The City of Boston is proposing to install a parking-protected bike lane on Beacon Street in the Back Bay, but we need to speak up to make sure the best design possible in chosen!

At a public meeting on June 12th, the Boston Transportation Department presented 4 design alternatives for Beacon Street, and two different options for the intersection of Mass Ave and Beacon Street. We need to make sure that Alternative 1 is selected, and that Option A is chosen for the block of Beacon Street approaching Mass Ave.

Option B proposes a “mixing zone” where right-turning cars and all bike traffic will merge together before reaching Mass Ave, creating an unnecessary conflict point between car and bike traffic. This design was created to accommodate cars turning right onto Mass Ave. However, the City’s presentation made it clear that the mixing zone is not necessary, and Option A can adequately handle all turning movements without traffic backing up Beacon Street. The mixing-zone would also require removing 12 on-street parking spaces from Beacon Street.

Copy and paste the message below into an email, and let the City know you support a parking-protected bike lane on Beacon Street all the way to Mass Ave!

P.S. Don’t forget to fill out this survey about inbound/outbound connections after you email your comments!

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to: visionzero@boston.gov

subject: Beacon Street Design Project Comments

As a person who bikes in Boston, I am extremely excited to see the City propose installing a parking-protected bike lane on Beacon Street in the Back Bay. With a parking-protected bike lane, I will feel much safer and more comfortable biking on Beacon Street.

I strongly support Alternative 1, and I hope that after Beacon Street is repaved in the future, the protected bike lane can be made two-way, as shown in Alternative 2. That said, I am concerned about the lane widths proposed in Alternative 1, and I support narrowing the travel and parking lanes, and adding enough space to the bike lane to allow for 2 people to ride side by side. I would also like to see the stretch of Beacon Street from Charles Street to Berkeley Street redesigned to be safer for people biking, as well as have space on Arlington Street dedicated for biking. Also, if Alternative 1 is implemented, please create an inbound route for people biking along Marlborough Street, including a contra-flow lane on the final block of Marlborough Street.

Lastly, I strongly oppose “Option B” for the intersection of Beacon Street and Mass Ave. The mixing zone shown in Option B would increase conflicts between bike traffic and right-turning vehicles, as well as require the removal of 12 on-street parking spaces. Please continue the parking-protected bike lane all the way to the intersection at Mass Ave, as shown in “Option A”.

Thank you for considering my comments.

*Please CC the following:

chris.osgood@boston.gov;
gina.fiandaca@boston.gov;
vineet.gupta@boston.gov;
stefanie.seskin@boston.gov;
Michelle.Wu@boston.gov;
Ayanna.Pressley@boston.gov;
daniel.koh@boston.gov;
Frank.Baker@boston.gov;
JOSH.ZAKIM@boston.gov;
A.E.GEORGE@boston.gov;
ANDREA.CAMPBELL@boston.gov;
william.brownsberger@masenate.gov;
Jay.Livingstone@mahouse.gov;
info@bostoncyclistsunion.org