As Cycling Grows Cambridge Proactive In Education

The City of Cambridge is handing out a copy of the bike laws to all the residents (including incoming Harvard students).  Education is a key component in preventing bike accidents, and I am glad they are passing it out to ALL new residents, because the vast majority of people in Cambridge are not riding their bike daily, and they need to know the laws just as much as the cyclists (if not more).

Perhaps this could be expanded to EVERY resident in Cambridge, as they could use a refresher on the laws as well.

From The Crimson:

New residents of Cambridge, including incoming Harvard students, will receive information on local bicycle regulations, the Cambridge City Council ordered at its weekly Monday night meeting.

A trio of resolutions, all focused on increasing knowledge about bike laws in Cambridge, passed unanimously. The resolutions, sponsored by Mayor E. Denise Simmons, requested that the City Manager’s office work with the city and local colleges to provide new residents and students with relevant bicycle safety information.

“There’s a good deal of volume of bicycles in the area, and people may be coming from areas where there aren’t as many,” said Sandra Clarke, Cambridge’s deputy director of community development. “[The resolutions are] intended to reach out to folks who may be new to the community.”

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DotBike September Update

DotBike has been busy!

From the email:

Dear Dot Bikers,

As we move from sweaty- to sweater-weather biking I hope you’re enjoying your riding! Thanks to many of you who have joined us for #DorchestertoDowntown Bike Friday group commutes and our new ongoing Bike Repair Saturdays at home.stead cafe.

There were several key legislative wins for biking in MA this session, including the bill which will allow Boston to drop from 30 to 25 mph in thickly settled areas. Read more at MassBike.

Help us build our local bike community via social media–  follow DotBike on Facebook and Twitter (@BikeDorchester)!

7 ways to get involved in your bike community this month:

ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES

SEPT (date TBA) – Morrisey Blvd Redesign for Reconstruction

From DCR’s website: “At a public meeting anticipated to be held in September 2016, DCR will present an introduction to, and obtain feedback on, conceptual designs focused on reconfiguration of roadway lanes, intersections, crosswalks, and adjoining sidewalks and paths used by pedestrians and bicycles.  DCR aims to present final design plans in December 2016, and construction is pending the availability of funding.”

SEPT 27 – Vision Zero Boston: Neighborhood Slow Streets TNT Community Meeting

@ Prayer Tower Apostolic Church | 151 Norfolk St, Dorchester, 6:30pm

Join the Boston Transportation Department project team to learn about the proposed transportation safety project for the Talbot-Norfolk Triangle neighborhood and give us your feedback.

________________________________________

UPCOMING EVENTS

SEPT 15 –  Dorchester Bike + Brew Festival

@ Ashmont/Peabody Square, 5-8PM

Join Greater Ashmont Main Street, DotBike, Boston Cyclists’ Union  and MassBike for this family friendly community festival showcasing the growing cycling community in Dorchester and the burgeoning Boston brewery scene, along with food trucks, live music, DIY bike repair presentations, giveaways, etc.

SEPT 17 – Bike Repair Saturdays

@home.stead cafe, 10-12pm

Need help fixing a flat? Can’t figure out where that squeaking noise is coming from? Starting this September, volunteers from DotBike will be available for simple bike repairs in front of home.stead café.

We intend to make this a recurring event every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, weather permitting (above 50 F, and no rain). Due to our limited tools and tubes we will only be able to perform small repairs. If you are willing to participate, work on your own bike, and share your knowledge with others, even better!

SEPT 20 –  DotBike General Meeting

@ Codman Academy, 6:30-8pm

All are welcome! We meet bi-monthly at Codman Academy Black Box Theater in Codman Square (14 Epping St.) from 6:30-8:00pm. Contact: [email protected].

