A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 24-67 regarding Cambridge Bicycle Plan Update and Consideration of Network Connections

To: Yi-An Huang, City Manager From: Brooke McKenna, Commissioner Date: April 10, 2025 Subject: Awaiting Report 2024-67 In response to Awaiting Report 24-67 asking that staff review with a robust and inclusive community process for the next iteration of the Cambridge Bicycle Plan and identify potential improvements, and consider next steps for a network of Separated Bicycle Facilities on streets across the city to facilitate safer travel and ways to coordinate routes with neighboring communities, we report the following: Background The Cambridge Bicycle Plan, launched in 2015 and updated in 2020, established goals, a bicycle network vision, and planning and design tools to make bicycling a safe, accessible, and connected option for all people. Both plans were supported by a community engagement process with online and in-person events and opportunities to provide feedback. This plan, built on more than 30 years of policies and programs to make bicycling a safe and convenient choice, has helped it become an important part of mobility and culture in Cambridge. There are now four times as many people bicycling in Cambridge as in 2002 and the bike crash rate has declined by 67 percent. Cambridge has 107 lane-miles of bike facilities, including 31 lane-miles of separated bike lanes. The city also has 92 publicly owned Bluebikes bikeshare stations, including the three busiest stations in the network (MIT, Central Square, and Harvard Square). The adoption of the Cycling Safety Ordinance by the City Council in 2019, and the amendment by the Council the following year, has facilitated an acceleration of the build out of the Separated Bicycle Network envisioned in the Bicycle Plan. As a result, there has been a significant focus on cycling as a mobility option in recent years. This focus has been embraced by many but has also led to calls for an additional focus on walking, public transport, and driving. Proposed Next Steps: Cambridge Access and Mobility Plan (CAMP) In response to challenging discussions around competing modes of mobility we have experienced as a community in recent years, we propose to take an integrated approach to citywide mobility planning, creating an all-mode Cambridge Access and Mobility Plan (CAMP). Instead of creating or updating a separate bike plan, transit plan, and pedestrian plan, this would be a citywide transportation plan for traveling to, from, and within Cambridge by walking, bicycling, taking transit, riding micromobility, and driving. This approach will help the City take a more comprehensive view of transportation and explore more innovative ways of engaging with and listening to community members. Development of the full scope for the CAMP project is still under way, but the benefits of this approach include: • Holistic, inclusive method: Instead of focusing on achieving better outcomes for a single transportation mode, this approach allows community members to more effectively discuss

2 interrelated needs of people using all transportation modes. For example, greater separation for bicycles would be considered together with bus priority, pedestrian comfort, traffic calming, vehicle circulation, curb use (including stopping for deliveries and longer parking storage), and a vibrant and welcoming street life. • Evaluation of tradeoffs: Street projects in Cambridge often require trade-offs because city streets are narrow. Trade-offs between walking, bicycling, taking transit, riding micromobility, and driving should be understood, evaluated, and prioritized at the citywide scale and with greater participation by residents. Priorities would provide clearer direction for individual projects that make changes to circulation, curbside access, travel lanes, and multimodal facilities. • Exploration of innovative tools to facilitate deeper community conversations: CAMP would create a public participation process that creates space for diverse community members and perspectives to engage in meaningful conversations, weigh shared evidence, and develop informed recommendations together. Elements of work products of the CAMP process will include: • Recommended areas of focus for future work, including: Prioritization, planning-level scopes and concepts, for example general cross sections, circulation diagrams, traffic calming treatments and locations, specific multimodal facilities, updated curbside regulations, support of social use of streets such as outdoor dining or public patios, policy changes, etc. • Proposed schedule for implementation and performance targets • Proposed estimate of required staffing and funding levels • Proposed revisions to policy, guidelines, and standards that better integrate desired outcomes for safety, equity, and access in transportation, and social use of public right of way. • Summary and technical documentation clarifying process and analysis • Summary of the community engagement processes and conclusions • Technical report of baseline and future network analysis, evaluation, and conclusions • Integrated multimodal network vision maps • CAMP will conclude with a proposed five-year work plan for the Cambridge Department of Transportation (CamDOT). Following the model of the Five-Year Plan for Sidewalk and Street Reconstruction, the CamDOT Work Plan will publicly and clearly communicate proposed next steps for mobility in Cambridge. The plan will begin development in FY26 using a level-funded transportation planning operating budget and spread over three budget cycles. It is estimated to be complete by end of 2027. Conclusion

3 The City has significant, longstanding transportation goals: eliminate climate pollution coming from transportation; make moving around Cambridge safe, accessible, reliable, and equitable; improve economic opportunity and address historic injustices; and create a stronger and more connected community. To achieve these goals, Cambridge needs to be a safe and inviting place for people who walk, bike, and take transit, while also making the transition to less car dependence as comfortable as possible. It is crucial that people have equitable access to reliable transportation. CAMP will be a single venue for the Cambridge community to have a holistic, coordinated conversation about the future of mobility in Cambridge.