Call for comments - your voice is needed! The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has released the Draft Statewide Bicycle Transportation Plan, now available for public comment through the end of January. MassDOT is asking you to review the plan and provide feedback, either directly to the DOT (and cc us at MassBike) or to us at MassBike (bikeinfo@massbike.org) and we will collect your comments to send into the DOT by January 31st.

While you can read the full draft here, it's a dense document that can be tough to digest online. So we've boiled it down to highlight shorter sections and focus on the areas where you can have the most impact.

Initiative 1: Build a Connected Trail Network

Initiative 1 begins with data: a state-wide inventory of bike facilities, a catalog of high comfort networks and statistical model which identifies areas with the greatest potential for every day biking. This information is used to prioritize improvements to MassDOT/DCR controlled properties. It will be shared with regional planners and municipalities to encourage improvements and connectivity on locally controlled properties.

Actions

1-1. Initiate high-comfort bikeway projects on MassDOT-owned roadways to help improve bike and trail connectivity through the Potential for Everyday Biking analysis, which identifies non-limited access roadways with the highest potential demand for bikeway investments.
1-2. Provide guidance to 13 regional planning agencies about how to apply the Potential for Everyday Biking analysis to support local and regional bicycle network planning.
1-3. Provide training to municipalities on how to plan for and build high-comfort bikeways and connected bicycle networks; to promote funding programs that municipalities can use to build them (i.e. Complete Streets Funding Program, Chapter 90, Safe Routes to School, regional MPO funds); and to promote the Municipal Resource Guide for Bikeability.
1-4. Coordinate with partner state agencies and regional planning agencies to develop route wayfinding design guidelines to include in all projects to help direct people to high comfort bikeway routes.
1-5. In coordination with the RTCs, develop and communicate best practice designs and strategies to connect shared use paths, high-comfort bikeways, town centers, and end-of-trip facilities to promote bicycle tourism and economic development.

Initiative 2: Integrate the Bike Network with the Transportation System

Municipalities, which control about 80% of roadways in the Commonwealth, rely on MassDOT for standards and frameworks when designing and building transportation projects. Initiative 2 integrates the MassDOT bicycle data and analysis into the decision making and design processes for all transportation projects.

Actions

2-1. Revise the Healthy Transportation Policy and Healthy Transportation Policy Engineering Directive to ensure that designs attract potential everyday bicyclists. To support this effort, MassDOT will develop design criteria and guidance for roadways and intersections based on motor vehicle volume, speed, and curbside activity.
2-2. Use the Potential for Everyday Biking analysis (described in Initiative 1) to inform project boundaries, scope, and design of projects on state-owned roadways and bridges.
2-3. Fill critical gaps by preserving and ensuring adequate right-of-way for high comfort bike networks when selling, leasing, transferring, or providing an easement on MassDOT or MBTA property.
2-4. Ensure issues and opportunities to create safe and connected bikeways are studied and implemented when MassDOT is reviewing development projects as part of the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act and access permit proposals. MassDOT will update the Transportation Impact Assessment guidelines for environmental review documents as needed.
2-5. Ensure that bike access is incorporated in transportation projects within a 10-minute bike ride (1.7 miles) to a transit stop or station throughout the project development process, from scoping to scoring, design, review, and construction.
2-6. Develop design guidance and adopt new standards for bikeway types, temporary traffic controls, and maintenance with the goal of attracting potential everyday bicyclists based on experiments and pilots in Massachusetts and across the country.

Initiative 3: Education and Regulations

Initiative 3 promotes roadway safety through education for people driving and people bicycling. It also pursues better safety standards for motor vehicles.

