By Karl Alexander, Greenways Program Manager
Did you know that May is National Bike Month? Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling – and encourage more folks to give biking a try. On Bike to Work Day, Friday, May 19th, the Mystic River Watershed Association and Bike to the Sea will be hosting a commuter breakfast and ride that begins in Malden and continues onward toward boston. We look forward to celebrating the joy of riding a bike and providing a group ride opportunity for folks to bike into Boston, especially those who are interested but concerned about doing so alone.
There’s a lot to celebrate during this year’s bike month festivities in Massachusetts. Thanks to the tireless advocacy of a coalition led by Massbike, this past winter the Massachusetts State Legislature passed the Vulnerable Road Users Law, which puts into effect new laws protecting people walking, biking and rolling on our streets and paths. This new regulation is very much welcome, as nearly 43,000 people died in U.S. traffic crashes in 2021, with sizable increases in the number of fatal crashes involving people walking and biking. Arrested Mobility, a research initiative by Equitable Cities LLC, explores how poor mobility conditions can push people walking, biking and rolling to be put in danger or “break the law simply because there are no better alternatives: riding on the sidewalk to avoid a busy street, for example, or walking on the side of a road without a sidewalk”. Investing in new infrastructure for walking, biking and rolling that is safe and dedicated – separate from motor vehicle traffic – is an exercise in improving mobility outcomes for all, especially Black Americans and other residents of color.
The Mystic River Watershed Association is excited to be playing its part in this effort. Our Mystic Greenways Vision - now two-thirds complete! - will connect 25 miles of paths, improve hundreds of acres of parklands and engage thousands of community members from the Mystic Lakes to the Boston Harbor. We could not be happier to see the Northern Strand Community Path now open to the public and look forward to continuing the community-led design and completion of other critical projects for the network, like the Little Mystic Channel in Charlestown, Blessing of the Bay Park in Somerville, and the Mystic to Minuteman Path in Arlington.
More accessible, climate-resilient, and connected greenways are in the works!
What can you do to get involved this bike month? Visit the Bay State Bike Month website for resources and to learn more about events in your community.
And don’t forget: we hope to see you on May 19th!
