Massachusetts Department of Transportation



TRAFFIC ADVISORY

Evening/Overnight Bridge Closure Boston University Bridge

On Sunday, February 21, 2010 through Thursday, March 4, 2010 the Boston University Bridge, which carries traffic over the Charles River between Cambridge and Boston, will be closed to traffic from 9 PM to 5 AM each week (Sunday to Thursday.) The upstream sidewalk will remain open during the bridge closure for bicycle and pedestrian access. Drivers are encourages to plan ahead and seek alternative routes during the closures.

MassDOT crews will be completing demolition work as part of the first phase of construction on the Boston University Bridge Rehabilitation Project. All Cambridge-to-Boston traffic and Boston-to-Cambridge traffic will be detoured to the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge. Buses and emergency vehicles will be permitted to cross the bridge.

For transportation news and updates visit the MassDOT website at
www.mass.gov/massdot
the MassDOT blog at
www.mass.gov/blog/transportation
or follow MassDOT on twitter at
www.twitter.com/massdot

Even though you may not be thinking about spring yet (unless you are wishing for its quick arrival), MassBike is busy preparing for an exciting 2010 spring season. We've got lots planned and we need your help!



Starting in late March, MassBike will be hitting the streets to reach bicyclists where we know they'll be: on their bikes. We'll have separate events to petition for our upcoming legislative campaign (more details soon), to hand out info based on our Same Road, Same Rules campaign, and continue doing our service stations for cyclists. To do this, we'll need lots of volunteers to help to flag down bicyclists and get the word out. We'll also need help tabling at events across the state to spread the news about bicycling and let people know what is going on at MassBike. All these events are fun and a great way for you to support bicycling in Massachusetts.

Plus, because some of our volunteers will be out in the great wide open, we'll need extra office support. Our monthly volunteer nights are a good way to meet other bicyclists and help out the cause. Spots fill up quick, though, so RSVP early. We'll also need help in the office during the workday to complete some of the less glamorous, but just as important aspects of bicycle advocacy.

Volunteer events will be happening all the time throughout the spring and summer. To find out what is going on, check out our volunteer calendar, which will be filling up with events soon.

Volunteer support makes MassBike work! Come out and lend a hand.

[caption id="attachment_1142" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="click for larger"][/caption]

Don't Miss this inspiring slide show about a physical and cultural bicycle journey across Central Asia. Listen to Sage Cohen from the Boston University School of Public Health tell her tale of cycling across some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain on earth. Be inspired, and awed by this amazing bicycle journey through Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Xinjiang, Tibet and Nepal.

Arrive at 6:30 to enjoy light refreshments with new and familiar friends - presentation at 7pm.

This event is a benefit fundraiser for MassBike, all donations will go to support MassBike. Sliding scale admission ($5 minimum, $10 suggested $40 or more gets you a free MassBike membership).

Thursday March 18th, 6:30-9pm at the BU George Sherman Union. 775 Comm. Ave (2nd floor conference auditorium)

The Clean Air and Mobility Program (CLAMP)

$2,000,000 in federal funds available for wide range of small transportation projects including bicycle and pedestrian facilities

The Boston Metro MPO has launched the Clean Air and Mobility Program in order to fund a wider variety of projects that improve air quality and mobility, and reduce congestion in the region using federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds. There is $2 million in funds available in federal fiscal year 2010 for CMAQ-eligible projects and programs. The deadline for proposals for funding in the Clean Air and Mobility program is April 1, 2010. There will be four public seminars to provide opportunities to discuss the program with MPO staff. MPO staff will also provide technical assistance to applicants.

Regional transit authorities, municipalities, transportation management associations, chambers of commerce, and nonprofit transportation advocacy groups in the MPO region are invited to submit proposals. All projects must have an RTA, a municipality, or a transportation agency as a fiduciary agent. Joint proposals are accepted.

There are three meetings in Feburary:

Wednesday, February 17, 9:00 AM:



Wednesday, February 24, 9:00 AM: TIP "How-To" Seminar Weymouth Town Hall, Council Chambers

We encourage you to attend meetings and talk to your local officials

 

More information can be found at http://www.mapc.org/smart-growth/transportation/funding-programs or contact Eric Bourassa, Transportation Manager, MAPC, at [email protected] or 617-451-2270, ext. 2043; or Hayes Morrison, TIP Program Manager, MPO staff, at [email protected] or 617-973-7129.

