Boston Mayor Wu promises more protection for cyclists in bike lanes, including concrete barriers
Mayor Michelle Wu is promising more protection for Boston bike lanes, including concrete barriers to keep cars away from cyclists, after one of her own staff members was hit and killed by a truck.
Boston bike activist and city transportation planner Louisa Gag was killed on Tremont Street near Roxbury Crossing when the large truck swiped her as she was riding her bike to work at City Hall.
At a vigil for Gag last week, several people expressed frustration toward the mayor. While Wu has installed more than 20 miles of bike lanes in the last five years, many felt that in recent months she had drastically scaled back the road safety initiatives her administration is known for.
"I would love to bike more in Boston, but I just don't feel safe and secure," cyclist Vikram Bhalla said.
Safer streets in Boston
Wu said at the vigil, "We owe Louisa more than our grief. We owe her action, we have to do better." On Friday, she published a letter with a list of safer street initiatives.
Wu is pledging to restructure and audit the Streets Department, aiming to get changes from City Hall to the road faster. She's also looking to connect bike lanes that already exist, create stronger truck safety legislation and add concrete dividers to protect cyclists.
"Moving forward, we are transitioning to more durable and effective bike lane protections, such as cast-in-place concrete barriers, like those recently installed on Congress Street," Wu wrote. "These barriers cost less than fully-constructed curbs while providing substantially greater protection and requiring less maintenance."
Boston bike lanes
Ian Koskinen rides to work from Melrose to Boston three days a week. He heard about Gag's death and said he'd like to see more divided bike lanes that offer full separation from passing cars.
"One of the problems with just paint is that there's no physical barrier between me and a car," Koskinen said. "So the more of these barriers I see, it 100% makes me feel safer."
During her tenure, Wu has dealt with a tug-of-war between cyclists and drivers. Some behind the wheel feel that the bike lane projects make Boston's infamous traffic even worse.
