Tell City Council You Want Protected Bike Lanes On Mass Ave And Mt Auburn

Tonight the city council will vote on a policy order on complete streets, including putting protected bike lanes on Mass Ave between Central and Harvard Squares. If successful, tonight’s vote would be the first step toward making this happen, so it’s important we tell our city councilors how much we would appreciate their vote in favor of this. While the order is potentially controversial, it doesn’t need to be, and we look forward to collaborating on a design that works well for everyone, especially businesses, seniors, pedestrians, transit users, and those who need to drive.The city is also starting a public process for protected bike lanes and other improvements on Mt Auburn between JFK St and Putnam Ave. Together these would provide crucial routes between Harvard and Central Squares.

Actions:

• Email [email protected], [email protected] and CC [email protected] and [email protected] and tell them that you are happy to see the council voting on protected bike lanes on Mass Ave.
  • Sample email:

Subject: Please support protected bike lanes on Mass Ave and Mt Auburn

Please vote Yes on Policy Order #2 tonight. Protected bike lanes on Mass Ave are very important for the safety of myself and the people I care about. I am also happy to see protected bike lanes being considered for Mt Auburn St and want to see them built as quickly as possible.

-your name and address

• Speak at the city council meeting tonight at 5:30 at Cambridge City Hall. You can sign up ahead of time, or raise your hand at the end of public comment.

When we rallied last week, we chose City Hall’s front lawn partially because it highlights one of the most prominent gaps in Cambridge’s protected bike lane network. Building protected bike lanes here and on Mt Auburn would complete a safe and equitable route for people who bike anywhere between the Charles River and Harvard Square. It is important that the city council vote yes so that city staff can start looking into this.

South Mass Ave survey

The city is asking for your input on the protected bike lanes put in between Memorial Drive and Sidney St. These surveys are tools the city uses to see if people liked the changes they made there and to see what tweaks could be done to improve the experience there. Please fill out the survey or comment on the wikimap.

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Rally For Mass Ave And Critical Connectors

Got this in the email:

TLDR: Important rally to kick off our next big campaign, Tuesday, April 30, 6-7pm on Cambridge City Hall Lawn. RSVP and share on Facebook.

Mass Ave is a critical corridor for people who bike. Last year the city installed protected bike lanes from Memorial Drive to Sidney St but safe bike infrastructure is still lacking near Central Square and most parts north of Harvard Square. If the city installed quick-build protected bike lanes along Mass Ave near Central Square, it would complete a protected corridor from the Charles River near MIT to Harvard Square. This part of Mass Ave is part of our 2019 plan of action because building this segment in 2019 would make a huge positive difference in the safety of people who bike. For the section north of Harvard Square, we will be asking City Council candidates to sign a pledge to support quick-build protected bike lanes from Harvard Square to Arlington for 2020.

Last week we heard that Cambridge rejected the idea of protected bike lanes on its part of Webster Ave, which is one of the segments we identified as an important connector we want to see built this year. The connection in question is a short segment that would extend the protected bicycle lanes recently installed by Somerville another 500 feet to Cambridge Street–they currently end mid-block in a row of parked cars. This decision unacceptably compromises the safety of people who bike along this busy street. Read our statement here for why we think the city made the wrong decision.

Send a quick email to [email protected] and [email protected] and CC [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]. Tell them that you are disappointed with their decision on Webster Ave and urge them to change their mind. Even a single sentence or two is enough to make a difference here.

On April 30 we will hold a rally to show the city that Mass Ave, Hampshire Street, Webster Ave and other critical connectors need quick-build protected bike lanes to make them safe for people of all ages and abilities. We’re asking the city to accelerate its construction of protected bike lanes and to prioritize safety for people walking and bicycling when allocating street space, for example on Webster Ave.

Our rally will include speakers from the community who will introduce our 2019 and 2020 protected network action plan, explaining the rationale for each segment. We’ll also ask you to join “action groups” for the segments that are important to you so that you can help us be more effective as we advocate for quick-build bike lanes on each of these critical connectors in the next two years.

• When: April 30 from 6pm to 7pm
• Where: Cambridge City Hall Lawn
• RSVP and share on Facebook

Craigie Bridge bike infrastructure meeting

There will be a meeting to discuss proposed bike infrastructure on the Craigie bridge. This process was started after Meng Jin lost his life biking on this bridge which has 6 lanes for vehicle traffic and no bike infrastructure at all.

We need to see protected bike lanes in this design. We don’t know what will be presented at this time but anything without proper separation is not good enough on a busy six lane road.

• When: May 1, 6pm-8pm
• Where: Museum of Science, Cahners Theater

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Superpedestrian signed onto our platform supporting a network of protected bike lanes in Cambridge. Thanks Superpedestrian!

Superpedestrian is a transportation robotics company located in Cambridge, Mass. Founded out of MIT and beginning operations in 2013, Superpedestrian develops core technologies for micro-mobility.

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Cambridge Bike Party Postponed Due To Rain

Damn you rain!

The Cambridge Block Party has been moved to next Thursday, be sure to update your calendars!

Cambridge Bicycle Commuter Open House and Block Party
Thursday, May 21st: 6pm-9:30pm
Location: Cambridge Bicycle Shop, 259 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge

On May 21st, Cambridge Bicycle Shop invites you to attend their first annual Cambridge Bicycle Open House and Block Party!!! Think you have one sweet commuter ride? If so, prove it by entering the “Best Commuter Bike” Contest. Have questions about how to start bike commuting? No problem! Cambridge’s friendly and knowledgeable staff will be on hand to answer questions about how to best outfit your bike and showcase featured commuter models.

Food is being donated by area cafe’s/ restaurants (Toscanin’s and Four Burgers), featured commuter bikes will be on display and there will be a “people’s choice” award for the “Best Commuter Bike”. Other highlights include a raffle for a new bike, fab door prizes (compliments of Knog and Crumpler), a Best Commuter Bike trophy thanks to Marty Walsh at geekhouse bikes, and great runner up prizes compliments of the shop.

This event is free and open to the public; all proceeds for the raffle will be donated to the LivableStreets Alliance.
This event is free and open to the public.

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Cambridge Bike Looking For A Bike Mechanic

Are you an experienced bike mechanic? Are you friendly enough to deal with difficult customers? Well then Cambridge Bikes wants you to come work for them. Drop a resume by the store and good luck.

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New Years Snow Race!

The perfect way to celebrate the new year!

There is a race tonight sponsored by Cambridge Bikes
it’s in Davis Square
PRIZES for 1st, 2nd & 3rd places
AFTER PARTY on the race’s route featuring DJ Mayhem on the tunage
more details to follow as soon as Jason gets the blog squared away.

HOLD YOUR NIGHT OPEN!!!

the route will go as follows:
[4x]
START: intersection of Cameron Ave & Tannery Brook Row
RIGHT onto Holland St
RIGHT onto Dover St
RIGHT onto Mass Ave
RIGHT onto Cameron Ave
FINISH: intersecion of Cameron Ave & Tannery Brook Row

GOOGLE MAPS ROUTE

it is definitely a crit styled race. heh heh.
OH ALSO- the LOFT After Party is on Tannery Brook Row many many thanks to Jordan!

more details here.

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