Description
For Harvard-bound people on bicycles using the bike lane, there is a hazard from drivers making the right-hand turn from Mass Ave onto Windsor Street. This is primarily a design issue. Parking is allowed very close to the intersection, such that people driving cannot see bicyclists or the bike lane. In addition, since the city refuses to elevate bicycle paths, or put any priority markings for them, drivers are not reminded to check. But it is also a behavior/education issue. As Windsor is not perpendicular, drivers take the turn very fast. I believe most Boston-area drivers believe that people on bicycles must yield to them when they make right turns (incorrect). This is probably also an issue for people that are walking. Someone will be seriously injured here if it hasn't happened already.
6 Comments
Traffic - BMcK (Streets) (Verified Official)
Ryan Frazer (Registered User)
I strongly agree with the overall sentiment here - the Mass Ave/Windsor intersection is unsafe. I'm glad there is high-viz green striping across the intersection and at least one parking space on the south side of the intersection was removed for daylighting, but these efforts are not enough.
Like d says above, a big part of the problem is the wide angle of the intersection, so drivers turning right off Mass Ave are not encouraged enough to slow down. In addition, they will frequently only stop for pedestrians, but not bicyclists. This could be due to poor knowledge about who has the right-of-way (cyclists), or because they can't see the cyclists as they go through the wide turn.
I doubt there is much that could be done to change the angle of the intersection without a full rebuild, but removing another parking spot for more daylighting would help.
Also, these issues only address right-hook danger here. Not mentioned is the problem with drivers turning left off Mass Ave onto Windsor (they drive quickly to get across Mass Ave onto Windsor, without yielding to cyclists), or drivers turning left off Windsor onto Mass Ave (they creep out across the crosswalk and bike lane to get a better view to make the left turn).
Crash (Registered User)
Acknowledged Traffic - PB (Engineering) (Registered User)
blakew (Registered User)
Closed Traffic - PB (Engineering) (Registered User)
The design of this intersection provides 40 feet of clear zone in the parking lane approaching Windsor Street, including flexible delineators to prevent illegal parking. Green conflict markings are striped through the intersection along with TURNING VEHICLES YIELD signs to maximize driver awareness through the turns.
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