The Union Rider: September 2020
New pay-what-you can membership model
To ensure that cost isn’t a barrier to joining the Bike Union, this month we initiated a new pay-what-you-can membership model. You can now join for as little as $5. We depend on Individual donations for a majority of our funding, so if you have the means, we hope you’ll give at a higher level. Regardless of what you can give though, if you support our mission we want you in our union.
Already a member? Renew now, and we’ll add 12 months to your membership.
Healthy Streets Boston Update
This month, Mayor Walsh announced next steps in Boston’s Healthy Streets program. In the next 2 months you can expect to see:
- Pop-up bike lanes downtown and on Cummins Highway becoming permanent (with some work beginning the week of 10/5!)
- New pop-up Bike lanes on American Legion Highway
- A center-running bus lane on Columbus Ave
- A PM bus/bike lane on Washington St into Roslindale
- A bus-only lane on North Washington St in the North End
Stay tuned: We’re ramping up a campaign for more separated bike lanes to get people where they need to go during and after COVID. This will include canvassing around Columbus Ave., where BTD has committed to creating a safe bike route to complement the new bus lanes. If you’re interested in the campaign for bike connections to and through Egleston Square, contact Eliza, our Director of Organizing. For that and other corridors, be on the lookout for more opportunities to get engaged!
Arborway feedback deadline: Friday 10/2
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) this month presented short-term plans to remove some traffic lanes and add buffered bike lanes to the Aborway, among other changes. The plans aren’t perfect, but they at least begin to correct the gross imbalance of space (8 lanes for cars in some spots!) on this road.
DCR is collecting feedback about these plans only until this Friday, 10/2. To share your thoughts, and see what we’re asking click the link below.
More Activism Opportunities
- Blue Hill Ave Update Meeting (9/30) — On Wednesday, Boston will hold a meeting about restarting plans (paused in March) for bus and bike lanes on Blue Hill Ave.
- Cambridge Bicycle Plan — Public comment is due by 10/10 on Cambridge’s update to its bike plan.
- Longwood Ave. — Brookline is gathering feedback about plans to make Longwood Ave. better for walking and biking.
I Bike I Vote
It’s election season, and as always we cannot encourage you enough to get out and vote. The League of American Bicyclists has pulled together a nice set of resources to answer any questions you may have, like how to check your registration status and how to vote where you live. Check out the guide here — and then get out and VOTE!
People For Bikes Survey
PeopleForBikes wants to know what biking is like where you live. Take the survey to inform their annual city ratings, and you could win some nice bike prizes, too. The survey runs through Oct. 15
Help needed: Deliver groceries by bike
Two opportunities to help your neighbors get their groceries:
Cambridge — Cambridge Bicycle Safety is looking for volunteers for their program getting goods from food pantries to people in need. Sign up here to help.
Fenway — Fenway Fair Foods is coordinating deliveries every other Wednesday in the Fenway area. To get involved, email jvargas@Fenwaycdc.org
What We’re Reading
- Trees as a civil right: ‘All we have is cement and pavement’ (E&E News)
- Boston backs down on plan to remove Melnea Cass trees (Boston Globe)
- American Legion Project to Create Protected Bike Route from Franklin Park to Mattapan Square (Streetsblog)
- Study: E-Bike Users Leave Their Cars at Home More Often (Next City)
- Boston Bike Counts Make the Case for Better Bike Lanes on Key Routes (Streetsblog)
Chain of events
- Wednesday 9/30 — Blue Hill Ave Update Meeting
- Tuesday, 10/20 — BCU Activist Group Meeting
- Thursday, 10/22 — Golden Cog Awards (stay tuned for more info!)
Full chain of events here.