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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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Bikes
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1 City Hall Square, Room 721
Boston, MA 02201
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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.
Events
EventsAbout 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.
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
Bike Lane Types
Learn about the different bike lane types in the City of Boston.
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 Construction
A Street Better Bike Lanes
Most work completed. Finishing detail work this year.
We are adding separated bike lanes when the street is resurfaced.
Boylston Street (Jamaica Plain)
Most work completed in 2023. Finishing detail work in 2024.
We're installing a contraflow bike lane and speed humps.
Cummins Highway
Construction started May 2024
Our goal is to improve safety and access for every resident of Mattapan.
Eliot Street
Most work completed in 2023. Finishing detail work in 2024.
We are making Eliot Street two-way for people on bikes and keep it one-way for vehicles.
Fenway Multiuse Path
The trail will start at the Muddy River path in Brookline and extend to Maitland Street.
Green Street and Seaverns Avenue
Most work completed in 2023. Finishing detail work in 2024.
We are adding speed humps and bike lanes.
North Washington Street Bridge
The new North Washington Street Bridge will feature separated bike lanes.
Nubian Square
We're redesigning the streetscape and streets in Nubian Square.
Tremont Street (South End)
Most work completed in 2023. Finishing detail work in 2024.
We're improving pedestrian safety and adding separated bike lanes on Tremont Street in the South End.
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.
Berkeley Street
We will connect the South End, Back Bay, and Esplanade with a separated bike lane on Berkeley Street.
Boylston Street (Back Bay)
We plan to add a one-way separated bike lane from Massachusetts Avenue to Arlington Street.
Centre Street
As part of a safety project, we are adding bike lanes to parts of Centre Street in West 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
Construction Starts 2024
We're redesigning Congress 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.
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.
Lower Roxbury Transportation Study
We're working with residents of Lower Roxbury to invest in their priorities.
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.
Milk Street
Milk Street will be the eastbound pair to separated bike lanes on State and Court Streets.
North Beacon Street
We are adding separated bike lanes to North Beacon Street between Everett Street and Vineland Street.
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.
Western Avenue
We will add separated bike lanes on Western Avenue as a near-term action from the WACRZ planning process.
Winship Street
We propose adding a separated bike lane in the uphill direction.
Opportunities for Bike Lanes
Blue Hill Avenue Transportation Action Plan
The Blue Hill Avenue Transportation Action Plan seeks to improve the experience of all corridor users.
Bowdoin-Geneva Transportation Action Plan
We are working with the Bowdoin / Geneva community to address safety needs through design changes to our streets.
Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan
We are planning safety improvements and better crosstown access for all users along Columbia Road
E-Branch Accessibility and Multimodal Corridor Improvements
We're working with the MBTA and the community to design urgent upgrades to accessibility and reliability on the Green Line E-Branch from Brigham's Circle to Heath Street.
Fenway Transportation Action Plan
The Fenway Transportation Action Plan will guide changes to Fenway streets and the public realm.
PLAN: Charlestown
PLAN: Charlestown is a comprehensive planning initiative to shape the future of Charlestown.
PLAN: East Boston
PLAN: East Boston is a neighborhood planning initiative.
PLAN: Mattapan
PLAN: Mattapan is a City planning initiative that seeks to ensure that we preserve wisely, enhance equitably, and grow inclusively.
Slow, Safe Charles Street
We are working on design changes for Charles Street between Charles Circle and Beacon Street
South Boston Transportation Action Plan
The final Transportation Action Plan will provide a blueprint for improving how people move around South Boston by making it safer and more efficient for all.
Recently Completed
Mass. Ave. Better Bike Project
We built a safe, comfortable biking facility to connect Dorchester, Roxbury, and the South End.
Boylston Street (Fenway)
We've made biking and walking better on Boylston Street in the Fenway.
Cambridge Street (Allston)
We made safety improvements for Cambridge Street, between Harvard Avenue and Soldiers Field Road, in Allston.
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.
Citywide Bike Network Design
While we accelerate our work to close known gaps in our existing bike network, we will be working with residents to create a citywide bike plan. This planning process will embed local needs and priorities in the route selection and design.
Our work will be co-led by City agencies, including the Environment Department and the Public Health Commission. A working group of Boston residents will guide our work and advise us on outreach strategies. We aim to launch the working group in fall 2022.
All residents will be invited to participate in an iterative process with low-stakes opportunities to get involved. We will have honest and transparent conversations about trade-offs and work together to realize streets that help everyone travel safely.
Interested in learning more about the working group?
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.
Careers
We're hiring more planners and engineers across the Public Works and Transportation Departments to build a low-stress, connected bike network with protected bicycle facilities and traffic-calmed streets.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Bikes
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1 City Hall Square, Room 721
Boston, MA 02201
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Get Updates
Receive news about our work in your inbox.
