This Wednesday the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) will hold the second in a series of community meetings to plan a new design for Tremont Street from Melnea Cass to Herald St. In this meeting, 2-3 possible designs will be presented for feedback. Tremont St was chosen for redesign after two pedestrians were killed crossing the street in 2015 and 2016, and because there continues to be a high level of crashes and injuries.

Tremont St Design Project Public Meeting
Wednesday, November 28 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
United South End Settlements (Harriet Tubman House)
566 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118

The Tremont Street redesign project provides our one chance in the next few years to win protected bike lanes on an east-west corridor from Lower Roxbury through the South End!

We do not know what the designs will include but we do know that:

• Tremont Street currently has a high amount of double parking and because of that, painted (unprotected) bike lanes would not increase cyclist safety.
• A road diet (narrowing vehicle travel lanes from 4 to 2) is one of the most effective measures for improving pedestrian safety by slowing down cars and eliminating the double threat (where the car closest to you stops to let you cross and the next does not). Traffic volumes on Tremont St support the use of a road diet here.
• While continuation of the new protected bike facilities on Columbus Ave would be a preferred bike commuting route for many, cyclists will continue to travel along Tremont for shopping and services and many will keep using the sidewalk if the City does not add protected bike lanes. There are also three blue bikes stations in this stretch of Tremont St!

Of 28 businesses that we randomly surveyed, 67% would support a design that makes it safest for biking, even if that takes away some parking.

If you live, work, or travel along Tremont Street here’s what you can do:

Show up and submit feedback — Attend Wednesday’s meeting and let the City know that you want to see safety for pedestrians and cyclists prioritized, including a road diet and protected bike lanes.

Share your story — If you are unable to attend this meeting, submit feedback to stefanie.seskin@boston.gov. Please CC us at info@bostoncyclistsunion.org so we can measure our impact and follow up with you.

For a project that is being done in the name of safety, we must demand safety for cyclists as well as pedestrians.