Cambridge Pilots Resident Bike Lottery Program

Cambridge opened applications for its Resident Bike Lottery Program on Monday, the city’s latest initiative to increase transportation and mobility for all its residents.

The program allows qualifying residents to apply for vouchers, which range from $800 to $3000, to fund the purchase of bikes. Residents with disabilities can also apply for a customized adaptive bike or electric wheelchair attachment.

Josefine Wendel, the transportation planner in charge of the program, said the program prioritized incorporating feedback from disabled residents and Cambridge’s immigrant population to ensure equitable transportation access for all.

“I think that having an opportunity for people to be able to own their own bike can give them a lot more mobility options,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity to help build community, and especially in this historic age of loneliness.”

The resident bike lottery is one of three programs that offers increased transportation options for Cambridge businesses and residents. The city has also partnered with Cambridge Bike Give Back, which refurbishes the bikes of eligible residents for free.

Local businesses in Cambridge can also apply for a voucher for E-Cargo Delivery bikes to help with local delivery services, a program which was developed during the pandemic. Annie R. Shawn ’07, a Cambridge Community Development Department spokesperson, said the program was designed to alleviate “the financial burden that these third party delivery services impose on the local businesses.”

All three programs are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act. The bike lottery, specifically, is expected to provide new bikes to more than 200 Cambridge residents.

While there are no current plans to extend the program beyond this year, Wendel said she is hopeful that they will be able to expand.

“We would love to continue this, but this is federal funding that is time limited,” she said. “There are no immediate plans to keep this going, but it would be amazing if we could.”

Wendel said she worked closely with Cambridge’s Community Engagement Team, which includes representatives from various immigrant communities, to incorporate diverse perspectives into the program’s development. Before the program’s launch, Wendel hosted an open house with physical therapists to help people navigate adaptive cycling.

“A lot of people with disabilities may not have or be able to drive their own vehicle, so they may be dependent on services to help them get around, and having an E-bike gives them an opportunity to be more independent,” Wendel said. “Those are the things that we envision, and the stories we will hope to get.”

The lottery program comes as Cambridge is working to revitalize its pedestrian infrastructure. The city is currently working to add nearly two miles of bike lanes on Broadway and has committed to installing 25 miles of separated bike lanes by November 2026.

As the city changes its infrastructure, residents continue to express concerns about bike safety in Cambridge after three cyclists were killed on city streets last year. But Wendel said that those who receive vouchers for bikes will also receive $150 for safety equipment like “helmets and locks and fenders,” as well as $100 for maintenance.

“We just wanted to make sure that we would do what we could to keep people safe,” she added.