This fall, bike commuters in Cambridge can enjoy an improved cycling experience as the city progresses toward its goal of establishing a comprehensive network of protected bike lanes by 2027.
The initiative is driven by the Cycling Safety Ordinance enacted in 2020, which mandates that the Cambridge city government construct 22.6 lane-miles of protected bike lanes across the city by the end of 2026.
In an ambitious move, the City of Cambridge plans to complete 3.6 miles of new bike routes this year to maintain momentum toward meeting the impending deadline.
An inspection of several projects currently underway reveals significant improvements to the biking network, including recent developments on Main Street.
### Main Street: A Case Study in Need for Safety
The ongoing project on Main Street spans a 0.3-mile segment stretching from Lafayette Square to Portland Street, along with a short segment near Albany Street that extends to Technology Square.
At Lafayette Square, the new bikeways will seamlessly connect to existing protected bike lanes on Massachusetts Avenue, as well as to recently upgraded lane segments on Main Street itself.
Despite these advancements, there remains a short stretch of unprotected paint-only bike lanes east of Technology Square that poses risks, especially at intersections with Vassar and Ames Street.
Notably, the plan for Main Street encountered delays last year when a slim majority of Cambridge City Councilors voted to postpone the installation of these vital safety improvements and extend the Cycling Safety Ordinance’s deadline to the end of 2026.
Since that contentious vote, records indicate that Main Street has seen at least 37 traffic crashes, including five incidents involving collisions between vehicles and cyclists, and four involving pedestrians.
### Filling the Gap on Vassar Street
In a related effort, Main Street’s new bike lanes will connect to one of the oldest protected on-street bike lanes found on Vassar Street, which runs through the prestigious MIT campus.
Prior to this fall, the protected bike lanes on Vassar Street ended abruptly close to Amesbury Street and Amherst Alley, creating a gap between the bikeways and the Paul Dudley White bike path that runs alongside the Charles River.
Current work is focused on closing that gap by delineating new protected bike lanes along that stretch.
The project has already seen workers removing old lane markings and roughing out the new lane layout in spray paint.
The design includes curbside bike lanes separated from vehicle traffic by flexible-post bollards and on-street parking, alternating on opposite sides of the street.
Importantly, the city plans to enhance safety further by adding new wayfinding signage directing cyclists to use the signalized crossings at Amesbury Street, rather than creating crosswalks directly across Memorial Drive at the end of Vassar Street.
Additionally, westbound cyclists will benefit from improved connections to the B.U. Bridge by utilizing a short stretch of the Memorial Drive sidewalk located west of Vassar Street.
### Progress on River Street
Another significant infrastructure project is underway on River Street, where a multi-year reconstruction is anticipated to wrap up by the end of the season.
This undertaking includes a sidewalk-level bike lane running from Memorial Drive to the newly revamped Carl Barron Plaza in Central Square, providing an eastbound counterpart to the protected lane developed on Western Avenue in 2016.
This construction has caused traffic disruptions on River Street since its initiation in 2022; however, recent asphalt resurfacing near Central Square suggests that the project is nearing completion.
Further enhancements will feature a dedicated bus lane along most of River Street to benefit the MBTA’s route 70, which is scheduled to become a frequent-service bus route as part of the T’s proposed network redesign.
Alongside the bike and bus lane improvements, the project will implement new traffic-calming measures and accessibility upgrades at several intersecting streets, reinforcing the city’s commitment to integrated transport solutions.
### Additional Bike Projects on the Horizon
While this report does not capture every detail of ongoing projects, it highlights several other bikeway initiatives that have been either installed or are actively being developed across Cambridge this summer and fall.
As the city inches closer to its deadline for a comprehensive network of protected bike lanes, these efforts underscore a broader commitment to enhancing cycling safety and infrastructure for residents and commuters alike.
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