New bike, bus lanes on Boylston have fans and foes
On Boylston Street
Excerpted from The Boston Guardian
The city has begun adding bike and bus lanes to Boylston Street in Boston’s Back Bay, kicking off weeks of intermittent road work along with furious debate among residents and commuters.
Boylston’s redesign comes courtesy of the Back Bay Mobility Projects, a sweeping initiative covering almost the entire neighborhood. Workers broke ground for the Boylston section on June 9, with the aim of installing bus and bike lanes, changing parking with new moped loading zones and new signals separating turn lights from crossing periods.
The redesign will be starting on Massachusetts Avenue and working its way east to Arlington Street. Sidewalks will remain open, but planners do anticipate the need for parking restrictions around affected areas.
A city spokesperson said they expect work to continue for about three weeks, probably ending near the start of July. Workers will be installing new markings and flex posts at night, saving daytimes for signal changes and sign installation.
"The changes on Boylston Street will make the roadway safer for all who live, work and visit in the Back Bay, improving speed and reliability for the more than 13,000 people who ride on the bus each day,” said the Boston Transportation Department (BTD). {But not everyone, especially some business people, agrees.}