Boston Bicycle Network Plan

Boston Bicycle Network Plan
Name	Boston Bicycle Network Plan
Location	Boston
Agency	Boston Transportation Department
Adopted	2015
Mode	Bicycle
Network length	"Planned miles"
Website	"City of Boston"

Boston Bicycle Network Plan The Boston Bicycle Network Plan is a municipal strategic blueprint developed to expand and modernize bicycle infrastructure across Boston, integrating with regional systems and multimodal corridors. It establishes goals for protected lanes, neighborhood connectivity, and network equity, aligning with citywide visions such as Imagine Boston 2030, Climate Ready Boston, and the Vision Zero initiative. The plan coordinates with state and federal programs including the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and regional authorities like the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

Background and Objectives

The plan emerged from prior efforts including the Boston Bikes program, the 2011 Complete Streets policy, and the 1997 Emerald Necklace Conservancy transit-oriented studies, responding to trends observed in cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Portland, Oregon, New York City, and Minneapolis. Objectives included reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with Paris Agreement principles, improving public health outcomes in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and enhancing access to employment centers such as Logan International Airport, Seaport District, and Allston-Brighton. It sought to connect to regional trails like the Charles River Esplanade, the Minuteman Bikeway, and the Emerald Necklace parkways while supporting modes represented by agencies including Massport and MBTA.

Plan Development and Stakeholders

Development involved collaboration among municipal departments—Mayor of Boston, Boston Planning & Development Agency, and the Boston Public Health Commission—alongside state entities like MassDOT and federal partners such as the U.S. Department of Transportation. Community stakeholders included neighborhood groups from Dorchester, Roxbury, South End, Back Bay, Jamaica Plain, and East Boston; advocacy organizations such as LivableStreets Alliance, Boston Cyclists Union, and Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition; and institutions like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, and Boston Medical Center. Funders and technical partners included foundations like the Barr Foundation, research bodies including the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and consultants with experience in projects like Green Line Extension and Big Dig mitigation studies.

Network Design and Infrastructure

Design principles prioritized protected bicycle lanes, neighborhood greenways, intersection treatments, and end-of-trip facilities near hubs such as South Station, North Station, and Fenway–Kenmore. Infrastructure components referenced standards from the National Association of City Transportation Officials and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, incorporating elements used in Seville and Bogotá such as bus-bike integration seen with MBTA Silver Line corridors. The plan mapped corridors through districts including Beacon Hill, Charlestown, South Boston, Mission Hill, and Hyde Park, proposing connectors to trails like the East Bay Bike Path and riverfront promenades along the Charles River and Neponset River. Bicycle parking strategies targeted campuses like Boston University and civic centers such as City Hall Plaza.

Implementation and Phasing

Implementation phased projects into near-term, mid-term, and long-term tiers aligned with capital plans of the Boston Transportation Department and MassDOT highway projects, coordinating with utility work by entities such as Eversource and National Grid to minimize disruption. Early actions mirrored quick-build approaches used in Oakland and Seattle, deploying temporary paint and bollards before conversion to curb-protected facilities. Pilot projects referenced evaluation frameworks from Federal Transit Administration pilot programs and integrated with construction projects at sites like Longwood Medical and Academic Area and the Seaport Innovation District.

Safety, Accessibility, and Equity Considerations

Safety strategies integrated with Vision Zero Boston targets, crash data from the Boston Police Department, and public health metrics from the Boston Public Health Commission. Accessibility measures included ADA-compliant curb ramps near Massachusetts General Hospital, tactile treatments in collaboration with Mass Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and route prioritization for underserved neighborhoods in Mattapan and South End. Equity analyses used methodologies employed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy to allocate investment toward low-income and communities of color identified in municipal equity mapping.

Funding, Policy, and Regulation

Funding sources combined municipal capital budgets approved by the Boston City Council, state grants administered by MassDOT, federal grants such as the Transportation Alternatives Program and BUILD grants, and philanthropic support from organizations like the Gift of Life foundations and the Barr Foundation. Policy actions included zoning adjustments by the Boston Planning & Development Agency, curb management rules coordinated with the Boston Transportation Department and Boston Police Department, and design guidance incorporating standards from the National Complete Streets Coalition and the American Planning Association.

Outcomes, Monitoring, and Future Updates

Outcomes measured ridership changes with data collection from Bluebikes usage, automated counters, and surveys conducted by institutions like TransitApp partners and the Harvard Kennedy School. Performance metrics tracked safety, mode share shifts toward bicycling, greenhouse gas reductions aligned with Massachusetts Green Communities Act, and economic impacts for retail corridors in Downtown Crossing and Newbury Street. Monitoring responsibilities rested with the Boston Transportation Department and advisory groups including Boston Bikes Advisory Committee, with scheduled plan updates to respond to innovations from companies like Lime and Spin and regional planning efforts by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

Category:Transport in Boston