Actions

3-1. Develop and execute a transition plan to require side guards and convex and cross-over mirrors where appropriate on MassDOT-owned and contracted trucks consistent with US DOT Volpe standards.
3-2. Revise the Commercial Driver License manual and on-road testing with a greater emphasis on interactions with people biking in different contexts, such as urban or rural environments.
3-3. Expand the scope of the RMV’s driver’s manual to better educate people who currently bicycle or may bicycle on the rules of the road and bicycle facilities. Update the manual periodically with new bicycle facilities and rules as they evolve.
3-4. Expand the scope of the RMV’s driver’s manual and test to bring awareness of how people driving should interact with people biking on our roadways and where and how people bicycling should ride in public ways.
3-5. Incorporate additional strategies into the Safe Routes to School program to increase education and training for children to learn about bicycling and also general roadway safety.

Initiative 4: Lower Barriers to Using a Bicycle

Initiative 4 increases the convenience of biking as an everyday travel option for people of all ages and abilities by expanding bike share and making bike share easier to use.

Actions

4-1. Increase the ease of obtaining a bicycle by integrating bikeshare and other micro-mobility options with transit payment technologies via Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) 2.0 technology, or with MA E-Z Pass technology.
4-2. Expand the MBTA’s bicycle parking program as part of a comprehensive mobility program to increase ease and access for people to get to and from transit without having to rely on a personally owned car.
4-3. Increase access to bicycles through developing comprehensive bikeshare partnerships with a focus on providing first and last mile solutions to and from transit.
4-4. Increase access to bicycle parking by collaborating with regional planning agencies on an “Everyday Bike Parking Program” to help municipalities select and site convenient bike parking at schools, transit stops, and business districts.
4-5. Research and develop a policy that supports electric and pedal assist bicycle use to enable more people of all ages and abilities to bicycle more often and for longer trips. Partner with municipalities to pilot street designs and speed limit changes to support a variety of mobility devices.

Initiative 5: Maintain the Bicycle Network

Initiative 5 launches the development of a year-round maintenance and operations plan for MassDOT-owned bikeways and supports municipalities to do the same.

Actions

5-1. Establish a winter operations pilot program on MassDOT facilities for snow and ice removal to learn about operational needs and barriers, as well as prospective partnerships.
5-2. Develop a comprehensive winter maintenance and operations plan post-pilot program for MassDOT-owned bikeways.
5-3. Initiate a program to collect bikeway condition data.
5-4. Develop a maintenance plan for MassDOT-owned bikeways to address facility preservation and repair based on condition data (bikeway surface, including drainage and surface utilities, and associated elements like signs, pavement markings, signals, buffer spaces, and corner islands).
5-5. Support municipalities to maintain their on- and off-street bikeways and related bike facilities.

Initiative 6: Build a Data set of Bicycle Usage

Transportation projects are currently prioritized and designed using standardized data gathered on motor vehicle usage, effectively making them motor vehicle projects. No comparable data set exists for bicycle usage. Initiative 6 develops standards for documenting bicycle usage and safety to inform transportation projects.

Actions

6-1. Conduct public surveys to continue to learn about bicycle use and the biggest barriers to bicycling in Massachusetts to inform policy, programs, and projects.
6-2. Identify data needs to conduct safety analysis involving vehicles in coordination with the State’s TRCC to evaluate crash data reporting, improve bicycle reporting, and adopt best practices from other states.
6-3. Routinely update the statewide Bicycle Facility Inventory with District Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinators and municipal and regional partners. Transition the inventory into a GeoDOT web application that includes existing data and incorporates additional data to advance connected bike network planning and design statewide, including the Potential for Everyday Biking analysis results, Bicycle Level of Comfort data consistent with Action 1-1, and streets on which biking is legally allowed.
6-4. Expand information-gathering regarding bicycle crashes through sources other than vehicle crash reports to better understand crashes involving other bicyclists, pedestrians, solo bike crashes and near misses that are typically not reported on the standard motor vehicle crash form.
6-5. Develop a permanent pedestrian and bicycle count program with a combination of temporary and permanent counters, and travel behavior surveys. As a first step, MassDOT will conduct a pedestrian and bicycle count pilot study to assess data collection technologies.

Below are the bills that have been filed which MassBike will support for the 2019-2020 legislative session.

