Description
Webster Avenue is a heavily trafficked road and has always been very frightening to bike down -- with two-way traffic including the 85 and CT2 bus lines, parallel parking on both sides, and heavy industrial use of the area, you often get cars, buses, bike, and trucks stacking up behind each other because there isn't enough room for everything to get through in both directions at the same time. There shouldn't be parallel parking on both sides of this street, or the street should be one way. Both Cambridge and Somerville should take a look at it.
13 Comments
New Haven Safe Streets (Guest)
boblothrope (Guest)
Making this street wider, or one way, or banning parking on one side, would be the opposite of traffic calming. Cars would drive faster, and it would be scarier for pedestrians to cross.
It's the same width as most two-way streets in Cambridge and Somerville.
I'd prefer it if they fixed the pavement quality, signage (including missing one-way, do-not-enter, and street name signs), and the smashed up, unreflectorized guard rails in this area.
skrap (Registered User)
Area Man (Registered User)
Closed City Hall – DR (Verified Official)
Reopened skrap (Registered User)
City Hall – DR (Verified Official)
Closed Traffic - BMcK (Streets) (Verified Official)
Reopened Traffic - BMcK (Streets) (Verified Official)
Acknowledged Traffic - BMcK (Streets) (Verified Official)
Traffic - BMcK (Streets) (Verified Official)
Closed Traffic - DS (Signs) (Registered User)
skrap (Registered User)
I appreciate the response to this issue, but I think you need to take another look. The traffic volume on this street is actually very high. It's basically maxed out during commute time. Additionally, the lanes are so narrow that a MBTA bus cannot actually drive down it without crossing the center line.
Also consider the mix of traffic: we have the 85 and CT2 buses. We have the Beacon Sales semi-trailer trucks coming and going constantly. We have the Phil's Towing trucks pulling in and out all day. We have 4 or more auto body shops constantly pulling cars in and out with little regard for traffic rules. All of that is competing with a constant flow of commute traffic in both directions.
This street is terrifying. I've almost been hit here. I have a friend who did get hit here. Someone's going to lose their life at some point. And worse, it's basically the only viable option for getting from east Somerville to Cambridge, so I'm forced onto this street. (I'm not going to count McGrath/O'Brien as viable for a bicycle.) I would take another street if I had the choice.
I really hope you take some time to fix this.