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POR 2023-147

Asked the City Manager to report back to the City Council on whether change in language to the CSO is necessary to enable installation of permanent, seasonal, and/or temporary outdoor dining and pop-ups alongside separated bicycle lanes consistent with Cycling Safety Ordinance that address concerns about the current situation

How it started
Aug 7, 2023 · Proposed by Councillor Nolan, Vice Mayor Mallon, and Councillor Toner: a formal request from the Council to the administration.
What happened
Aug 7, 2023 · Held by charter right the city's note: “EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN”
Sep 11, 2023 · Amendment carried Moved by Vice Mayor Alanna Mallon; carried 9–0.
the first “Ordered” to change the date from September 11, 2023 to October 2, 2023
The clerk's words, from the minutes of Sep 11, 2023, p. 18.
View the roll call on the amendment

Voted yes (9)

  • Burhan Azeem
  • Dennis Carlone
  • Alanna Mallon
  • Marc McGovern
  • Patty Nolan
  • E. Denise Simmons
  • Paul F. Toner
  • Quinton Zondervan
  • Sumbul Siddiqui
Dec 6, 2023 · Heard in committee: Ordinance Committee testimony and discussion; any committee vote is in the committee's minutes
Sep 11, 2023 · ✅ Order adopted as amended. The Council's request went to the City Manager. (unanimous)
View the roll call

Voted yes (9), unanimous

  • Burhan Azeem
  • Dennis Carlone
  • Alanna Mallon
  • Marc McGovern
  • Patty Nolan
  • E. Denise Simmons
  • Paul F. Toner
  • Quinton Zondervan
  • Sumbul Siddiqui
Roll call of Sep 11, 2023 · from the council’s minutes · photos: City of Cambridge
What’s next
No response on the docket: nothing has been filed back under this request's number (AR 2023 #62 open, 1,039 days). Answers sometimes arrive as other items; this ledger tracks only this one.
The document Agenda item attachment · 6 pages

Section 12.22.020 Purpose

This Chapter seeks eliminate fatalities and injuries on City streets in accordance with the City's Vision Zero and transportation mode-shift goals through safety improvements and the construction of a connected network of permanent separated bicycle lanes across the City. The benefits of this Chapter are intended to flow to all roadway users. For every project undertaken pursuant to this Chapter’s requirements, the City is committed to a design that best achieves the City’s Vision Zero and mode-shift goals, recognizing, in particular, that this will require improving efficiency and reliability for bus users and safety for pedestrians.

Section 12.22.030 Definitions

A. “Adequate Directionality” shall mean (1) a two-way street with a separated bicycle lane or lanes that allow bicycle travel in both directions, or (2) a one-way street with a separated bicycle lane or lanes that allow bicycle travel either in the direction of the flow of vehicular traffic or in both directions.

B. Bicycle Lane Miles” shall mean the combined distance of Separated Bicycle Facilities. A two way facility or one-way facilities in both directions on a one-mile street segment shall count for two Bicycle Lane Miles. A one-way facility on a one-mile one-way street segment shall count for one Bicycle Lane Mile. If a gap in a Separated Bicycle Facility of any distance occurs for any reason other than those specified in the definition of the particular Separated Bicycle Facility, the distance of the gap shall not be counted toward Bicycle Lane Miles.

C. “Cambridge Bicycle Plan” shall mean the plan adopted by the City of Cambridge in October 2015 to create a framework for developing a network of complete streets, and which is entitled “Cambridge Bicycle Plan: Toward a Bikeable Future”.

D. “Connectivity” shall mean the provision of a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane system that reflects desired routes between all major origins and destinations in the City.

E. “Five-Year Sidewalk and Street Reconstruction Plan” shall mean the City’s Department of Public Works’ five-year work plan of May 1, 2018, as it may be amended from time to time.

F. “Improvements” shall mean the construction of new City-owned streets, or the reconstruction of an existing City-owned street, including but not limited to full depth reconstruction, expansion, and/or alteration of a roadway or intersection. Improvements shall not include routine maintenance, repairs, restriping of the road surface, or emergency repairs to the surface of a roadway (collectively “Maintenance”), provided that existing bicycle lanes will be restored to existing conditions or better.

G.

“Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane separated from motor vehicle traffic by a permanent vertical barrier that shall remain in place year-round, including but not limited to granite or concrete barriers and raised curbs, provided, however, that the bicycle lane need not be separated from motor vehicle traffic by a permanent vertical barrier for short stretches to accommodate crosswalks, curb cuts, accessible parking and accessible loading, intersections, and Public Transportation, and provided further, that existing bicycle lanes may be temporarily removed during construction of Improvements or Maintenance, so long as they are restored to existing conditions or better.

H. “Public Transportation” shall mean bus and shuttle stops for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Charles River TMA, the Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO), and college and university bus and shuttle stops that exist prior to May 1, 2020. If the City Manager determines it is appropriate to add a particular bus or shuttle provider to the definition of Public Transportation, any such bus or shuttle provider may be added to this definition upon the approval of the City Council.

I. “Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane separated from motor vehicle traffic by flexible delineator posts, or a similar separator, that shall remain in place year-round, provided, however, that the bicycle lane need not be separated from motor vehicle traffic for short stretches to accommodate crosswalks, curb cuts, accessible parking and accessible loading, intersections, and Public Transportation, and provided further, that existing bicycle lanes may be temporarily removed during construction of Improvements or Maintenance, so long as they are restored to existing conditions or better.

J. “Separated Bicycle Facilities” shall mean either a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane, a Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane, or a Temporary Traffic Control Device Separated Bicycle Lane, provided that any such Temporary Traffic Control Device Separated Bicycle Lane is not removed at any time except during significant snow events and is converted to a Permanent Separated Bicycle Lane or a Quick-Build Separated Bicycle Lane by no later than the applicable deadline for the completion of Separated Bicycle Facilities along the street segment on which the Temporary Traffic Control Device Separated Bicycle Lane is constructed.

K. “Separated Network” shall mean the proposed set of bicycle facilities identified in the Cambridge Bicycle Plan (Figure 5.14), or any plan superseding it, provided, however, that any such plan shall maintain Connectivity.

L.

“Temporary Traffic Control Device Separated Bicycle Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane with painted lines separated from motor vehicle traffic by traffic cones, traffic barrels, non-permanent flex posts, or a similar bicycle lane separator, that shall remain in place year-round except during significant snow events, but shall be reinstalled as quickly as is feasible following significant snow events, provided, however, that the Temporary Traffic Control Device Separated Bicycle Lane need not be separated from motor vehicle traffic for short stretches to accommodate crosswalks, curb cuts, accessible parking and accessible loading, intersections, and Public Transportation, and provided further, that existing bicycle lanes may be temporarily removed during construction of Improvements or Maintenance, so long as they are restored to existing conditions or better.

M. “Buffer Protected Bike Lane” shall mean a bicycle lane paired with a designated buffer space separating the bicycle lane from the parking lane and/or adjacent motor vehicle travel lane. Buffer Protected Bike Lanes shall be considered as part of Separated Bicycle Facilities and the Separated Newtwok when implemented as part of the Separated Network. Use of the Buffer Protected Bike Lane will be counted towards Bicycle Lane Miles when implemented as part of the Separated Network.

Section 12.22.040 Requirements

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🗓 The meeting where this was taken up: Aug 7, 2023

Public Comment (3)

3 written comments received (2023-09-11). Letter-writers are named in the city's own agenda and are not republished here, by policy.