The City of Boston is committed to helping more residents and visitors get on bikes and to making it safer to ride. The Boston Bike Network provides a vision for developing bike lanes and paths throughout the City.

Encouraging more bicycle trips is an important component of the City’s Climate Action Plan, which sets a 2020 target of increasing the share of commute trips by bike to 10 percent. The 2013 Cyclist Safety Report sets a goal of decreasing bicycle crashes by 50 percent in the same timeframe. The Boston Bike Network plan is intended to support the growing number of bicyclists and help the city reach its sustainability and safety goals.

The Boston Bike Network Plan:

• Was developed with the input of city departments, state agencies, and hundreds of citizens who spoke up at open houses, made suggestions through an online mapping tool, or served on a Citizens Working Group.
• Lays out a plan for creating safer streets for bicycling that will attract and support new riders while improving the safety and comfort of all bicyclists.
• Identifies a comprehensive network of bicycle routes through the city, calling for 75 miles of new facilities in the next five years and reaching a network of 353 miles within 30 years.
• Will be used by city departments, state agencies, and developers so that as they modify city streets they are helping.

Available items of interest include:

• Interactive Bike Network Map 
• Boston Bike Network Plan
• Network Plan Appendices

To see more resources, including maps of each neighborhood and more city-wide maps, visit the City of Boston website.

The increasing popularity of the event over the past several years has resulted in a strain on the resources of both the MBTA/MBCR.  Despite that, both organizations have been gracious and generous in helping make the 2013 Midnight Marathon ride happen, because they believe in biking, they believe in sustainable transportation, and they believe in your positive spirit!

To that end… get this: they have reserved an exclusive train to transport riders directly from Boston to Southborough!!!  This is big.  This is unprecedented.  This is awesome.  But because of this, there are a few important changes from years past:

– There will be an exclusive, one-time-only Midnight-Marathon train that departs at 10:00 pm on Sunday, April 14, and will run express between South Station and Southborough and will make no intermediate stops (no boarding at Back Bay or beyond; South Station only).  Please arrive at South Station by 9:00 pm to ensure prompt boarding.  It takes longer than you might think, especially when we’re loading you AND your bike!  If you arrive late, you might not be guaranteed a seat.

– Train tickets (see below) for this event are offered on a first-come/first-serve basis at a flat fee of $15.00 each.  While this cost is slightly in excess of the normal fare, it is necessary to help defray the cost of running an entirely exclusive cyclists-only train.  It’s a generous offer from the MBCR, and totally worth it (did we mention that we get our own train?!).

– A special departure ticket will be required for boarding, and will be available for purchase ONLY from the South Station Ticketing Office beginning on Monday, April 8th.  You will not be able to ride the train without a Midnight Marathon ticket.  Purchasing tickets in advance is advised, as space will be limited.

– Midnight Marathon riders will not be permitted to ride on the regularly scheduled 11:00 train as in years past.  All of MBCR’s resources will be focused on getting the group safely to to event on the special 10pm train, and Sunday’s Red Sox game – as well as Boston Marathon traffic – will necessitate that the scheduled 11pm train be available to regular commuters only.

– But that’s okay, because again, we’ve GOT OUR OWN TRAIN!!  10pm, folks.  Be there at 9pm.  South Station direct to Southborough!

– The MBTA/MBCR were awesome to us last year.  This year, they are being even more exceedingly accommodating by reserving a special train for Midnight Marathon riders, and are going above and beyond in ensuring that this year’s ride is efficient, fun and safe for all riders.  Please take a moment during the train ride to shower the employees/volunteers with love!

– Follow us at http://www.facebook.com/events/226885070787768/ for the latest updates/details/etc.

Hope to see you there!