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
9 ideas
2024–25: 9 · 2025–26: 0 · 2026–27: 0 (of 324 in this theme)
- Safe walking and biking access to Stony Brook ReservationResident asks for crosswalks, traffic lights, street lights and sidewalks near Enneking Pkwy and Smithfield Rd so people without cars can safely reach Stony Brook Reservation.2024–25Hyde Park
- Pedestrian bridges at dangerous intersectionsBuild pedestrian bridges to protect people from high-speed traffic, noting that young people have died at certain intersections.2024–25Hyde Park
- Speed bumps on a speeding streetSupports a neighbor's petition for speed bumps because cars speed daily and the resident has nearly been hit crossing with their daughters.2024–25Hyde Park
- Pedestrian link from Marston Street to Westminster AvenueResident asks for a pedestrian connection from Marston and Gwinnett Streets to Westminster Avenue and Providence Street.2024–25Hyde Park
- Underpass from Greenwood Avenue to Sherrin WoodsResident asks for an underpass from Greenwood Avenue to Sherrin Woods to improve pedestrian circulation.2024–25Hyde Park
- Pedestrian connection across tracks near Parrott StreetResident asks for a pedestrian connection across the tracks linking Summer Street near Parrott with Hyde Park Avenue near Webster.2024–25Hyde Park
- Pedestrian underpass from Factory to Barry StreetResident asks for a pedestrian underpass connecting Factory Street and Barry Street to improve access to the commuter rail station.2024–25Hyde Park
- Connect Reservation Road Park to Boston Renaissance schoolResident asks for a bridge or underpass connecting Reservation Road Park with the Boston Renaissance school.2024–25Hyde Park
- Crosswalk on River Street at path endsResident asks for a new crosswalk on River Street lining up with the ends of two paths.2024–25Hyde Park