SEPT 23 – #DorchestertoDowntown Bike Friday Group Commute

@Ashmont Cycles, 7:15am

Convoy will meet at 7:15am (7:20am departure) in front of Ashmont Cycles and ride down Dorchester Ave picking people up along the way.  We will have a brief stop at home.stead cafe for coffee and pastries.  We will then continue downtown with other Dorchester residents and meet up with other city cyclists at City Hall.  RSVP to Bryan ([email protected]).

SEPT 24 – Inter-neighborhood Ride Series: DORCHESTER

@ home.stead cafe, 11am

Join DotBike for the 3rd installment of the Inter-neighborhood Ride Series!  “Dorchester Heights and Highlights” – a little history, a little hill-climbing, but plenty of good views and good company! Play “Dot Bingo” as you ride and you could win a gift certificate to the delicious home.stead cafe! Ride starts and finishes in Fields Corner @ home.stead café (1448 Dorchester Ave).

__________________________________________

GET INVOLVED!

• Seeking volunteers to help with set-up (Thurs. Sept 15th, 3-5pm) at the Bike + Brew Festival: Love beer, bikes, and your community? Many hands will make light work to set up for this fun, local event! Attend this pre-event meeting on Sept. 8th or contact Jenn Cartee at [email protected].

• Seeking volunteers for Bike Repair Saturdays (10-12pm) @ home.stead cafe: Hang out and chat with neighbors about DotBike or get your hands dirty doing simple bike repairs! Free treats for volunteers! Contact Vivian Girard: [email protected].

Join us for our next general meeting on Tuesday, September 20th, 6:30 – 8:00pm at the Black Box Theater @ Codman Academy (14 Epping Street).

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Bikes Not Bombs Update

From the email:

September 2016
Volunteer or Join with Youth Programs this Fall! Adult Instructor Training starts on Monday! Are you interested in volunteering to help with bike repair and ride marshaling within Earn-A-Bike? Learn more and apply on our website. Twelve to eighteen year olds, join us in Earn-A-Bike! Our Fall session begins October 3rd and runs untilNovember 3rd meeting Monday – Thursday 4-7pm. In Earn-A-Bike youth learn about mechanics and safe riding practices, and fix up a bike that they earn through the program. Applications available onlineand at our Hub. Cycloville launches Women’s Bike Program Welcome to Kithinji Doreen, Cycloville’s new program coordinator for the Women’s Bike Program (WBP)! Kithinji is a bike enthusiast and a women’s rights activist. She believes that women and men should have equal access to bikes and in the benefits that bikes can offer to them. By launching the WBP, Cycloville is taking one more step towards institutionalizing biking culture in Nairobi for all people regardless of their gender. Learn more about Kithinji and the program! Help BNB Load Bikes to CESTA! Join BNB to load a container to our partner CESTA in El Salvador on September 11th. We will be loading from 9am – 6pm. Drop by for an hour or stay all day! Please RSVP so that we have an idea of how many people are coming. Ride with BOCA! Starting September 17th, BOCA will be hosting bi-monthly Unity Rides! These rides will be to fun places with stops and information provided by youth employees. All riders must have a working bike and helmet, we can provide helmet loaners and may be able to loan bikes with advance notice. Meet at the BNB Hub at 11am on Saturday Sept. 17th,Oct. 1st, 15th and 29th and Nov. 12th. Rides will return to the Hub around 3pm. Waivers required for all participants, youth under 18 need parent/guardian signature. Be a Table Captain at the Building Momentum Breakfast Bikes Not Bombs’ 6th annual Building Momentum Breakfast will take place Wednesday, October 26th! The Breakfast is designed to raise financial support for BNB and spread the word about our innovative work. We are looking for 10-12 Table Captains to make this event a success! Table Captains bring friends, family, and colleagues, anyone who will connect with the mission and work of BNB to the Breakfast. We will give Table Captains all the information and training they need to be successful. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested. Happenings at the Bike Shop Upcoming Clinics: Mon 9/12 7-9pm Femmechanics Thurs 9/15 7-8pm Flat Fixing Thurs 9/22 7-8pm Basic Repair & Maintenance Mon 10/3 7-9pm Adult Earn-A-Bike Alumni Night We’re excited to begin building up 2017 bikes including the Raleigh Redux 1! With a lightweight aluminum frame and mechanical disc brakes, the Redux 1 will make commuting a blast. Come in to try one out! Volunteer of the Month – Gus Harrington Gus is invaluable to our bike collections program. Not only does he attend our bike drives and container loadings to assist with processing bikes for shipment, he also lets BNB use the shed at his property in Salisbury, MA as a drop-off spot for people who want to donate bikes, but can’t bring them all the way to Boston. Gus says he likes supporting BNB because our programs educate youth about mechanics and help spread bikes as a viable form of transportation. Thank you Gus! News Outside of BNB Hub on Wheels – Join the 12th Annual Boston Bikes Hub on Wheels on Sunday September 18th for a 10 or 40 mile ride on car-free Storrow Drive! Registration is open, and look for BNB at the Finish Line Festival! Femmechanics Bikepacking – Join Femmechanics crew for a bike camping trip on Saturday Sept. 24th – 25th! This event is for all femme, and/or trans*, and/or women regardless of how much experience or gear you have, or how many rides you’ve done.

