If you ride a bike in or around Boston, Mayor Wu has some amazing news for you. If you are a driver and are always frustrated at the traffic and bike lanes in the city, you won’t be too happy about this news. In a press conference yesterday, Mayor Wu announced plans 9.4 miles of bike lanes on a dozen streets in Boston as well as adding 100 new Blue Bike stations. According to the Mayor: “We are committed to building a Boston for everyone. Today we take a couple steps closer to delivering on that vision with investments that will reduce emissions, relieve congestion, improve the quality of our residents’ lives, and make sure that people’s lives are protected.”
Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission says “The expansion of the City’s bike network program will provide a major boost for the health and wellness of our communities. The Boston Public Health Commission looks forward to supporting the safety measures to protect bikers, pedestrians, and motorists. Greater biking accessibility means more opportunities for our residents to exercise and explore our city and a reduced carbon footprint that will support neighborhoods that are disproportionately harmed by air pollution.”
“The announcement of the bike expansion is very exciting to Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition (MFFC),” said Shavel’le Olivier, Executive Director, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition. “These plans will not only benefit those who bike but also those who walk. As an organization whose vision it is to see the Mattapan community safe, clean, walkable and bike-able, we hope to see in the future biking and walking transportation expansion plans in Mattapan, Hyde Park, Dorchester, and Roxbury.”
How will these new bike lanes affect drivers? Well, statistics show that previously added bike lanes actually increased bike ridership by 80%. Will it increase traffic in the city? That is yet to be determined. Yes, the streets will be a little more congested with bikers, but that also means less cars on the road so only time will tell.
And how
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 20: A man bikes on the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path on March 20, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Local gyms and health clubs have been shut down across the country due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but people have still been encouraged to exercise outside while social distancing. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)