Springfield Installs First Bike Lanes

Lauren LeClaire

Written by
October 29, 2013

MassBike's work in Springfield is paying off! Over the weekend, Springfield installed its first continuous bike lane in the city on Plumtree Road, in the East Forest Park neighborhood. The striped bike lane is one mile long and provides a connection from Western New England University to destinations such as Sixteen Acres Center, a commercial district with restaurants and shopping, and a number of parks and ponds.

Last month, MassBike and the City of Springfield hosted a public meeting and information session to give neighborhood residents the opportunity to learn more about the bike lane project on Plumtree Road. It proved to be a productive meeting, and the end result is the implementation of a quality bicycle facility—the first of its kind—in the City of Springfield.

This exciting project would not be possible without the leadership of two key individuals: Al Chwalek, Executive Engineer of Springfield Department of Public Works, and Chris Cignoli, Springfield's City Engineer.

This work has been made possible through MassBike’s involvement in Live Well Springfield, a coalition of community organizations, including Partners for a Healthier Community, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, and the City of Springfield. The city's first bike lane is a direct result of that work. Read more about our efforts here.