycling Without Age Cambridge is a 501c3 organization and donations are tax deductible. This is a wonderful program and hopefully we can help Manny get it off the ground in Cambridge.

Bike Network Implementation Plan & River St Policy Orders

Last week the city council received many emails from all of us in support of a protected bike lane on River Street and funding for an implementation plan for the protected network. And both votes passed easily!

The only reason an implementation plan for a protected bike network is on the table is our collective support for it and pressure on city leadership. When we gather in rallies or turn out to council meetings in large numbers, or when we write emails to the council en masse, it makes a real difference. Our rallies and emails show supportive city councillors that they are making a safe choice supporting protected bike lanes. They show skeptical councillors that it is unpopular to oppose safety on the roads. And they shows the rest of the city government that this is what the public really wants. Please feel heartened – and make it a habit of showing up and writing in early and often in support of these measures as we move ahead.

South Mass Ave

The quick build implementation of a protected bike lane started last week on Mass Ave between Sidney Street and Memorial Drive and should be in place by next week. The city made a wise decision choosing this section for protection as it is heavily travelled and has a high crash rate. Thank you to the city government for your work! We look forward to riding this section very soon.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Update From Bikes Not Bombs

Our Bike Shop is moving out of 18 Bartlett Square.

After more than ten years, our award winning Bike Shop is moving out of 18 Bartlett Square in Jamaica Plain when our lease expires at the end of this year in December. In our recent Letter from the Director we shared our plan to move the Shop into the Brewery building with our Hub at 284 Amory Street providing increased visibility in an established business environment where we plan to build a seamless connection between our Bike Shop and Youth Pathways. By integrating our space, we plan to diversify apprenticeships for teens and increase participation among women, girls, and vulnerable communities in many aspects of our social enterprise beyond mechanics, including retail management, accounting, marketing, and leadership development. We plan to continue providing youth with income, tangible skills, connections to others and a safe space to grow as we recognize our full potential as a Bike Shop and Training Center for Youth, while continuing to feature expert mechanic services, refurbished bicycles, parts and accessories, and increased access to clinics on bicycle safety and mechanics. Please check our Unite Under One Roof FAQs, as we continue to share updates on our plan’s progress.

    Photo by Chris Leong

How You Can Help

Use the bicycle as a vehicle for social change.

It has never been more crucial to take action to stop climate change, and we are proud to be an organization that has been able to put both environmental sustainability and social justice at the forefront of what we do each and every day. Our commitment to keeping thousands of bicycles out of the waste stream by giving these bikes a new life and continued value whether shipped internationally or refurbished locally by our youth and shop staff means that more underserved communities have access to environmentally friendly means of transportation, mutually benefitting both the earth and its inhabitants.

Donate now.

Donating to support our mission is the best way you can ensure that Bikes Not Bombs’ Youth Pathways, International Partnerships and Bike Shop programs continue to grow. If each of the recipients of this e-newsletter donated just $10 today, we would be able to realize the dream of our Hub and Shop integration more fully by next year.

Shop our fall sale.

This weekend, Friday, October 19th 1pm-6:30pm, Saturday, October 20th 9am-4pm, and Sunday, October 21st 12pm-4pm, we will be having a Fall Sale at the Bike Shop.Everything (except service, repairs and labor) will be 15% off. This includes:

• refurbished and new bikes
• used and new parts
• accessories
• apparel

The more you buy, the less we have to move. Every dollar you spend at the Bike Shop will help ensure our local youth programs and international partnership work continues to thrive. Every time you buy a refurbished bike, you keep a bike out of the waste stream and give it a new life.

Take this short survey about our Bike Shop.

We value your feedback! By taking this short survey about our Bike Shop, you will help us understand what kinds of bikes and gear you’re looking for and how we may improve to serve your needs… and you just might win a BNB T-shirt! Please contact our Director of Learning and Evaluation, René Milet at [email protected] with any questions regarding this survey.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Brookline Man Charged With Hit And Run Of Bicyclist In JP Rotary

From UHub:

Jonathan Costa, 27, of Brookline, faces arraignment today in connection with a crash at the rotary where the Arborway and Centre Street meet, in which a bicyclist was thrown to the road, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office reports.

Costa is scheduled to face charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a collision causing injury in West Roxbury Municipal Court, the DA’s office says.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Police Seek Driver Who Struck Cyclist In Hit And Run

 

Police are searching for the driver of a Toyota Prius who they believe hit a teenager riding his bike and then fled.

The 14-year-old was riding on Putnam Avenue when he was hit around 7:22 a.m. on Thursday, March 15, according to police.

“I was crossing the street to go on the sidewalk and the car just came out of nowhere and hit the back of my bike and it sent me flying,” he said. (via)

Add to Reddit.

Tweet