
Father's Day Ride Recap and Mill Street Update
On June 16th, almost 40 riders, of all ages and abilities, joined MassBike to celebrate Father's Day with a group bike ride on Mill Street. It was a picture-perfect day that was complemented by the spotting of a bald eagle overhead just before 11 am. The ride reconfirmed that the development of biking infrastructure in Worcester is essential for everyone to feel safe and experience bike joy with their families and friends.
The event was also a very nice opportunity for participants from the first and second phases of the E-Bike Program to roll together. While our ride showcased how the parking-protected bike lanes increase safety for bicyclists of all ages, we appreciated the access to police detail, which helped with traffic control at our turn-around points to allow everyone to feel extra comfortable.
We originally planned a shorter ride along Mill Street to accommodate young riders. However, some participants felt that the initially planned two-mile ride wasn’t enough and asked to ride the whole length of the parking-protected bike lanes. Thanks to ride leaders from WalkBikeWorcester and Worcester Bike Alliance, an enthusiastic group was able to ride the entire length of the parking-protected lanes for a second time.
Thank you to Carlos, our photographer, and the Barr Foundation for providing photography support; the images captured really showcased the spirit of the event and how the community has come together around safer roadways in Worcester! We appreciate everyone who joined us for this special event and we hope to roll with you again soon!
Mill Street Parking-Protected Bike Lanes to Stay
Thanks to local advocacy from better bicycling supporters like you, the Mill Street parking-protect bike lanes will remain in place for now! Over 30 people joined the City Council meeting to speak in support of the bike lanes, citing that they made Mill Street safer and many have observed that traffic has been calmer since the installation of the bike lanes. Additional signage is now in place, and flex posts will soon be added to the lane for additional safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. Over the next six months, data will be collected about Mill Street and submitted to the City Council for review.
These protected bike lanes are a big step for safer roadways in Worcester and we hope the beginning of more protected infrastructure for the City. We encourage those interested in advocating for safer roadways in Worcester, to join WalkBike Worcester’s mailing list for local updates.