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
324 ideas
2024–25: 157 · 2025–26: 53 · 2026–27: 114
- Separated bike lane on Dorchester AvenueResident asks for a separated bike lane on Dorchester Avenue, giving a cheap, easy way to get around given unreliable transit and to reach city services.2024–25Dorchester
- Safe bike lane along Storrow DriveResident asks for a safe bike lane along Storrow Drive and David Mugar Way, in partnership with DCR, to replace illegal reverse bike travel on Charles Street.2024–25Beacon Hill
- Build the Winship St bike laneResident says signs for a Winship St bike lane went up about a year ago with no progress since, and asks for it to be built.2024–25Brighton
- Improve Mass Ave bike lane visibility at drivewaysResident supports improving the Mass Ave bike lane, with better ways for drivers to see bicycles at driveways and side streets, in addition to trees.2024–25Dorchester
- Paint stop line at end of blockResident asks for a painted stop line at the end of a block to show drivers where to stop.2024–25Brighton
- Pedestrian median at high-speed curveResident asks for a median to make crossing safer at a high-speed curve.2024–25Brighton
- 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
- No turn on red at all intersectionsResident asks to ban right turns on red citywide to make intersections safer for pedestrians and avoid driver confusion about where it is allowed.2024–25City-wide
- Crosswalk at Foster St FootpathResident requests a pedestrian crosswalk where the Foster St Footpath meets Foster St, also improving safe access to the nearby Edison school.2024–25Brighton
- All-way pedestrian signal at Park Drive and RiverwayResident asks for an all-way pedestrian signal at Park Drive and Riverway so people can cross fully without long waits at the median.2024–25Fenway
- Pedestrian and bike crossing at Fenway and Brookline AveResident asks for a crossing on the park side of Fenway at Brookline Ave, since pedestrians must currently cross twice and wait for two signals.2024–25Longwood
- Separated bike path along Ruggles StreetResident requests a separated bike path on Ruggles Street connecting Fenway and the Emerald Necklace to Ruggles Station and the Southwest Corridor.2024–25Mission Hill
- Contra-flow bike lane on Colborne RoadResident asks for a contra-flow bike lane on Colborne Road between Comm Ave and Euston.2024–25Brighton
- Bike routes from Brighton Center to Charles RiverResident asks for improved, stress-free bike connections from Brighton Center and Oak Square to the Charles River path, as current lanes are narrow and on busy streets.2024–25Brighton
- Better bike links from Charles River to DowntownResident asks for better bike connectivity and wayfinding between the Charles River path and Downtown, South Station and the Harborwalk.2024–25West End
- Safer bike and walking links near Sullivan StationResident asks for better bike and pedestrian paths between Sullivan Station and Assembly, and says the nearby intersection and traffic circle are dangerous.2024–25Charlestown
- 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
- Crosswalk to Charles River Park from Everett StResident asks for a crosswalk and proper signaling at the existing stoplight to give safe pedestrian access to Charles River Park.2024–25Brighton
- Separated bike lane on Washington St. in BrightonBuild a separated bike lane on Washington St. outside parked cars to protect people and connect Brighton to existing bike routes toward Franklin Park and neighboring communities.2024–25Brighton