Deskripsyon
Central Square is a wonderfully busy hub of commercial activity, and as such, it is understandable that there is a lot of vehicle traffic.
Alongside this high vehicle traffic is high bike traffic.
The large number of drivers and riders only means the chances of accidents increase when (and not if) bikers have to merge into the vehicle lane to get around a vehicle obstructing.
No one has ever seen TPTD really do any sort of bike lane obstruction enforcement even during the day when they're working - only parking.
Therefore, this sort of enforcement falls onto CPD, even though it sucks and is boring paperwork! CPD already has 2 Central Square units with the standard complement of route and sector cars, and now with the substation soon-to-be, lots of Central Bike units!
CPD, please encourage your officers, especially the CBs, who themselves will bike in the bike lane, to take an occasional bike around Mass Ave, and have cars moved along.
CPD
5 Komentos
City Hall – DR (Beripikadong Opisiyal)
blakew (Rehistradong User)
Isang anonimong user ng SeeClickFix (Rehistradong User)
I've started occasionally coming across a Traffic motorcycle unit going up and down Mass Ave for directed bike lane enforcement. I don't assume this issue is what caused that, but if it did, thanks for making that happen, Jay.
I'd (and I'm sure the countless other road users, MV drivers and bikers a like) appreciate continued enforcement like this throughout the year (although I believe the Mass Ave improvement project will help alleviate this).
For the time being, may I suggest getting units to dole out directed attention especially in the Central Square area, and the MIT to Central Square corridor?
Isinara Police - JW (Communications) (Beripikadong Opisiyal)
Thank you for reporting your concern to City of Cambridge via Commonwealth Connect.
As you may know, we use data provided by the public through the Commonwealth Connect/SeeClickFix application as one of our many means to guide enforcement against bike lane and sidewalk obstructions. That data supplements – among considerations -- extensive crash analysis conducted by the City, which includes reviews of crash reports and incidents involving transports to a hospital.
The Cambridge Police Department (and the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department) prioritizes targeted enforcement in areas of the highest incidence of crashes in the City. For example, the highest level of attention is generally focused on Hampshire Street from Inman Square to Tremont Street, and Massachusetts Avenue from Vassar Street to Bigelow Street. Per our latest Crash Trends and Locations Report -- http://www.cambridgema.gov/~/media/Files/policedepartment/SpecialReports/CrashAnalysisReport_Final_05252017.ashx – those two locations accounted for 22% of all crashes requiring EMS transport over the last two years.
As roads are redesigned, the City will work to create physical infrastructure that will inherently prevent people from parking illegally in unsafe locations, blocking bike lanes, crosswalks, and pedestrian ramps, or disability parking. This will include the installation of separated bike lanes. In addition, the City will make changes to how it manages curbside space to provide safe locations for deliveries and drop-off/pick up for taxis and TNCs. The City will also explore the need for expanded loading zones during peak periods of the day. Providing appropriate space for these activities will decrease intrusions into bike lanes, crosswalks, and pedestrian ramps. Finally, the City will emphasize cross-agency collaboration to ensure that changes to infrastructure are jointly strategized and appropriate changes to enforcement are considered.
We hope this background is helpful in understanding and appreciating the challenges we are aware of and are striving to service.
Margaret (Rehistradong User)