Read the Draft Bicycle Network Plan!

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After a year of community engagement, data analysis, and policy research, the City of Somerville has finalized a draft of Somerville’s first Bicycle Network Plan. This plan is a visioning document, developed with broad, diverse community input, that identifies a connected network of streets where people of all ages and abilities can bike safely and comfortably across the city. The Bicycle Network Plan is a living document, intended to guide the next 30 years of work to improve and expand Somerville’s bicycle facilities.

The Bike Network Plan envisions 88.1 miles of connected streets for safe biking –that’s 58 more miles than Somerville’s existing network. This means some type of bikeway will be found on about 60% of Somerville’s streets! The network includes a mix of protected bike lanes, Neighborways, off-street paths, and Shared Streets. Protected bike lanes would include existing ones, upgrades to existing quick-build lanes, and newly installed separated bicycle lanes.

The City of Somerville has committed itself to becoming America’s most walkable, bikeable, transit-oriented community. This Plan is the first step in expanding bike ridership, which is essential to meet our Vision Zero public safety goals, Somerville Climate Forward goals, and SomerVision comprehensive planning goals. The Bicycle Network Plan will accelerate the pace of progressive change in our city’s transportation system. It will also improve predictability for all community members, helping residents, businesspersons, advocates, and agency partners plan for the future.

The draft Bicycle Network Plan includes five components:

Chapter 1: Bicycle Plan Goals
Chapter 2: Bicycling in Somerville Today
Chapter 3: Community Outreach
Chapter 4: Network Vision
Chapter 5: Implementation

Appendices (A, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, B, C) are available on the project website in the documents toolbar, in addition to an executive summary. The executive summary highlights plan details and is available in English, Español, Português, Kreyòl Ayisyen, नेपाली, 简体中文版, 繁體中文版.

We want to hear from you! Please read the draft plan and share your feedback. The public comment period is open from now until January 16, 2023. Send your comments or questions to the Mobility Division via email at transportation@somervillema.gov. You can also provide comment by mail. Please address your comment letter to 93 Highland Ave., c/o Mobility Division, Somerville, MA 02143. Public comments will be included in an appendix of the final version of the Plan.