Last week, the Somerville, Mass. city council gave full support to an ordinance that requires 29 miles of protected bike lanes to be built by 2030 as well as improving accessibility and safety for pedestrians.
“Balancing the needs of all road users was at the heart of this ordinance,” said Councilor Willie Burnley Jr. in an X post Thursday. “The bill ensures that, when overall parking is reduced to install bike lanes, accessible parking would be maintained as much as possible and increased when feasible and safe to do so.”
The Safe Streets Ordinance mandates that the city build at least three miles of bike lanes per year and enhance sidewalks and crosswalks.
The law is a part of the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan which focuses on reducing and eliminating transportation injuries.
The Safe Street Ordinance is being spearheaded by Burnley following the death of Stephen Conley in 2022.
The 70-year-old died when he was traveling in a bike lane on the busy thoroughfare of Broadway and a driver in an adjacent parking lane opened the door of his car into Conley’s path.
The ordinance provides a framework for furthering the transportation goals of Somerville, including the Complete Streets plan and the Bicycle Network Plan.
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Source: Boston.com, Boston Herald
