Last week, City Hall began the installation of protective barriers along the Arlington Street bike lane in Back Bay as part of a broader initiative to enhance bike lane safety throughout Boston.
The new Zicla Zebra barriers were spotted by Peter Cheung, a prominent figure in Boston’s bike transportation advocacy community.
These barriers will replace the previously installed plastic flexible-post bollards that have drawn criticism from users on both bikes and in vehicles.
In a recent conversation with StreetsblogMASS, Jascha Franklin-Hodge, the city’s Chief of Streets, outlined the city’s intention to experiment with various types of barriers in the coming months.
Franklin-Hodge noted that flexible posts are generally not well-received by cyclists or drivers.
He emphasized the city’s commitment to finding better, more durable solutions that would cater to different roadway users while ensuring accessibility for emergency vehicles.
“Long-term, our goal is to move away from flexposts in most circumstances,” he stated.
The Zebra barriers being installed on Arlington Street are designed to provide enhanced visibility and impact resistance, making them a promising option for safer bike lanes.
The city has also announced plans to introduce cast-in-place concrete islands on several streets to further improve safety for both bike lanes and crosswalks.
Among the locations set to receive these new concrete barriers is the two-way segment of the Boylston Street bikeway, located between Tremont and Charles Streets, where Franklin-Hodge mentioned installations will begin in the next few weeks.
The cast-in-place concrete barriers, referred to as CIPCON, allow for quick installation without extensive roadwork.
Franklin-Hodge explained that they can be set up in a single day, which contrasts sharply with previous installations that were more labor-intensive and time-consuming.
The current initiative will not be limited to bike lanes but will also extend to various traffic-calming applications throughout the city.
New cast-in-place concrete curbs are being planned to prevent vehicles from encroaching on crosswalks and to establish median islands in wider roadways.
Previously discussed at a Boston Public Improvements Commission meeting, these concrete islands are earmarked for multiple street repair projects across the city, including on Euclid Street in Dorchester, Armington Street in Brighton, and McBride Street in Jamaica Plain.
The Zicla Zebra barriers currently being tested on Arlington Street are described by their manufacturers as highly durable and offering excellent visibility and impact resistance.
Cities such as Houston, West Palm Beach, and New York have successfully integrated Zebra barriers into their bikeways, setting a precedent for Boston’s adoption of this innovative safety measure.
These barriers have been positioned in the buffer zone between bike lanes and adjacent traffic lanes, effectively replacing the previously installed flexible-post bollards.
Franklin-Hodge mentioned that due to space constraints on Arlington Street, a concrete barrier would have been impractical, which is why the Zebra barriers are being tested in this specific location for the time being.
The city’s plan involves careful monitoring of the Zebras’ performance, with feedback being collected to assess their effectiveness in the field.
Should the test results prove positive, there is potential for the City of Boston to expand the use of these barriers to other streets in the future.
With these efforts, Boston is taking significant strides towards creating a safer and more accommodating environment for all roadway users.
As the project develops, the hope is that the enhanced safety measures will foster a more bike-friendly culture in the city.
With ongoing evaluations and an active commitment to improving urban infrastructure, residents can anticipate a more durable and reliable biking experience throughout Boston.
image source from：mass
