Western Ave Makes List of Top 10 Bike Projects

Western Ave in Cambridge was cited as one of North America's top 10 bike friendly projects.

Western Ave in Cambridge was cited as one of North America’s top 10 bike friendly projects.

The remake of Western Avenue in Cambridge has been cited as one of the top 10 bike projects in North America, joining projects in Salt Lake City, Chicago and Portland Oregon.

This article over at Next City notes that the Western Ave Protected Bike Lane, featuring a half-mile of curb-separated protected bike lane is one of a growing number of such projects nation-wide, which create physical separation between cars (and pedestrians) and cyclists. Often, bike lanes are created using painted lines only, which provides no barrier to cars and bikes switching back and forth between driving and cycling lanes (dangerous for both) or that create physical separation with flexible plastic bollards or parked cars. Not a terrible idea, but also not perfect. Western Ave separates bikes from cars with a cement curb (and bikes from pedestrians with street trees).

Protected bike lanes dominated the list of Top 10 projects, with similar developments in Lincoln, Nebraska, Redondo Beach, California, Vancouver, British Columbia, and downtown Calgary. An project to make intersections safer for cyclists in Austin, Texas also made the list.

Check out the full list here.