Cambridge Plans to Begin Broadway Bike Lane Construction This Summer

Cambridge’s Bicycle Committee said the city plans to begin construction on separated bike lanes on Broadway by this summer, advancing a proposal which has been met with concern by some residents.

Bike lanes have long been a contentious topic in the city. In 2020, Cambridge committed to the ambitious goal of installing 25 miles of separated bike lanes on city streets by May 2026. But last spring, the council pushed the deadline to November of 2027.

After three cyclists were killed in the city last summer and fall, debates about pedestrian safety and infrastructure were reignited. But when the Cambridge City Council introduced a proposal to further expand bike lanes on Broadway in January, residents criticized the plan for reducing parking on the street.

In response to resident concerns, Andreas Wolfe, a design manager for the project, said the committee is working to solicit feedback on proposed changes to the street.

“We’re also talking to businesses,” he said, “getting feedback from the general public.”

The committee is specifically soliciting feedback on ‘Section A’ of the project, which extends from Columbia St. to Portland St. under the current proposal, the addition of separated bike lanes would reduce street parking — completely removing all parking from one side of the street.

“The separated bike lane corridor we have going from two sides of parking to one side of parking with Flex posts protecting the bike lane in each direction,” Wolfe said. “The parking kind of moving back and forth depending on the amount of parking we can pick up, based on driveway locations or land use needs, business needs, and general design consideration.”

Wolfe also noted that the project would work to incorporate flex posts to further bolster safety for pedestrians.

“There are flex posts proposed on the corners, and that's so that we can improve visibility for pedestrians, between pedestrians and drivers coming out of side streets with some kind of physical barrier so people don't park too close to the crosswalk,” he added.

Alongside the flex post installation, Wolfe said the city would include additional bus stops for special needs students of Fletcher-Maynard Academy. He added that the construction is expected to begin early this summer, after the committee has finished gathering feedback from residents.

Beyond the bike lane installation plans, the committee also discussed the upcoming Spring Bike Ride, voting nine-to-four to set the theme as the “Dogs of Cambridge.” The ride, which is set to take place mid-May, will include a series of stops at local dog parks and pet facilities.

“I think it would be fun,” Richard Frierman, the Committee Chair, said. “It would be light at a time when light is something we’re looking for.”