The following action alert comes from our friends at Cambridge Bicycle Safety, and concerns a legally binding ordinance that, if passed, would require the City of Cambridge to build more protected bike lanes when making other street updates. Cambridge is leading the region on bike issues — there’s ample reason why it now outranks Boston among bike-friendly cities — and officials elsewhere in the area are watching, waiting and following its lead. Your support in propelling passage of this ordinance would not only make Cambridge much safer for bikes, but could have a ripple effect through Boston and beyond. — Boston Cyclists Union

---

Hi all,

Do you want to help change City of Cambridge street design policy to prevent injury and death on our streets? If yes, then take action in support of the Cycling Safety Ordinance (more info below), as follows.

Action:

Speak in public comment at Wednesday’s hearing on the Ordinance: 5:30-8:00pm (public comment likely is around 6 or 6:30), at Cambridge City Hall. When you arrive, sign up to speak on paper. Right now, RSVP to the Facebook event and share it on your feed.

Email council@cambridgema.gov, and cc ldepasquale@cambridgema.gov, clerk@cambridgema.gov, info@cambridgebikesafety.org [BCU note: and also info@bostoncyclistsunion.org] to ask that they support or continue to support the ordinance. Please thank Mayor McGovern, Vice Mayor Devereux, and Councillors Carlone, Mallon, Siddiqui, and Zondervan, as well as City Manager DePasquale, for their previously expressed support for the ordinance.

What is the Cycling Safety Ordinance?

The Ordinance is a law currently under consideration by City Council that would legally require the City to build permanent protected bicycle lanes whenever a road included in the Cambridge Bicycle Plan’s protected network is reconstructed under the City’s Five-Year Sidewalk & Street Plan.

City Councillors more commonly vote on policy orders, which are typically requests or recommendations to City staff. When the City Council passes a policy order, the City Manager and City staff are under no legal obligation to follow it.

If the ordinance passes, however, the City Manager and City staff are legally bound to comply with the ordinance.

For more information on the specifics of what the Ordinance does and how it differs from usual City policymaking, read our FAQ.

Sincerely,

CBS