1. An Act requiring the hands-free use of mobile telephones while driving

Filed by: Representative Joseph Wagner and Representative Paul Donato (HD1534) Senator Mark Montigny (SD1383)

Docket Numbers: HD1534 and SD1383

This bill would ban the use of handheld electronic devices while driving. Distracted driving is a public health epidemic on our roads that causes nine fatalities a day and injures nearly 400,000 people annually across the US (NHTSA). This bill would reduce overall phone use when people are behind the wheel, decreasing driver distraction. This bill would assist police officers in enforcing the ban on texting while driving, which is ineffective because police officers cannot easily tell whether a driver is texting or dialing a phone number.

What this legislation does:

• Authorizes police officers to stop and issue citations to motorists using handheld mobile electronic devices
• Determines a penalty of $100 for a first offense, by a fine of $250 for a second offense and by a fine of $500 for a third or subsequent offense.

Success in other states:

If passed in Massachusetts, this law would bring the Commonwealth in line with 16 other states - including the neighboring states of NH, VT, NY, CT and RI. Recent data from Georgia shows a 22% decrease in driver distraction (“swiping and typing”) after they enacted their hands-free law (TrueMotion).

2. An Act Relative to automated enforcement

Filed by: Senator William Brownsberger (SD1461)

Docket Numbers: SD1461

This bill would allow red light cameras and speed cameras to be placed in certain locations by local option. Violations would include speeding, failure to stop at a red light, illegal turn on red, and failure to stop for a school bus.

What this legislation does:

• Enables a municipality to determine where cameras should be placed, within certain density and safety parameters
• Provides restrictions around use and dissemination of images in order to protect drivers’ and vehicle owners’ privacy
• Determines a maximum penalty of $25 for each violation, which will not be counted as a criminal conviction and will not be made part of the operating record of the vehicle owner (will not add points to the owner’s license, affect insurance premiums, or result in license revocation).
• Creates procedures for notifying the public about locations where cameras are in use

Success in other states:

When enacted in other states, automated enforcement has reduced speeding and serious crashes.
Over 400 U.S. communities use red light cameras and over 130 communities in the U.S. use cameras to enforce speed laws (NCSL). A review of 28 Automated Speed Enforcement studies found that cameras reduced crashes between 8-49% (NTSB’s report). In Maryland, a study showed that the proportion of drivers traveling more than 10 mph above the speed limit declined by about 70% for locations with warning signs and speed camera enforcement [Traffic Injury Prevention Journal].

3. An Act to reduce traffic fatalities

Filed by: Senator William Brownsberger (SD847) and Representative Jonathan Hecht, Representative Mike Rogers (HD1653)

Docket Numbers: SD847 and HD 1653

An Act to reduce traffic fatalities would ensure basic, but necessary traffic regulations to guarantee that everyone on our streets can expect to get from point A to point B safely. This bill would achieve several traffic safety goals including equipping state-contracted trucks with safety side guards, setting a safe passing distance of at least three feet, lowering speed limits on state roads, and more.

What this legislation does:

• Lowers the default speed limit on state highways and parkways in thickly settled areas from 30 mph to 25 mph
• Require state-contracted trucks to be equipped with safety side-guards and mirrors to reduce fatalities of people walking and biking
• Defines ‘vulnerable road users’ to include people walking and biking; roadside workers; people using wheelchairs, scooters, skateboards, roller skates, etc.
• Sets a safe passing distance of vulnerable road users of at least three feet
• Develops a standardized analysis tool to be used to report crashes and incidents involving a person biking or walking

Why is this legislation needed?

In Massachusetts, electric bicycles lack a specific vehicle classification, causing them to to fall within terms primarily aimed at combustion engine vehicles such as mopeds or scooters. These classifications that were never intended to apply e-bikes. This legal scheme creates significant confusion for consumers and retailers, and hinders the electric bicycle market. In order to clarify state law and properly regulate electric bicycles like traditional bicycles, it is critical to understand the existing legal rules that govern electric bicycles.

What other states use the classification system in this bill?

Michigan, Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona, Washington, Tennessee, Arkansas, Colorado, Utah, and California.

Why is the top speed for Class 3 e-bikes 28 MPH?

