Letter to the Editor: Bicycling on Residential Streets

To the Editor:

I read the article about traffic in the September/October BCF Newsletter  with interest. I frequently ride through Belmont on my bicycle and sometimes drive through. I strongly support the rail trail, the underpass at Alexander Avenue, and the connection to Concord Avenue. But also, I am hoping that Belmont will take more advantage of its dense network of residential streets to provide improved bicycling through routes.

The barrier across Claflin Street between Farnham Street and Alexander Avenue offers a good example of such a treatment, though it could be revised to be more bicycle friendly. Clearly its intent was to prevent motorists from using Claflin Street as an alternative to Leonard Street. This type of treatment is rare in the Boston area, but barriers and diverters (which require motor traffic to turn at an intersection, but let bicyclists through) are common in, for example, Berkeley, CA.

There are other opportunities to favor bicycling with low-cost spot improvements, connecting or reconnecting routes off the main streets. One that I frequently encounter is the 2–4 PM one-way rule on School Street past the Wellington School. School Street and Waverley Street offer a much less challenging alternative to Concord Avenue, and School Street seems to me to call out for a contraflow bike lane. I can say the same for Alexander Avenue west of Leonard Street, especially as Alexander Avenue will connect to the new underpass and rail trail.

I do not support bike lanes unless they are outside the door zone of parked vehicles. An opening door’s striking and possibly flinging a bicyclist under a passing motor vehicle is a constant worry. Bicyclists who are aware of the hazard will not ride in these lanes, while motorists become annoyed that we will not stay in “our place.” The median on Concord Avenue is pretty, but with the parking and bike lanes, Concord Avenue is a gauntlet! — one more reason I prefer School Street.

Speed humps (not speed bumps, which can take down bicyclists) and short connector paths are other examples of such improvements that can go a long way to improve bicycling conditions.

John S. Allen

7 University Park, Waltham