The 5th Annul Cycling Safety Ordinance Report and Awaiting Report Item Number25-03, regarding update on the status and timeline for the completion of the Grand Junction Multiuse Path

5 Background In 2019, the Cambridge City Council passed the Cycling Safety Ordinance. The Ordinance requires that the City construct separated bike lanes on streets designated for “greater separation” in Cambridge’s Bicycle Network Vision, if the street is being reconstructed as part of the City’s Five-Year Plan for Streets and Sidewalks.

In 2020, the Council passed amendments to the Ordinance, setting ambitious requirements for the installation of approximately 25 miles of separated bikes lanes within five to seven years. The location of these facilities is informed by both the Cambridge Bicycle Network Vision and specific requirements in the Ordinance. In April, 2024, the Cambridge City Council began discussions about an amended Cycling Safety Ordinance deadline. In October 2024, the deadline was officially extended to November 30, 2026.

This modifies the previous deadline of May 1, 2026. Brattle Street Safety Improvement Project, October 2023 by Kyle Klein. 6 FIGURE #2 Map of streets where the Cycling Safety Ordinance requires the installation of separated bike lanes. The CSO requires an additional 11.6 miles to be installed in locations from the Bicycle Network Vision.

In general, the Ordinance requires the installation of separated bike lanes on: • All of Massachusetts Avenue • Broadway from Quincy Street to Hampshire Street • Cambridge Street from Oak Street to Second Street • Hampshire Street from Amory Street to Broadway • Garden Street, eastbound from Huron Avenue to Berkeley Street, and westbound from

Mason Street to Huron Avenue

The Ordinance also requires that the City install 11.6 more miles of separated bike lanes in other locations that are part of the Bicycle Network Vision. 7 In its requirements and timelines, the Ordinance distinguishes between Quick-Build and construction. Quick-Build methods include pavement markings, flex-posts, signage, and signal changes, and can usually be installed over a few weeks or months. The City reports Quick-Build separated bike lane mileage in the year that the project is installed.

Construction involves more extensive changes, including potentially moving curbs and/or removing medians. Work becomes more complex any time we dig into the ground, and construction projects may include work on infrastructure that is underground (e.g., pipes, electrical and gas lines). Construction projects often take multiple years to complete, and the City reports constructed separated bike lane mileage in the year that construction begins.

In Separated Bike Lane Year 6, the City will introduce a few projects that rely on a mix of constructed and quick-build materials, referred to as “Quick-Build Plus”, such as median removal on a short section of Main St, and enhanced designs on sections of Broadway and Cambridge St. This projects include more design complexity, but less than a typical construction project. For additional information about the Cycling Safety Ordinance, please visit www.cambridgema.gov/cyclingsafetyordinance.

This page details the specific requirements and the associated timelines and provides additional links to individual Cycling Safety Ordinance projects. 8

Work Completed During Separated Bike Lane Year 5:

May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025

Project Installation & Construction

Between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025 (Separated Bike Lane Year 5), we installed or began construction on 1.90 miles of separated bike lanes, bringing our total to 16.12 miles since May 1, 2020.

Summary Table: Projects Completed in Year 5

Aberdeen

Huron Avenue

to Mt. Auburn 0.51 Work started. Completion anticipated for May 2025. 200 Drive to 125 0.1 Albany Street to

Portland Street

(westbound)

Portland Street

to Albany Street (eastbound) Ames Street to

Hayward Street

0.31

River Street

Memorial

Drive to Mass

Ave Avenue

(eastbound) 0.68 Work started in 2022, to be complete by end of 2026 Western Mass Ave to

Green Street

(Southbound) 0.06 Work started in 2022, to be complete by end of 2026

Oak St

Total Mileage

1.90 miles 9

Project Highlights

CAMBRIDGEPARK DRIVE SEPARATED BIKE LANE INSTALLATION

Length: 0.23 miles

Category: Other Locations

Status: Completed Fall 2024

In the Fall of 2024, we added a separated bike lane to Cambridgepark Drive (eastbound) between the end of the street and Steel Place. We also striped a marked bike lane on Cambridgepark Dr between Steel Place and the Alewife Brook Parkway multi-use path crossing at Alewife Station. Prior to the project, a separated bike lane already existed in the westbound direction. This project narrowed travel lanes, chicaned the road, and added parking.

We are also adding a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) at Cambridgepark Dr and Alewife Station. As of April 2025, the RRFB is planned for installation in 2025. • Four spaces were added overall by swapping some spaces to the other side of the street. • Four spaces, 2 on each side of the street, were converted from 2-hour parking to loading. • One handicap/disability parking spot relocated.

Engagement Highlights:

• Survey and Feedback Form. • Neighborhood flyering. • Coordination and additional project outreach through the Alewife Transportation Management Association (TMA), including newsletter distribution and targeted emails to property managers through the city’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) reporting mailing list. • Two options were presented to the community. Strong support for Option 2, which added parking and moved some parking to the other side of the street.

Project Plans: www.cambridgema.gov/-/media/Files/Traffic/2025projects/

cambridgeparkdr/cambridgeparkdriveconcept2southsideparking 10

MAIN STREET (VARIOUS SECTIONS)

Length: Two separate sections totaling .47 miles

Category: Other locations

The City installed separated bike lanes on two separate sections of Main St in 2024.

Main St - Portland St to Albany St

Separated bike lanes were added to Main St as part of the Ragon Institute Development Project. This included a fully constructed raised bike lane in the eastbound direction and a quick-build lane in the westbound direction. • 12 metered spaces removed on the south side of Main St as part of the redevelopment. • Meters replaced with a pick up and drop off zone near the new building’s Main entrance • Parking retained on the north side of the street in front of commercial areas

Main St - Ames St to Galaxy Park

The city installed quick-build bike lanes on Main St in the Fall of 2024 in the heart of Kendall Square, on Main St between Ames St and Galaxy Park. The project retained parking on both sides of the street with minimal change to the overall number of parking spaces.