July

3, 2013 Dear Thomas F. Broderick, P.E. Chief Engineer, MassDOT Highway Division Attn: Bridge Project Management Project File No. 606376 Thank you for moving quickly on the reconstruction of the Cambridge Street Overpass. This is a crucial link that connects the neighborhood and is heavily trafficked each day by folks on foot, car, and bike. The fact that MassDOT is fast- tracking this project shows their concern for neighborhood safety. We would also like to applaud MassDOT for considering lane reductions and buffered bicycle lanes in the plan. This stretch of road is overbuilt, and thus causes traffic to go much faster than is both necessary and safe. Many needless fatalities, and many more near-misses, have occurred on this stretch of Cambridge Street due to a current design that encourages highway speeds. Cambridge Street connects two halves of a neighborhood and has businesses and houses on either side, and it deserves to be treated as a neighborhood street. However, we are very concerned with a few elements of this design that prevent movements of pedestrians and bicyclists across the bridge. 1) A safe crossing should be constructed at Linden Street, to allow pedestrian movements from the footbridge on the northern side to the bus stop, businesses, and residences on the south side. This crossing should be signalized with the Harvard Ave signal to break up traffic and calm speeds, while still allowing the flow of car traffic. In order to do this, MassDOT will need to work with the City of Boston BTD to time the lights, and create warning signals on the bridge to alert drivers of an upcoming stoplight. 2) The bicycle facilities proposed are not continuous, which will cause conflict for cyclists when they have to navigate in and out of bike lanes on the bridge. Bicycle facilities should begin at Harvard Ave and be able to connect to the Citys planned bike lanes on the adjoining eastern and western portions of Cambridge Street. 3) The proposal makes no accommodations for left-turning cyclists at the intersections of Lincoln Street or Harvard Ave. The intersection at Lincoln Street must have a pedestrian phase, since none exists currently. The safest way for cyclists to make a left turn is to first proceed straight through the intersection on the right side of the street, and then wait and cross with the

pedestrian or vehicle left turn signal. Pavement markings and signage should be installed to direct cyclists to make this two-stage turn. The intersection at Harvard Ave is one of the most dangerous in Allston, and the majority of cyclists are turning left onto Harvard Ave. Again we recommend directing cyclists to make a two-stage turn, and providing exclusive bicycle queuing space (such as a bike box) at the northwest corner on Franklin St for the high volume of cyclists approaching from Cambridge St and the Franklin St bridge.

4) The plans call for westbound bicyclists to merge up onto the sidewalk in the approach to Harvard Ave. This invites conflict between pedestrians and other bicyclists who will be going to and from the footbridge. The bicycle facilities must be continuous on the street up to and through the Harvard Ave intersection. 5) Ample queuing space must be provided at the northeast corner to accommodate the bicyclists, pedestrians, strollers, laundry carts, and all else that will be waiting at that corner to cross. The plan currently has a mixing of modes on that stretch which welcomes conflict on the sidewalk between bicyclists and pedestrians. 6) The buffered lanes are commendable to provide a bit of space between moving traffic and bicyclists. However without a physical separation, the lanes will not feel safe and will inevitably be blocked at times by moving or parked cars. We recommend constructing planters between the moving traffic and bicycle lanes, or at the very least removable bollards to be placed in the roads to further separate car traffic and discourage driving and parking in the bicycle lane. It is important to have a plan for snow removal: we recommend using alternative smaller snow removal machines, such as those used on the Dudley White Pathway, that can easily maneuver between a physical buffer and the curbside, or as a last resort removing bollards or planters during the snowy months to allow for plowing.

Thank you for the consideration, and the focus on this crucial neighborhood corridor. Sincerely,

Galen M. Mook, Allston-Brighton Bikes.