(no subject)

[push-stars.livejournal.com]

Somerville Avenue in between Porter and Union square is up for reconstruction by Mass Highway, commencing sometime this spring. It is at 100% design, and the countract is out to bid. there was a public hearing in August 30, 2005 ( the transcript may or may not be available).  More info and some CTPS GIS maps of reported Bike and pedestrian crashes in Somerville.  

Comments

[xuth.livejournal.com]

I don't know how much I would trust this data because my one experience with somerville police trying to file an accident report for a bicycle incident was that they (well that specific officer manning the desk at the time) really didn't want to deal with a report. ie he wouldn't give me the paperwork to fill out because I was a bicyclist! This was showing up at the police station near union square in the evening. Eventually he gave me a phone number I could call during the day if I wanted to file a report. I've since found the necessary paperwork online but never went through with filling things out.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. Bicycle crashes (with motor vehicles, non-motor vehicles, or others) are pretty much the most unreported crash type out there. It's not jsut the police who don't bother, it's the cyclists themselves too, often. So definitely take those official reports as the minimum, not the actual number.

[turil.livejournal.com]

Those plans are quite unfortunate, in my opinion. There are some really bad bike lanes included in them, which violate pretty much all national standards for road widths. I voted against them when I was on the bike committee, but was outvoted. So, as far as I know, those substandard, and dangerous, bike lanes are still there. But there's a chance that they got removed or changed in a way that won't be so dangerous. I recommended a "sharrow" marking, which would have made it clear that bikes belonged on the road, and helped the less experienced cyclists understand where they should position themselves for maximum safety (well away from the door zone of parked cars).

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

What's "sharrow"?