Pedestrian & bike safety
Consistent prioritySafer streets for people walking and biking through traffic calming, crossings, signals and protected bike lanes.
Residents consistently ask for physically protected bike lanes, safer crossings and signals, slower residential streets, and more space for people walking.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
324 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 157 | 12.9% | 1 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 53 | 4.4% | 10 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 114 | 8.6% | 3 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Protected, separated bike lanes
Residents want bike lanes with real barriers or physical separation, on specific corridors and as a connected citywide network, instead of paint alone.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Safer crossings and better-timed signals
People ask for raised, well-marked or signalized crosswalks, longer walk times, and fixes at dangerous intersections such as Cleveland Circle and Union Square.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Speed bumps and traffic calming on local streets
Residents on residential streets report speeding, crashes and hit parked cars, and ask for speed humps, raised crosswalks and similar measures, often citing children and seniors.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Enforcement and safety education
Residents ask for enforcement against red-light running, texting and blocked lanes, plus campaigns teaching drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to share streets safely.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Pedestrian-priority streets and plazas
People ask to close or pedestrianize streets such as Newbury Street and Hanover Street, or give them more space for walking and gathering.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
The largest and most varied set of ideas, with many hyper-local speed bump requests (especially Norwell Street), many pedestrian overpass and underpass proposals across Hyde Park, Roslindale and Dorchester, and requests for bike connections.
2025–26
A smaller set of ideas focused on protected or raised bike lanes, longer pedestrian signal times and crosswalk fixes, with an equity framing about residents without cars and Black and brown neighborhoods.
2026–27
Dominated by requests for raised, concrete-protected bike lanes (especially in Allston-Brighton) and physical barriers in place of paint or flexposts, along with signal retiming and protection against illegal parking in bike lanes.
New in 2026–27
Newly prominent are requests for sidewalk-height raised bike lanes with concrete barriers, enforcement and 311 reporting of lane-blocking cars, more crossing guards, and quick-build temporary curb extensions and planters.
Funding so far
No winning resident-vote projects relate to this theme, so every recurring ask (protected bike lanes, safer crossings and signals, traffic calming, enforcement and education, pedestrian-priority streets) has yet to be addressed by a winning project.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Departments that often lead this work
- Boston Transportation Department
- Public Works
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Pedestrian & bike safety
21 ideas
2024–25: 9 · 2025–26: 1 · 2026–27: 11 (of 324 in this theme)
- Redesign Union Square in Allston for pedestrian safetyResident asks to redesign the dangerous Union Square intersection for pedestrians and to expand the empty plazas with events, food trucks and picnic tables to support the neighborhood.2026–27Allston
- Redesign Harvard Ave in AllstonResident asks to redesign Harvard Ave with protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and pickup zones instead of street parking, addressing litter, broken sidewalks, dangerous crossings, and double parking.2026–27Allston
- Close Linden and Reedsdale crossing over Green LineResident asks to close the crossover letting drivers on Linden and Reedsdale Streets cross the Green Line tracks, which delays trains and creates hazards for pedestrians.2026–27Allston
- Fix signals at Harvard Ave and Commonwealth AveResident asks to overhaul signals at Harvard Ave and Commonwealth Ave with transit signal priority and safer pedestrian timing, since crossing is dangerous and Green Line trains get stuck.2026–27Allston
- More stop signs and crosswalks in Allston-BrightonThe resident asks for more stop signs, crosswalks and yield signs in Allston-Brighton to reduce accidents and make the area safer and more accessible.2026–27Allston
- Raised bike lanes along Washington Street, Oak SquareResident asks for raised, separated bike lanes on Washington Street from Oak Square to Corey Road.2026–27Allston
- Raised bike lanes on Cambridge StreetResident asks for raised, concrete-barrier bike lanes at sidewalk level on Cambridge Street.2026–27Allston
- Raised separated bike lanes on Lincoln StreetResident asks for raised, separated bike lanes on Lincoln Street in Allston and Brighton.2026–27Allston
- Pilot plazas on Comm Ave carriage lanesResident asks to fund a pilot converting carriage lanes on Commonwealth Ave near Harvard Ave into plazas with seating, planters and art for pedestrians in Allston-Brighton.2026–27Allston
- Raised protected bike lanes on Cambridge and Washington StreetsResident asks for raised protected bike lanes on Cambridge Street and Washington Street in Allston and Brighton.2026–27Allston
- Redesign Allston's Union Square for pedestrian safetyResident asks for a redesigned Union Square streetscape with safer crossings and expanded plazas for families, dining and events, because the area is currently dangerous and uninviting.2026–27Allston
- Protected bike lane on Lincoln StreetResident asks for a protected bike lane on Lincoln Street, which is long, narrow and has fast traffic with no stoplights, making it unsafe for cyclists.2025–26Allston
- Bike lane on Warren StreetResident requests a bike lane on Warren St, which passes Brighton High School but currently has none.2024–25Allston
- Safer Union Square Allston intersectionResident asks to fix the Union Square intersection in Allston to make it safer for bikes and pedestrians, noting past deaths there.2024–25Allston
- Bike and pedestrian link from BU Bridge to river pathResident asks for a bike and pedestrian connection from the BU Bridge to the Charles River path on the Boston side, matching the Cambridge side.2024–25Allston
- Extend Cambridge Street bike lane with green bike boxResident asks to remove about five parking spots on Cambridge St at Sparhawk to extend the bike lane and add a green bike box so cyclists can wait safely.2024–25Allston
- Redesign Commonwealth Ave near Packard's CornerRestart plans to redesign Commonwealth Avenue between Packard's Corner and Warren Street for safer pedestrian streets and new green space.2024–25Allston
- Speed humps by Lincoln St pedestrian overpassResident asks for two speed humps on either side of the crosswalk on Lincoln St for people using the pedestrian overpass.2024–25Allston
- Bike and pedestrian underpass at sharp path turnResident asks for an underpass for bikes and pedestrians to reduce conflicts at a sharp turn along the path.2024–25Allston
- Speed humps and speed limit signs on Easton StreetAdd speed humps and posted speed limit signs on Easton Street in Allston, where cars speed down a small one-way street.2024–25Allston