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.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

The Best Kind Of Traffic

I was a bit harsh on the Cyclist for loosing this years Rush Hour race, but he seems to have done pretty well considering. I have done a lot of urban races, and I can say that following all the rules it for sure going to slow you down. Also remember as a cyclists if you jump off your bike you become a pedestrian…will open more possibilities for you next year racers!

Check out these awesome photos of his ride!

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Police Give Out Hundreds Of Free Helmets And Lights

Awesome!

——-

Police officials from BU, Boston, and Brookline are teaming up this week to give away hundreds of free helmets to cyclists riding in the Commonwealth Avenue area, to prevent accidents and spread awareness about biking safety.

Boston University Sgt. Larry Cuzzi said Monday afternoon that police officers had handed out nearly 75 helmets that morning. He estimated that they would donate hundreds by Wednesday evening, when the giveaway ends.

Read the rest here.

These sort of events are just as important as the ticket stings, and I hope they do this more often.

I have been stuck in so much bike traffic lately get your helmets and lights and join us!

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

The City Celebrates Bike Week

Got this in the email, lots and lots of bike week events going on:

————

Bike Week is here and it’s jam-packed with activities! For a complete list of all bike events happening around the state this week, visit here. Below you will find some important highlights from Boston Bikes!

Mayor Menino’s Bike Week Celebration: May 17, 7-9a

Cap off a great week of biking by joining us and hundreds of others for the Boston Bike Week Celebration on City Hall Plazathis Friday. To get there, you can join one of 10 convoys - including NEW East Boston/Chelsea and Melrose/Malden/Everett routes – or ride in on your own. We’ll start the morning right by enjoying breakfast by Boloco, getting cool free stuff, and saying good morning to each other, including many vendors.

Will you be there? Find your convoy & REGISTER AHEAD!

Ride of Silence: May 15, 7p 

The Ride of Silence, which is being organized by area volunteers, will honor cyclists who’ve been killed in collisions with motor vehicles. Riders must be 16+ and wear a helmet, and are encouraged to wear a white t-shirt or arm band. The route will be completed in silence and go at a slow pace on a 4 mile route through downtown Boston, leaving from City Hall Plaza at 7p. Press coverage and more information can be found here.

 

 

 

Two Wheels, One Fund: May 16, 6p

We are partnering withJerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill to bring you “Two Wheels, One Fund” benefiting The One Fund. With support from the New England cycling community, the event will offer guests an evening of dinner, drinks, live music from Sweet Tooth & the Sugarbabies and the east coast premiere of Red Bull Media’s new mountain biking film, “Where the Trail Ends.” More information and ticket details can be found here.

 

Boston Bikes’ Annual Bike Update, May 21, 6-8:30p

 

Our 5th annual bike update, hosted by the LivableStreets Alliance, will be a presentation on our achievements, challenges, and future goals as we strive to create a “world class bicycling city”. Come hear the latest details about the New Balance Hubway bike share, the Bicycle Network Plan, parking facilities,community programming, and more.

This event is free and open to the public and will be held at the Copley Boston Public Library in the Rabb Lecture Hall. Register!

Visit our calendar of events for more bike events in Boston!

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Bikes Not Bombs Update

Register for the 2013 Bike-A-Thon and set-up your fundraising page

Photo By: Wayne Chinnock

There is still plenty of time to register for the Bike-A-Thonon June 2nd! With about three weeks to go, the individual fundraising goal of $150 is easily attainable, especially with our online fundraising system.

All riders who reach the $150 minimum will receive a free BNB t-shirt. And, if you raise $500, $1,000 or $2,000, you’ll get a gift certificate to the Bikes Not Bombs Bike Shop. We also have a special prize for the top individual fundraiser!

Tips for a successful fundraising page:

• Write some text on your page that is about you personally so that people will feel connected to your ride.
• Enable the thermometer and honor roll.
• Add a picture of yourself.

The Bike-A-Thon is our largest event of the year and it’s tons of fun! We will have free breakfast in the morning, snacks at the rest stops, and free lunch at the finish line from Amir’s Natural Foods, Vanguarden Farm and Boloco. Plus, the After Party will be hopping with music, yoga, and face painting for the kids! Don’t hesitate – register now!

If you have more questions, please contact our Information Technology Manager, Sean Madsen, at617-522-0222 x111 or [email protected].

Photo By: Wayne Chinnock

Like all BNB programs, the Bike-A-Thon wouldn’t be possible without our amazing volunteers.

We need volunteers on June 2nd to help with rider check-in, to assist with rider communication, and to help staff the BNB info table.

If you’re interested and available, you can sign up online. A BNB staff member will be in touch with you soon after about specifics.

Have a tent like this? Consider loaning it to BNB for the Bike-A-Thon! Photo by: Gloria Carrigg

Can we borrow your water dispensers, coolers, folding tables, or pop-up tents?

For our Bike-A-Thon on June 2nd, we will need more folding tables, pop-up tents, water dispensers, and coolers! Do you have access to these? Would you be willing lend them to us, or donate them?

Folding Tables: ideally, 6 or 8 feet long thick plastic tables with fold-out legs. Other varieties/sizes may be useful too.

Pop-Up Tents: must be free-standing, should be at least 10 feet square, heavy-duty preferred.

Water dispensers and coolers: let us know what you have.

It would be super helpful if you are able to lend or donate supplies to us! Contact Arik Grier at[email protected] or 617-522-0222 x100.

Come eat ice cream in support of the BNB Youth BAT Team!

For the second year in a row, the BNB Youth Bike-A-Thon team will be holding a water-gun squirting, ice cream scooping fundraiser! On Friday May 24th, starting at 4PM, swing by the Stony Brook T stop, for a scoop of JP Licks, and a chance to soak some folks with water guns! Every dollar collected will go towards Team Swerve’s goal of $4,000!

If you can’t make it, but still want to support the BNB Youth Team, you can sponsor them online.

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

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!

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

Weekend Reading: How To Buy Your First Bike From The Bike Shop

So good! (Thanks Marianna For the heads up) Read the rest here:

—————-

In 2003 I walked into my local bike shop and bought my first new bike. It was exciting, exhilarating, and even a little scary. Dozens of bikes and 10 years later, I have found myself in a place where I can help others through their first new bike buying experience at the bike shop. I have worked as a bicycle sales associate for almost 8 years, and I have been a professional bike fit specialist since 2007. I have heard and seen just about everything in the bike shop.

You have decided that it’s time to head to the bike shop because you need a new bike. Whether it is your first new bike ever, or you’re buying the bike to try a few sprint triathlons or even to participate in the Pan Mass Challenge, there are a few things with which you’ll need to get familiar before busting down the door of your local bike shop.

“I’m not a serious biker” was usually one of the two most popular opening statements I heard when working with someone at the bike shop. First off, YES YOU ARE! Don’t undervalue yourself during our first interaction (or ever, for that matter). I already think that you are a serious biker because you are here at the bike shop to buy a new bike, one of the greatest investments that you will ever make and never regret. Don’t worry–I am not going to judge you because you can’t name the entire Shimano component family. I’ve been there. New bike shopping is exciting and it is a learning experience.

Continue Reading

Add to Reddit.

Tweet

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).

——————
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

Add to Reddit.

Tweet