FAQs

Protected bike lanes are separated from vehicle traffic either by a buffered area with vertical barriers or raised to sidewalk level. Vertical barriers can include plastic "flex” posts, planters, and pre-cast concrete curbs. In Quick-Build projects, we often use flex posts.

We aim for Neighborways to be low vehicle volume and low speed streets that make it comfortable for people biking to use the street without separation. This could include employing tools like speed humps, narrowing street entrances, changing the direction of a street, adding more trees and greenery, or using art. Neighborways provide a two-way bike connection even if the street is one-way for vehicles. 

Quick-build projects do not include major construction like you might see in a complete street reconstruction. We do not have the opportunity to reconstruct the sidewalks, move the sidewalk curb line, or repave the street. Quick-build projects are a cost-effective way for us to expand our network of safe streets while maintaining flexibility to make adjustments and evaluate options for a more permanent constructed redesign.  

We will begin with gathering community feedback on safety concerns and ideas for the project area in September through October 2024. Using that feedback, collecting and analyzing available data such as vehicle volume, vehicle speeds, transit delay, and parking utilization, we will develop a concept design to present to the community in winter 2025. After gathering more community feedback, we will work to finalize the design to share in summer 2025. We aim to implement the new design in fall 2025. 

The Somerville Bicycle Network Plan envisions an 88-mile network of streets and paths where people of all ages and abilities will be able to bike safely and comfortably. The Plan aims to vastly expand biking infrastructure and provide greater connectivity so that residents, workers, and visitors can bike to schools, parks, jobs, businesses, and other key destinations in Somerville. To learn more, visit somervillema.gov/bikenetwork.

Adopted in June 2024, the Safe Streets Ordinance furthers the City’s efforts to accelerate street safety and accessibility improvements by reaffirming Somerville’s Complete Streets approach to street improvement projects, incorporating the goals for the City’s Bicycle Network Plan into street design and ensuring work to increase accessibility. This can include elements like improved bus stops and traffic calming installations. It includes executing the goals detailed in the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan and the ADA Title II Transition Plan, in addition to completing the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan’s 40-mile priority network by 2030.

In the roll out of the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan, the City developed a Priority Network to be completed by 2030. We developed the priority network based on a set of criteria that focuses on equity, connectivity, access to destinations, topography, and safety. 

Protected bike lanes increase comfort and access for people of all ages and abilities, reduce crash and injury risk, eliminate the threat of “dooring” from parked vehicles, and reduce potential conflicts between vehicles and people biking. According, the US Department of Transportation, converting traditional unprotected bicycle lanes into protected can reduce crashes up to 53%.