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Awesome Goat Based Brush Removal On The Minute Man

Saw these awesome little fellows going to town on some brush this morning.  Awesome and eco friendly way to clean up the minute man.

Feel free to say hi, but watch that electric fence!

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Longfellow Bridge Cyclist Traffic Moved Again, Pedestrian and Cyclist Traffic Combined

For months anyone cycling over the Longfellow has had to follow an ever changing series of signs, battle large amount of people walking in places they shouldn’t and in general have a less than good experience, all so we can keep one lane open for cars during the construction.

Well all that is coming to an end! Because now the pedestrian are SUPPOSED to be walking on the bike path, weee! (via)

Upcoming Traffic Alerts

MassDOT will close the Longfellow Bridge to all vehicular traffic overnight from Wednesday, August 24, through Friday, August 26, and from Monday, August 29, through Thursday, September 1. The bridge will be closed from 11:00 PM each night to 5:00 AM the following morning. Bike, pedestrian, and MBTA Red Line travel will be maintained.

MassDOT will briefly halt all vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle travel near the Charles Circle staging area of the Longfellow Bridge for approximately 15 minutes beginning at 7:00 AM on Saturday, August 27. The temporary halt is necessary to begin cleaning the new MGH steam line running under the bridge by using pressurized steam (a “steam blow”) to remove dirt and other debris from inside the line. The cleaning process will take one to two days (Saturday, August 27, through Sunday, August 28). Learn more about this harmless process in the Steam Blow Flyer.

New Date: Beginning at 11:00 PM on Friday, August 26, bicyclists and pedestrians will be shifted on the upstream side of the Longfellow Bridge. Pedestrians in both directions will share the upstream sidewalk with outbound bicyclists. Inbound bicyclists will have a new 5-foot wide designated bike lane along the upstream roadway.

There will be no lane or bridge closures from 5:00 AM on Friday, September 2, to 10:00 PM on Tuesday, September 6, for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Visit the Traffic Information page for weekly updates on lane closures and details on other traffic management activities, including detour routes, during the current construction phase. View the Construction Updates section to learn more about current construction activities.

I honestly doubt you will notice a difference, if you have been riding every day you already know that people have been ignoring the “don’t walk here” signs for months. Just a heads up that you will probably get even more pedestrians on that narrow sidewalk now.  Obviously slow down, and watch out.  I have personally seen at least one accident caused by pedestrians (back when they were not supposed to be on the sidewalk), and have heard of several more.  Its very easy to get into trouble, especially on the down hill side of the bridge, slow down, be careful, and keep your head up because the people on their phones certainly wont.

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