These rules would provide uniform product standards between the US and European markets, where bikes with a top speed of 45 kph (approximately 28mph) are classified as a “speed pedelec.”

I have read the federal definition of an e-bike and it says that the top speed is 20MPH. How are class 3 e-bikes legal given the federal definition?

The 20 MPH threshold applies when the e-bike is being operated “solely” under motor power. However, e-bikes are most commonly ridden under a combination of human and motor power. The federal definition does not provide a top speed for when an e-bike is being operated under combined human and motor power. The class 3 definition clarifies this ambiguity by specifying the maximum assisted speed for e-bikes at 28MPH.

Can e-bikes be safely operated on bike paths?

Yes. Researchers who have compared riders of e-bikes and regular bikes at the University of Tennessee observed that e-bikes riders exhibit similar safety behavior as riders of traditional bicycles. Perhaps most importantly, e-bike riders traveled at similar speeds to riders of human powered bicycles. They rode slightly faster when riding on the road (+1.8 mph), but actually slower than regular bikes riders when on bicycle paths (-1 mph).

Why not regulate e-bikes at the federal level?

E-bikes have been regulated federally since 2002. However, as with other consumer products, the federal regulations are limited to product safety. They do not specify where e-bikes may be ridden or what rules of the road govern their use. While the federal government can intervene in these matters in very rare situations, the rules of the road are generally a matter of state law. Other emerging technologies have followed the same path of creating new state traffic laws to address the use of these devices on our streets. This includes segways, autocycles, and commercial quadricycles.

How can anyone tell what an e-bike is?

E-bikes are becoming more and more difficult to distinguish from regular bicycles. The labeling requirement in the model bill is a proactive measure on behalf of the industry to ensure that law enforcement or land managers can easily tell that a bicycle is in fact an e-bike, and quickly asses which type of e-bike it is.

Can people tamper with e-bikes?

Like other mechanized or motorized devices, it possible that a user could tamper with an e-bike. We have inserted a tampering provision in the model bill that will place the onus on the owner to have a properly labeled bike if that were to occur. If a someone was to tamper with an e-bike and create a machine that can travel faster than any of the specified classifications of e-bikes, they would presumably be operating an unlicensed and unregistered vehicle, and would be subject to any applicable penalties.

Does the bill regulate e-bikes off-road?

No, it only amends the traffic laws located in the revised vehicle code. The bill will provide rules for the regulation of e-bikes on our streets and on bicycle paths. The bill does not address the use of e bike on trails.

Who is the typical purchaser of an e-bike?

All types of people purchase and use e-bikes, especially older, baby-boomer purchasers, parents who want to carry children as passengers and cargo, and people who prefer the purchase of an e-bike over a car.

How many e-bike are sold each year in the U.S.?

Approximately 260,000 e-bikes are sold annually in the U.S. However, they are the fast growing segment of the bicycle sales, with approximately 75% year over year growth.

How much do e-bikes cost?

Entry-level e-bikes are about $1,500.

Why distinguish between class 1 and class 2 e-bikes in the bill if the rules are the same?

The distinction between these two types of e-bikes provides for greater local flexibility. Some municipalities have demonstrated an interest in prohibiting throttle-powered e-bikes from certain types of infrastructure, and this bill provides the flexibility to take those measures if they are desired on a local level.

Does the rider have to be pedaling for the e-bike's motor to be engaged?

It depends on the type of e-bike. For Class 1 and Class 3 e-bikes, the rider must be pedaling for the motor to be engaged. For Class 2 e-bikes, the motor can propel the e-bike without the rider pedaling.

FAQ created with help from 

The use of electric-assist bicycles (“e-bikes”) has grown rapidly over the last 5 years. Modern e-bikes often look indistinguishable from a “regular” bike but have robust batteries and technology which are capable of sensing when a rider needs a helping hand over a hill, into a headwind, or accelerating from a stop. While e-bikes have existed for years, recent advances in technology have allowed batteries to become smaller, lighter, cheaper, and longer range, enhancing the usefulness, appeal, and affordability of these machines. E-bikes appeal to many types of people but particularly for those who use them as a tool to overcome limited physical fitness, for people running everyday errands who want to carry heavier loads, and for parents transporting children. In addition, several bike share systems have begun adding e-bikes to their fleet in Pioneer Valley, in the LimeBike network, and elsewhere around the system, enhancing the appeal of bikeshare for everyday riding.

