In a 5-4 vote, the Cambridge City Council has decided to push back the completion date for its bike lane network, despite the pleas of local residents. The proposal, which has been the subject of intense debate, was approved early this morning after a marathon council meeting. The updated deadline gives Cambridge until November 1, 2027, to finish creating a 25-mile network of separated bike lanes, a significant extension from the original May 1, 2026 cutoff.
The decision, reported by The Crimson, has caused an uproar among the nearly 300 city residents who attended the meeting, many of whom were staunch supporters of the Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO). They had hoped to urge the Councilors to vote against the delay. Patty M. Nolan '80, who made the pivotal vote, argued that this postponement is neither a ban nor a stop to installations, meant to allow the city to more carefully plan around potential disruptions.
At the core of the issue are the contrasting views within the Cambridge community. Proponents of the bike lanes argue that due to the high rate of traffic accidents, accelerating their construction is essential for public safety. On the other side, opponents, some of whom include small business owners, warn that the bike lanes might negatively affect their businesses. This division has led to multiple lawsuits against the city, aimed to stop the lanes' installation.
During the lengthy public comment period of the council meeting, residents voiced their concerns about the dangers of delaying bike lanes. Austin Ledzian, a Cambridge local, cited that there have been 65 crashes on Cambridge Street alone since 2021. "If the bike lanes are delayed, there’s a nonzero chance that one of us is going to be hit by a car and killed," he said, highlighting the gravity of the council's decision. Nolan tried to reassure those present, "Those of us who want a bike lane network across the city have basically won," she told The Crimson, "We must never lose sight of that."
However, Councilor Paul F. Toner defended the move, explaining that the policy order would allow flexibility for city staff in expanding the bike lanes. "Everybody keeps talking about this as a delay," Toner stated. "What we proposed was nothing more than extension up to 2027." He assured that the extension was meant to ensure the project is done right rather than to postpone it indefinitely, according to The Crimson.
Vice Mayor Marc C. McGovern opposed strongly the delay, citing the risks to public safety that delaying the bike lane installation could pose. "I believe that bike lanes are necessary," he said in a statement to The Crimson. His sentiment is echoed by State Representative Mike L. Connolly, who also encouraged the Council to follow through with the original schedule for the CSO.
The controversy continues, with the Cambridge Council now tasked with implementing the delayed timeline while balancing the concerns for safety, local commerce, and resident demands.
