So we’re riding through the mix up of construction that is the 10-intersection solution (not the entire road) paid for by Stimulus Money and we’re noticing one change that flies in the face of the City’s emphasis on complete streets. Heading south on Dot Ave coming out of Fields Corner (south of Park) they’ve taken out 3-5 parking spots! That sounds awesome eh? Except they took the spots out to put a turn lane for folks wanting to turn down Gibson Street. While the guy who owns the liquor store on the corner will now have scofflaw parkers gallore at his store, Dot Ave’s plan does NOTHING to calm traffic, just get it going faster? Complete street? Completely cars.
We went to a number of meetings with Mass Dot designers with Boston Bikes Officials in attendance and got reassurances that this oversight would be reconsidered. Guess not. Why waste our time down here in Dot?
So if you joing Dotbike on Sunday and ride in the Dorchester Day Parade (12:30 Richmond Street be there!) you’ll see the real Dotbike riding up the street. There will be literally hundreds and hundreds of bikes littering the side with the spectators. Kids, adults, everyone brings a bike it seems. So who says Dot has low rider numbers? Ha! Given the lack of attention given to our infrastructure needs, it may be a small wonder if we’re actually less. I just don’t believe it. I ride all over the place and certainly at times there are parts of town that the bike culture is overwhelming. Those are generally in more congested parts of town where folks from ALL OVER congregate to go to work or school. Even folks from Dorchester ride there…
So now when someone is riding out of Fields Corner we’ll have to deal with two lanes of traffic and NO BIKE ACCOMODATION. Of course some may indicate a Sharrow, but so what? Given the rest of Dorchester that has lanes has yet to have any sign suggesting we ‘share the road’ or ‘no parking in bike lane’ why should we think that auto drivers will care about a little faded paint on the street with a bike chevron? I still get yelled at to get on the sidewalk on Talbot Ave in the sharrow stretch there…(almost daily in fact). Thanks Boston Bikes! You’re right on top of it as usual!