Unfortunately, in Massachusetts the laws around e-bikes were written with mopeds and scooters in mind, before the widespread adoption of modern battery technology. As e-bike sales continue to climb and bike share operators seek to integrate these into their fleets, opportunity for conflict and confusion with existing laws will grow.

Current E-Bike Law in Massachusetts

Under Massachusetts state law, an e-bike can be interpreted as being a “motorized bicycle” which would make e-bikes subject to different rules of the road from regular bicycles, such as:

E-bike riders must carry a driver’s license and are subject to registration requirements.
No one under 16 years of age can use an e-bike.
E-bikes are prohibited from all bike paths, as well as all sidewalks, regardless of local context.

Our Proposed Changes:

MassBike is proposing to update Massachusetts’ e-bike law to differentiate between low-speed and higher-speed electric bicycles. While regulatory control would remain with the juridictions, landowners, and departments, MassBike suggests low-speed electric bicycles be treated like regular bicycles, while higher-speed e-bikes would have additional safety requirements.

The same rules of the road would apply to both e-bikes and human-powered bicycles when it comes to speed, proper passing, following local traffic laws, obeying posted speed limits, and other state and local ordinances.

The proposed change would be consistent with laws already passed in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington.

Our proposal would define an electric bicycle as a device with 2 or 3 wheels which has a saddle and fully-operative pedals for human propulsion and an electric motor having a power output of not more than 750 watts. An electric bicycle would meet one of the following three classes:

CLASS 1: Bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.
CLASS 2: Bicycle equipped with a throttle-actuated motor that ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 20 mph.
CLASS 3: Bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches 28 mph.

Cities and towns would retain the right to restrict, regulate, or prohibit the use of e-bikes in parks, paths, and trails. MassBike recommends that in the absence of local ordinances, the slower Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes would be allowed on paths and trails, while the Class 3 e-bikes would only be allowed on roadways.

The e-bike class model also allows municipalities to permit e-bikes on paths or bikeways where they are traditionally not allowed, for example, in the event that an alternative route is considered hazardous.

These regulatory updates would also mean that:

• E-bikes and e-bike riders would not be subject to the provisions of the code relating to financial responsibility, vehicle insurance, driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, or certificates of title.
• Helmets would be required for riders of Class 3 e-bikes
• Persons under 16 years would not be able to ride a Class 3 e-bike, unless as a passenger on a bike designed for that purpose.
• All e-bike manufacturers must apply a standard label to each e-bike specifying its type and wattage.
• Any tampering or modification of the motor would require replacement of the standard label.
• The definitions of motorized bicycle or motor vehicle would exclude that of an electric bicycle.

Want to read more about e-bikes? Click here for our in depth FAQ.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a MassBike member! With your one time gift and annual membership, we can continue our work towards a more bicycle friendly experience for you and other riders in your community. The impact we have across the state grows each year and with your help, Massachusetts can be the number one state for bicycling.

When you become a member, MassBike will keep you informed through emails, social media, and events as to what is going on in your community. We'll keep you connected with updates on work being done in your area. As a member, you're joining a diverse network of members who seek to improve our roads, paths, laws, and educational programs.

Make your one-time gift now to become a year-long member of MassBike!

Since 1977, MassBike has relied on the generous contributions of its members to work towards a more bicycle friendly Commonwealth for all riders. The more MassBike's membership base grows, the louder our collective voice becomes to create solutions for the traffic, health, and environmental challenges. We can't do it alone, we depend on your support! Donate now and become a member by choosing one of the options below.

If you're looking to join or renew an existing individual membership, family membership, or other membership type, don't worry! When you make your one-time or monthly gift today, we will automatically update your existing membership.

WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP IN MASSBIKE MEAN? 

IMPACT

Whether you give once a year or make a sustaining monthly contribution, your membership will ensure that our statewide work remains strong. The impact that we have in communities across the state grows each year and with your help, we can reach all 351 cities and towns.

INFORMATION

Once you become a member, MassBike will keep you informed through action alert emails, social media, and events as to what is going on in your community. As we work to pass bicycle friendly laws, create new educational programs, and make infrastructure progress, you'll be among the first to hear about it.

INVOLVEMENT

By being a MassBike member you'll be alongside a diverse network of passionate advocates who seek to improve bicycling throughout the state. Through events, our regional chapters, and volunteer opportunities, you'll be connected with this exciting group as we all work together to make progress.

Looking for a way for your business or organization to get involved? Consider a business membership with MassBike!

MassBike is on a mission to shine bright lights across the Commonwealth. As we approach darker months of the year and the fall time-change, rider safety can become more challenging. Throughout the entire month of October and onward, MassBike will raise funds to purchase lights from Planet Bike, to distribute and install on bikes.

Now that October is behind us, we still encourage you to participate in the Lights Brigade! The fundraising and distribution of lights will be on going throughout the year so if you haven't donated yet, please give today!

A huge thank you to all who have contributed to the 2018 Lights Brigade, especially our business partners Digital Lumens, Cycle Massachusetts, Breakstone White & Gluck, and the Charles River Wheelers.

Want to help distribute lights in your community? Please contact us!

Why a Lights Brigade?

As we approach darker months of the year and the fall time-change, rider safety can become more challenging so we want to light up the night and make sure riders are easily seen on the roadways. Simply being seen is one of the most important ways to make a bike rider safer. But too often we find people caught on their bikes with inadequate lighting. This can be a simple lack of awareness or they cannot afford lights. In either case, MassBike wants to help make sure riders are seen on the roadways and get to where they need to go safely.

The lights being distributed will be a front and a rear light from Planet Bike. With replaceable batteries, these lights can be reused at a low cost to the rider.

A donation of just $10 will provide a set of lights to a rider in need!

Can you help us raise awareness of the importance of lights on bikes? Donate today!

As a part of our Affiliate Club Membership program, you, as a member of North Shore Cyclists, can join MassBike for just $10! 

WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP IN MASSBIKE MEAN? 

IMPACT

Supporting MassBike with a year long membership will ensure that our statewide work will continue. The impact we have in communities across the state grows each year and with your help Massachusetts can be the number one state for bicycling.

INFORMATION

MassBike will keep you informed through emails, social media, and events as to what is going on in your community.

INVOLVEMENT

When you join MassBike, you are alongside a diverse network of over 3000 members who seek to improve our roads and paths. Through events and volunteer opportunities, you'll be connected with this exciting group.

BENEFITS

• Discounted entry into certain MassBike events

• Zipcar membership Discount

• 10% Auto insurance discount with Environmental Insurance Agency

• Discounted rates on MassBike educational classes

• Coupons, discounts, and sponsor samples (subject to availability)

• Volunteer Opportunities

• Emails on breaking advocacy news and events

• Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent allowable by law

MassBike believes in businesses that create opportunities for sustainable transit and recreation for their employees and the community. Those companies who have demonstrated commitment to equitable transportation solutions are highlighted here as part of our Business Membership program. In addition to the support of our individual members, MassBike relies on the generous contributions from our partner organizations. Interested in becoming a business member? Email Deputy Director Tom Francis at Tom@massbike.org for more information.

Executive & Presenting

Leaders

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3cross Brewery

DuVine Cycling Adventures

Ciclismo Classico

Show the Commonwealth that your business supports its employees pedaling to work. As thanks for your generosity, MassBike offers classes, programs, assessments, and more to help your office grow and improve.

Want some ideas of how you can do more for your employees and your business? Check out this short video on four Boston-area businesses and how they help to create healthier workers, more competitive companies, new business opportunities, and a sense of community.