Cummins Highway could soon provide a safe route between Mattapan and Roslindale for people who bike — but only if you speak up now to ensure that happens.
 
The city of Boston has proposed adding protected bike lanes to Cummins Highway, alongside other safety improvements to slow traffic and make walking safer and easier. Now is your final chance to endorse those changes; you have until next Tuesday, March 31, to send feedback to the city, which you can do using the button below.

Tell Boston: You support the city’s proposed design (see image below) and want to see protected bike lanes on Cummins Highway!

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Unfortunately, the city’s proposal has sparked some tension in the community about how it would result in more space for people biking and walking, and less space for people driving and parking. There were also concerns that the plan’s use of floating bus stops — in which buses pick up passengers from a curb bump-out without pulling over into a parking space — would delay vehicle traffic. (In practice though, these new bus stops are expected to result in faster, more reliable bus service — since buses would not need to merge in and out of traffic — with a minimal impact on vehicle travel times.)

Unless enough people speak up in favor of the proposed changes, we risk getting stuck with the status quo where people who bike are forced to ride unprotected alongside dangerous traffic.
 
Studies have shown that protected bike lanes make roads safer for everyone, and Cummins highway is in dire need of safety improvements. Among all city-controlled roads, it ranks in the top 3 percent for motor vehicle crashes. 
 
So speak up now for changes that would create a safe bike route between Mattapan and Roslindale, and make this road safer for everyone who uses it, too.

Construction is expected to start later this year. Don’t miss your chance to influence this important project!