Earlier this month, safety barriers known as flexposts were removed from protected bike lanes on several major Boston streets — without public notice and without communication from the City of Boston. These removals, which the Boston Cyclists Union (BCU) and other partners only learned about from community members, have created serious and immediate safety risks for people biking.

On corridors like Massachusetts Avenue near Newmarket Square, the absence of flexposts has already allowed vehicles to illegally park or drive in bike lanes. In some cases, people on bikes are now forced to swerve into oncoming traffic just to navigate around these obstructions.

Flex posts are not aesthetic features — they are proven safety tools. According to the Federal Highway Administration, flexible delineator posts reduce crash risk by 60%. Their removal is not just symbolic; it materially increases danger on streets that many rely on daily for safe travel.

The installation of flexposts across Boston came after years of organizing, public feedback, and partnership between the City, the Boston Cyclists Union, LivableStreets Alliance, MassBike, WalkMassachusetts, and neighborhood groups. To remove them overnight, without any recommendation or communication, undermines four years of shared progress.

While the City has cited a number of reasons for the removals — from aesthetics to confusion to cost — none outweigh the safety of those who rely on our streets. Flexposts may not be “pretty,” but they save lives. Prioritizing how streets look over how they function is not acceptable.

This all unfolded during the City’s recently concluded 30-day review of infrastructure projects, with recommendations expected this week — including plans for a new type of bike lane separation on Mass Ave. We are hopeful about what’s to come. But it is deeply concerning that safety infrastructure can be removed so quickly, without process, and without leadership present.

The Boston Cyclists Union is calling on the City of Boston to:

• Immediately halt any further removal of vertical bike lane separators;
• Restore safety infrastructure that has already been removed;
• Ensure community input is embedded in all current and future infrastructure review processes, especially from those biking and walking daily.

“We’ve worked in good faith for years to help build a safer city for everyone,” said Tiffany Cogell, Executive Director of the Boston Cyclists Union. “The removal of safety infrastructure without notice erodes public trust and puts lives at risk. We’re asking the City to meet this moment with transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment to safety.”

BCU remains committed to working with the City, our partners, and the residents of Boston to ensure decisions about our streets are made with — not around — the communities most affected.

Questions or comments about our statement? Contact the BCU’s comms person Mandy Wilkens
at mwilkens@bostoncyclistsunion.org