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Better Bike Lanes

We're working to build a network of safe, connected, and comfortable bike lanes throughout Boston. 

Enabling more trips by bike is essential to reaching our climate and public health goals. We need to make sure our streets are safe for the thousands of people who bike today — and for the many more who will choose to ride tomorrow.

While each block of safe, comfortable bike lane is important, it's more important that they connect to each other. A connected network is worth more than the sum of its parts.

Everyone in Boston deserves safe access to our bike network, no matter what neighborhood they're in. We're quickly closing gaps in Boston's emerging network of low-stress bike routes. We're also working intentionally with residents to design an expanded bike network that works for their communities.

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Our Plan

We're transforming Boston's streets to better serve people walking, rolling, and riding bikes. We're connecting our bike network and bringing safer streets to every neighborhood.

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About our work

Our growing bike network must include the types of bike facilities that make the most people feel comfortable: separated bike lanes and traffic-calmed streets.

Boston has a large network of conventional bike lanes. These lanes dedicate about five feet of space in the street for bicycling. As we’ve added bike lanes across the City, more people have chosen to ride a bike to work, to the T, to farmers markets, or just for fun.

But, many people don’t feel comfortable riding in conventional bike lanes. That’s why we are creating more routes with separation between drivers and bicyclists. We're also creating traffic-calmed local streets.

A series of photos showing types of bike lanes organized from least comfortable to most comfortable.

Separated bike lanes are safe and predictable places for people to ride bikes. You and your family have your own space to ride. You can go at your own pace and ride side-by-side. If you're in a vehicle, you know where to expect people on bikes. You don't have to worry so much. A 13-year study of a dozen U.S. cities found that  separated bike lanes make streets safer for everyone, whether they are walking, driving, or biking.

Traffic-calmed local streets are designed for people. They discourage unnecessary through-traffic by drivers, while making useful connections for people walking or bicycling. These streets make it easier and safer to:

  • travel within your own neighborhood,
  • get to train stations or bus stops, and
  • connect with the city-wide bike network.

About Bike Lanes

About Bike Lanes
An adult bicycles toward us in a green bike. A yellow school bus is in the adjacent travel lane.
Bike Lane Types

Learn about the different bike lane types in the City of Boston.

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Design elements

View the different bike lane design elements in the City.

Bicycle Network Map

View a map of bicycle facilities in the City of Boston.

Bike Network Projects

We're working across the City to plan, design, and build bike lanes that are safe and comfortable. You'll find our projects listed below. We've grouped them based on when we anticipate to start construction.

In Design

Albany Street Better Bike Lane

We plan to add separated bike lanes to Albany Street in the South End and part of Lower Roxbury.

Comm. Ave. (BU East & Kenmore Square)

Comm. Ave. was one of the first streets in Boston to have a bike lane. Now, it's time to make them better.

Congress Street, A Street, and Sleeper Street

We're redesigning Congress Street, A Street, and Sleeper Street in the Fort Point neighborhood.

Connect Downtown

Ongoing

We're redesigning downtown streets to prioritize walking and to create a connected bike network.

Connect Downtown: Public Garden Crossings

We're redesigning downtown streets to prioritize walking and to create a connected bike network.

Dartmouth Street Safety and Mobility Improvements

We're connecting Copley Square and the Esplanade and making quick-build safety improvements at the Dartmouth Street/Stuart Street intersection.

Egleston Square

We are planning safety improvements for all road users traveling through the Egleston Square area.

Harrison Avenue (Ink Block)

We're reconstruction a portion of Harrison Avenue and adding separated bike lanes.

Hemenway Street

We will make Hemenway Street two-way for biking as part of a traffic-calming project in East Fenway.

McBride Street

Construction starts 2024

The Public Works Department plans to reconstruct sidewalks on McBride Street. We will add a contraflow bike lane with that project.

Lower Roxbury Transportation Study

We're working with residents of Lower Roxbury to invest in their priorities.

Poplar Street

We will improve crosswalks and add speed humps on Poplar Street, as well as a short section of contraflow bike lanes.

Rutherford Avenue/Sullivan Square

Redesigning Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square to improve safety and access for all modes of transportation.

State Street

We're rebuilding historic State Street to meet today's needs.

Completed

A Street Better Bike Lanes

We added separated bike lanes when the street was resurfaced.

Berkeley Street

We connected the South End, Back Bay, and Esplanade with a separated bike lane on Berkeley Street.

Boylston Street (Back Bay)

We added a one-way separated bike lane from Massachusetts Avenue to Arlington Street.

Boylston Street (Fenway)

We've made biking and walking better on Boylston Street in the Fenway.

Boylston Street (Jamaica Plain)

We installed a contraflow bike lane and speed humps.

Cambridge Street (Allston)

We made safety improvements for Cambridge Street, between Harvard Avenue and Soldiers Field Road, in Allston.

Centre Street

As part of a safety project, we added bike lanes to parts of Centre Street in West Roxbury.

Eliot Street

We made Eliot Street two-way for people on bikes and kept it one-way for vehicles.

Green Street and Seaverns Avenue

We added speed humps and bike lanes.

Mass. Ave. Better Bike Project

We built a safe, comfortable biking facility to connect Dorchester, Roxbury, and the South End.

Milk Street

We made Milk Street the eastbound pair to separated bike lanes on State and Court Streets.

North Beacon Street

We added separated bike lanes to North Beacon Street between Everett Street and Vineland Street.

Ruggles Street

We're improving safety and connecting Nubian Square and the Southwest Corridor.

South Huntington Avenue

We built separated bike lanes between Centre Street and Heath Street. See "E-Branch Accessibility and Multimodal Corridor Improvements" for the section north of Heath Street.

Tremont Street (South End)

We improved pedestrian safety and added separated bike lanes on Tremont Street in the South End.

Winship Street

We added a separated bike lane in the uphill direction.

Using Parking-Protected Bike Lanes

See our tips for parking your car, getting in and out of your car, and bicycling on streets with parking-protected bike lanes.

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