Better Bike Lanes
We've installed many bike lanes in Boston. Now we're working to make them better: safe, connected, and comfortable.
Enabling more trips by bike is essential to reaching our climate and public health goals. We need to make sure our streets are safe for the thousands of people who bike today — and for the many more who will choose to ride tomorrow.
While each block of safe, comfortable bike lane is important, it's more important that they connect to each other. A connected network is worth more than the sum of its parts.
Everyone in Boston deserves safe access to our bike network, no matter what neighborhood they're in. We're quickly closing gaps in Boston's emerging network of low-stress bike routes. We're also working intentionally with residents to design an expanded bike network that works for their communities.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Boston Bikes
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1 City Hall Square, Room 721
Boston, MA 02201
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Our Plan
We're transforming Boston's streets to better serve people walking, rolling, and riding bikes. We're connecting our bike network and bringing safer streets to every neighborhood.
About our work
Our growing bike network must include the types of bike facilities that make the most people feel comfortable: separated bike lanes and traffic-calmed streets.
Boston has a large network of conventional bike lanes. These lanes dedicate about five feet of space in the street for bicycling. As we’ve added bike lanes across the City, more people have chosen to ride a bike to work, to the T, to farmers markets, or just for fun.
But, many people don’t feel comfortable riding in conventional bike lanes. That’s why we are creating more routes with separation between drivers and bicyclists. We're also creating traffic-calmed local streets.
Separated bike lanes are safe and predictable places for people to ride bikes. You and your family have your own space to ride. You can go at your own pace and ride side-by-side. If you're in a vehicle, you know where to expect people on bikes. You don't have to worry so much. A 13-year study of a dozen U.S. cities found that separated bike lanes make streets safer for everyone, whether they are walking, driving, or biking.
Traffic-calmed local streets are designed for people. They discourage unnecessary through-traffic by drivers, while making useful connections for people walking or bicycling. These streets make it easier and safer to:
- travel within your own neighborhood,
- get to train stations or bus stops, and
- connect with the city-wide bike network.
Citywide Bike Network Design
While we accelerate our work to close known gaps in our existing bike network, we will be working with residents to create a citywide bike plan. This planning process will embed local needs and priorities in the route selection and design.
Our work will be co-led by City agencies, including the Environment Department and the Public Health Commission. A working group of Boston residents will guide our work and advise us on outreach strategies. We aim to launch the working group in fall 2022.
All residents will be invited to participate in an iterative process with low-stakes opportunities to get involved. We will have honest and transparent conversations about trade-offs and work together to realize streets that help everyone travel safely.
Interested in learning more about the working group?
Events
EventsAbout Bike Lanes
About Bike LanesBike Lane Types
Learn about the different bike lane types in the City of Boston.

Design elements
View the different bike lane design elements in the City.

Bicycle Network Map
View a map of bicycle facilities in the City of Boston.
Bike Network Projects
We're working across the City to plan, design, and build bike lanes that are safe and comfortable. You'll find our projects listed below. We've grouped them based on when we anticipate to install the bike lanes: now, in 2023, and in 2024 and beyond.
In Construction Now
In Design for 2023
In Design for 2024 and beyond
Opportunities for Bike Lanes
Using Parking-Protected Bike Lanes
See our tips for parking your car, getting in and out of your car, and bicycling on streets with parking-protected bike lanes.