We get a lot of questions here at MassBike, and we like to think we also give some pretty good answers. We realized that sharing these questions and answers on our website would be a valuable resource to others looking for the same information.

We got this question from Scott about art bikes.

Do you have any leads on art bike groups that can be hired for a festival in Boston?

Hello Scott

I am pretty sure what you mean by art bikes are bicycles done up in awesome/outrageous/artistic ways, including custom built bikes (low riders, tall bikes, etc). The only organization I can think of are the wonderful folks over at SCUL, while I am not sure you can "hire" them as they are a quote "an anti-elite band of pilots testing out experimental ships, exploring the Greater Boston Starystems and occasionally other galaxies. We are an organized battalion of funk." they might show up if you asked nicely. Learn more about SCUL here.

Below is some examples of their work

[gallery link="file" columns="2"]

If you know of any other groups like this that could help Scott out leave the link in the comments.

I just got road-raged on my own suburban street. I was stopped at a red light, doing exactly what the law and safety required me to do. But that simply wasn't good enough for this particular motorist. He pulled up behind me. Then honked, clearly wanting me to get out of his way. But where could I go?

• Through the red light? No - that's illegal (and often dangerous).


• Pick up my bike and move to either edge of the lane? No - the lane is too narrow for a car to squeeze by safely. And, come on, just because my vehicle is light enough to pick up and move doesn't mean I should have to.


• Into the left-turn lane? No - there were already cars waiting there.

So I waited a few more seconds, the light turned green and I started pedaling across the street. The motorist, rather than just make his right turn, felt it was important to yell at me for not getting out of his way (as if I had been selfish), then drop an f-bomb when I reminded him, more or less politely, of my right to be on the road. The whole incident probably lasted 15 seconds.

Motorists often accuse bicyclists of wanting it both ways: Wanting drivers to respect us on the road, while ignoring traffic laws at will. OK, there's some truth to that.

But motorists often seem to want it both ways too: Wanting bicyclists to follow the law, except when it inconveniences motorists. Then they prefer us to break whatever law is necessary, or put ourselves in danger, or just get the heck out of the way, just so they don't have to slow down or wait a few seconds.

How about this for a thought: Nobody can have it both ways. If we all keep sending each other mixed messages, then getting to work, school, home, or the store will continue to be a competitive sport. People will continue to kill or be killed (sometimes literally) simply to save a few seconds. Or we, as individuals and as a society, can choose a different way.

MassBike is once again coordinating the Massachusetts delegation to the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC, on March 9-11, 2010. The Summit is organized by the League of American Bicyclists, and brought more than 500 dedicated bicyclists to DC last year. This is your opportunity to help us get more federal money for bicycling projects and programs from Congress. That money translates directly to bike lanes, rail trails, bike parking, education, Safe Routes to School, and much more. We need to show Congress and the federal government that bicyclists are a major political force!

We do all the hard work setting up meetings for you with our Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill - all you have to do is show up (easy), meet other bicyclists from all over the country (fun), and visit Congress with us (inspiring)! Click here for details

It makes our visits with Congress much stronger if voters from each district are with us. We've got Metro Boston and the Springfield area pretty well covered, but we could use more representation from everywhere else in the state - North Shore, South Shore, Cape & Islands, Metrowest, Worcester, Pioneer Valley, Berkshires - we need all of you.

We wish we could make this free, but you will be responsible for the Summit registration fee, transportation to DC, and accommodations (home stays may be available).  But think of it as an investment in the future of bicycling in Massachusetts and America! Click here to register SAVE $$$ - REGISTER BY FEBRUARY 4TH

Need more information or have questions? Contact MassBike Executive Director David Watson at 617-542-2453 or [email protected]

EDIT: This post has been updated, see here for more recent information! Thanks.

