Assessing Cycling Infrastructure in Different Boston Neighborhoods
Bicycle Infrastructure
This page describes the different types of bike infrastructure found in Boston. Each category of infrastructure is accompanied by a slide show of different examples found within Boston. In addition to painted and constructed infrastructure on the road, bike infrastructure includes bike specific signs and lights.
Protected Bike Lanes
Protected bike lanes, also called cycle tracks or separated bike lanes, provide the most safety for riders as they navigate through the streets of Boston. Protected lanes consist of a bike lanes that are isolated from the road and the sidewalk. This separation from pedestrians and cars on the road protect cyclists from running into cars or pedestrians, as well as protecting bikers from opening doors of parked cars. Protected lanes can be one way or two way.
Unprotected Bike Lanes
Unprotected Bike lanes, also known simply as bike lanes or cycle lanes, provide cyclists with some protection, but do not offer as much protection as protected bike lanes. Unprotected lanes are similar to protected lanes except for the fact that they are not distinct from the roadway or sidewalk. Allowing cyclists to move at their own pace without worry about cars trying to pass them, unprotected lanes offer a medium level of protection against collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians while having the added benefit of being less costly to implement than protected lanes. Unprotected lanes can be one way or two way.
Sharrows
Sharrows, also known as shared lane markings, offer cyclists the least amount of protection against cars, as they indicate that cars and bicycles are to share the same lane. Consisting of an image of a bike with two arrows above it, sharrows are meant to encourage both cyclists and automobile drivers alike to be mindful of others forms of transportation on the road.
Bike Specific Signs and Lights
Bike specific signs and lights serve an important purpose for keeping both pedestrians and cyclists safe. Signs can warm pedestrians or cars of bike lanes, warn cyclists of pedestrian crossings, or let biker know where to stop at an intersection. Bike specific lights allow bikers to cross intersections safely, without the risk of cutting across traffic.