Somerville Mulls 'Quick-Build' Bus, Bike Lanes On Washington

SOMERVILLE, MA — City officials will hold a virtual community meeting Oct. 7 to discuss plans to install "quick-build" bus and bike lanes on Washington Street between Beacon Street and Union Square. The pilot project would be implemented this fall.

In partnership with the MBTA, the city seeks to deploy low-cost mobility solutions to quickly improve bus service for essential workers and other transit riders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials say bus lanes can help meet current public health needs by shortening ride times and reducing crowding.

The Route 86 bus, which travels on the western portion of Washington Street in Somerville, has sustained high ridership throughout the coronavirus emergency. To build safer facilities for all users in this corridor, city and MBTA staff have developed plans for a pilot project that includes:

• New bus-priority lanes that let buses bypass waiting traffic at busy intersections.
• Protected bike lanes along sections of the corridor.
• Narrowed travel lanes to deter speeding and improve safety for all road users.

The proposed bus-priority lane could require the repurposing of up to 66 on-street parking spaces, or about half the available inventory in that section of Washington Street. City staff will develop a final plan based on feedback from community stakeholders.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m. on the GoToMeeting webinar platform. To register for the meeting and to learn more about this project and other quick-build bus and bike lanes, visit somervoice.somervillema.gov/quick-build-bus-lanes.