We here at MassBike know that all kinds of people ride bikes. Unfortunately, many motorists only get to see bicyclists from behind. Sometimes they forget that bicyclists aren't just two wheels and a metal frame, but that those of us on bikes are neighbors, doctors, janitors, teachers, grocers, moms, grandmas, sons, senior citizens, students, and just about everyone else.



The people they pass on the side of the street are not just bicyclists, they are your doctor, or your mother, or your friend. That's why MassBike needs your help! We're collecting bicyclists' stories to put a face on bicycling. We're calling it our "...And I ride" series. We'll be posting profiles of bicyclists on our website throughout the year to highlight the diversity of bike riders. Help us spread the word that everyone has a bicyclist in their life!

You may ride a few times a year or every day; maybe you ride your bike to get to work or you ride just for fun; maybe you only ride in charity rides or you're a racer”if you ride a bike, we want your story! We're looking for "I'm a lawyer... and I ride."; "I'm a housewife... and I ride."; "I'm a grandfather... and I ride."; "I'm a nurse... and I ride." Tell us about your relationship to the people in your life so that we can let them know that everyday folks are out there riding bikes.



We are collecting these stories as part of our legislation campaign. We will be telling your stories to the public, to politicians, and to the rest of the cycling community. We'll be doing "...And I Ride" posts throughout the year. Keep your eyes open for fellow bicyclists and in the meantime, send us your story and help put a face on bicycling!

We need to hear your story. Tell us about yourself and how your bike is a part of your life. Just copy and paste the form below into an email, fill it in, and send it to [email protected]

• Name:



• Email:



• Where You Ride:



• How Often You Ride:



• Your Profession/Relation/Title (lawyer, nurse, Grandma, son, etc):



• A picture of you on your bicycle, or you in your daily life( be sure we can see your face):



• A paragraph or two about your life and your bicycle:

States with the lowest levels of biking and walking have higher traffic fatalities and chronic disease. A new report released today by the Alliance for Biking & Walking shows that lack of investment in biking and walking could be contributing to higher traffic fatalities and chronic disease rates in the U.S. Bicycling and Walking in the United States: The 2010 Benchmarking Report reveals that in almost every state and major U.S. city, bicyclists and pedestrians are at a disproportionate risk of being killed, and receive less than their fair share of transportation dollars.

While 10% of trips in the U.S. are by bike or foot, 13% of traffic fatalities are bicyclists and pedestrians. Biking and walking receive less than 2% of federal transportation dollars. Seniors are at an even greater risk. While adults over 65 make up 9% of walking trips and 4% of biking trips, they account for 19% of pedestrian fatalities and 9% of bicyclist fatalities.



State investment choices can be a life or death issue for people who walk and bike, says Jeff Miller, President of the Alliance. Creating safe streets for everyone will save lives and improve health and quality of life in communities.



The report also highlights the fact that states with the lowest levels of biking and walking have, on average, the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. In contrast states with the highest levels of biking and walking have, on average, the lowest rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. In addition, where rates of biking and walking are greater, more of the adult population is likely to achieve the 150 minutes of weekly moderate-intensity aerobic activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to CDC, physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from the leading causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers.



The report also ranks states and the 51 largest U.S. cities in biking and walking levels, safety, funding, advocacy, and policies. It further compares U.S. cities to their international peers finding that overall, U.S. investment in biking and walking lags far behind that of other developed nations. This may explain why the U.S. has fewer people who bike and walk than its international peers.

Miller says, our data show that increasing investment in biking and walking could lead to more people biking and walking. The more people bike and walk, the safer it is and the healthier the community. It's a virtuous cycle.

Bicycling and Walking in the United States was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made possible through additional support from Bikes Belong Coalition and Planet Bike. For more information and to download the report visit http://www.PeoplePoweredMovement.org/benchmarking.

For a fact sheet highlighting report findings click here. (pdf)

[caption id="attachment_1081" align="aligncenter" width="391" caption="Source: 2007 ACS Notes This ranking is based on the combined bike and walk to work share from the 2007 ACS. The number one position indicates the state and city with the highest share of commuters who commute by bicycle or foot. View graphs illustrating this data on pages 34 and 35 of this report."][/caption]

You can download the full report here. (pdf)