Assessing Cycling Infrastructure in Different Boston Neighborhoods
A Three Part Approach
Through our experience, we have identified three primary goals which we believe would promote the most equitable and sustainable change in bike infrastructure around Boston.
Increasing community outreach
We believe that the first step in righting the inequities in Boston's cycling infrastructure is for the Boston Transportation Department to engage more with the communities that are lacking safe bike lanes. If residents are made aware of the various transportation projects and initiatives that are currently being worked on, we believe that the push for more bike lanes in their neighborhoods will be soon to follow. When asked about the current level of community involvement, a representative from the Boston Transportation Department acknowledged that community engagement needs to be a priority after COVID-19. A representative from the Boston Cyclists Union told us in an interview that he commonly heard complaints from community members who felt they had not heard from the city and saw planned changes to the infrastructure they were unaware of until the construction began. As Boston strives to become a more bike-friendly city, it is important that those planning future transportation projects consider the possibility of including cycling infrastructure as well, as this would open up corridors of the city previously unavailable to those who do not have access to a car or the ability to ride the bus. Additionally, city government representatives must visit the communities that are lacking safe bicycle infrastructure and ask for their input, as this is the most effective way to improve bike accessibility in underserved neighborhoods. There is data from studies in cities such as Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia that led researchers to conclude that community engagement is a more effective strategy of increasing equitable access to cycling infrastructure when compared to simply removing the financial and physical barriers. It is the informational barriers in underserved communities that stand in the way of potential users of bicycle infrastructure understanding the potential benefits of choosing to bike, and even how to properly use the infrastructure. We believe that if the Boston Transportation Department committed to increasing their outreach efforts to communities that are potential fits for new biking infrastructure, these informational barriers could be removed, and members of these communities would begin to see the benefits that biking provides.
Holding policymakers accountable
The next step toward more equitable biking infrastructure is to hold policymakers accountable for the policies that encourage sustainability and equity in future transportation projects. A representative of the Massachusetts Biking Coalition stated that current policy within the Boston city government mandates that both sustainability and equity be considered in all future transportation projects moving forward. Government officials must be held to the same standard that they hold their citizens and subordinates to, especially when that standard is the consideration of equity. In addition to the equity and sustainability policy in place, the previous mayoral administration under Mayor Walsh implemented the Go Boston 2030 transportation plan. Although the overarching goal is to improve transportation networks around Boston so all residents will have better and more equitable travel choices, there are specific goals within Go Boston 2030 around building out the city's bike network, according to the Boston Cyclists Union. The Boston Cyclists Union also stated that over the past five years, a majority of the new bicycle infrastructure that has been built as a result of this plan has been centered in white affluent neighborhoods, and around downtown Boston. It is time that the government officials begin work on connecting historically underserved communities such as Dorchester or Roxbury to the downtown bike infrastructure. Moreover, Go Boston 2030 is just one of many active initiatives aimed, either partially or wholly, at improving bike infrastructure all around Boston, the next step is to make sure the city government follows through with these commitments. On a federal level, Executive Order 12898, which required that all federal agencies define how the work they are doing is attentive to environmental justice. Defined by the U.S. Department Of Transportation, the principles of environmental justice are considered when the work ensures that some groups do not have long waits before experiencing the benefits of public transportation investments, there is the minimization of the unequal distribution of adverse human and environmental health effects, and the work ensures the full and fair participation of all community members in potentially affected communities in the transportation decision making process. We also believe it is important for elected officials to consider cycling when planning future transportation projects. Officials are elected to serve the people of their constituency, and one of their duties in serving their constituents is to ensure equitable access to healthy
Encouraging community events
The final step we believe is necessary for advocating for equity in Boston's bike infrastructure is to encourage community events that can expose residents to the benefits, both in terms of transportation and health, that biking has to offer. Cycling advocacy groups such as Bikes Not Bombs have an increasing presence in neighborhoods without strong bike infrastructure such as Dorchester and Roxbury and organize events and programs to rally residents of all ages behind the cause of making biking more present in their daily lives. One such program from Bikes Not Bombs is the Earn-A-Bike, a program that teaches children how to properly maintain a bicycle, as well as how to safely ride and navigate the streets of Boston. The aim of Earn-A-Bike according to a representative from Bikes Not Bombs is to empower the local youth to have a more efficient means of getting around their neighborhood without having to use public transportation, which in many cases does not run directly to certain areas of Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan. Additionally, Bikes Not Bombs, to help members of the community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, launched a program called Bike Match in April 2020. This program paired essential workers up with free bikes, to allow easier access to their jobs without having to get on crowded buses to get to work. When asked about the benefit of having organizations like Bikes Not Bombs in neighborhoods, representatives told us that two of the key themes of their non-profit are equity and community empowerment. Giving people access to discounted bikes lessens the financial barrier that prevents many from biking in the first place. Moreover, Bikes Not Bombs strives to create a sense of community and foster the development of local leadership. It is important to note that Bikes Not Bombs is just one of many local organizations around Boston conducting events to promote bicycle use. Encouragement of more of these types of community events can lead to more people learning about the benefits of biking.
