Boston's Public Works Department will be reconstructing several Jamaica Plain streets this year to grow the city's network of low-stress bike routes, and community feedback is wanted to shape the projects.
This year's JP Better Bike Lanes projects include Green Street and Seaverns Avenue/Gordon Street, Eliot Street, McBride Street, and Boylston Street. There are two upcoming open houses on May 3 and May 11 (more info below) to discuss and learn more about the proposals. There will also be community walks to physically go to the streets to discuss the proposals with city personnel.
Eliot Street
The Public Works Department is planning to allow bicycling in both directions on Eliot Street between the Emerald Necklace and Centre Street. Eliot Street was selected because it provides a direct link from the Emerald Necklace to Centre Street. A contraflow bike lane will formalize it as a two-way connection for bicyclists. The street will remain one-way for vehicle traffic. Additional speed humps to encourage safe driving speeds may be constructed. The city has said that changes may be needed to where vehicle parking is allowed.
Starter design for Eliot Street Better Bike plan.
McBride Street
The Public Works Department plans to reconstruct sidewalks and include curb ramps on McBride Street. The city will add a westbound contraflow bike lane, making the street a two-way connection for bicyclists, and keep it one-way eastbound for vehicles. McBride Street was selected because it is a relatively flat route between the Southwest Corridor Bike Path and South Street while other parallel streets are hillier.
City's JP Better Bikes Plan project for McBride Street
Green Street and Seaverns Avenue
The city is considering several ideas for Green Street and Seaverns Avenue, which connect the Southwest Corridor Bike Path to Centre Street's business district. Ideas include contraflow and standard bike lanes, and the city has said community feedback will inform the final design direction.
Boylston Street
Boylston Street was selected because it provides a direct link between the Southwest Corridor Bike Path and Centre Street. The city's plan is to install a contraflow bike lane on Boylston Street in the eastbound direction from Centre Street to Lamartine Street. The contraflow bike lane will provide a two-way connection for people biking while keeping the street one-way for westbound vehicle traffic. The plan includes that people biking westbound, with traffic, will use a shared lane with traffic.
The proposal includes adding speed humps to encourage safer driving speeds. The plan includes making changes to where parking is allowed because Boylston Street is quite narrow in some sections.
With South Huntington Avenue, Boylston Street will be part of a continuous two-way bicycle route between the Southwest Corridor Bike Path to the Emerald Necklace Path at Huntington Avenue.
The city's vision for Boylston Street
Want to learn more and provide feedback?
There will be two identical JP Better Bike Lanes Open Houses:
- May 3 from 6-8 pm at the Margarita Muniz Academy (20 Child St.).
- May 11 from 6-8 pm Curley K-8 Lower School (Pershing Road)
On May 25, there will be a McBride and Eliot Streets Community Walk meeting at the corner of McBride Street and Call Street at 5:30 pm, and regroup at the Eliot School at approximately 6:30 pm. The rain date is June 8.