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
- End-to-end protected bike lane on Mass AveResident asks for a continuous protected bike lane along Mass Ave because the current design is dangerous and the street is a key route for vulnerable road users.2026–27South End
- Pedestrianize short road segments like Union Park blockResident asks to convert very short road segments, such as Union Park between Montgomery and Tremont Streets, into pedestrian space or greenway for safer walking and gathering.2026–27City-wide
- Make Newbury Street a full-time pedestrian spaceResident asks to pedestrianize Newbury Street full time, with retractable bollards for morning deliveries, to protect vulnerable road users, reduce emissions and support businesses.2026–27Back Bay
- Protected bike lane and wider sidewalks on Charles StreetResident asks for a two-way protected bike lane and wider sidewalks on Charles Street, citing narrow sidewalks, too many car lanes and speeding.2026–27Beacon Hill
- Protected bike lanes linking South Boston and South EndResident asks for protected bike lanes on E Berkeley Street and the W Fourth Bridge to create a safe route between South Boston and the South End.2026–27South Boston
- Protected bike lanes and road diet on GreenwayResident asks for two-way protected bike lanes and a road diet on the Rose Kennedy Greenway to reduce speeding and make it safer for cyclists.2026–27Downtown
- "Drive by the book" billboard safety campaignResident proposes a billboard campaign encouraging drivers to follow traffic rules, such as using blinkers and stopping before intersections, to build safer driving habits.2026–27City-wide
- Raised protected bike lanes on all major roadsResident asks for raised protected bike lanes on all major roads, saying cycling is efficient, affordable and statistically safer.2026–27City-wide
- 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
- Raised protected bike lanes that keep parkingResident proposes raised, cement-protected bike lanes next to sidewalks that do not impede parking, possibly narrowing sidewalks, for greater safety.2026–27City-wide
- Citywide raised, protected bike path networkResident asks for a citywide network of raised bike paths at sidewalk height, protected by cement barriers.2026–27City-wide
- Raised protected bike paths with planter barriersResident proposes a citywide raised bike path system at sidewalk height, protected by cement barriers holding planters, without disrupting car parking.2026–27City-wide
- Preventive driving safety workshopsThe resident asks for educational workshops or programs on preventive street driving, to make drivers more careful and reduce accidents and deaths.2026–27DorchesterSubmitted in Spanish
- Improve Arnold Arboretum crosswalk near Walter StreetResident asks to improve the busy crosswalk between Flora Way Gate and Peter's Hill Gate at the Arnold Arboretum, on the JP-Roslindale border, for safety.2025–26Jamaica Plain
- Flashing walk signals at K Circle crosswalksResident asks for flashing pedestrian signs at each crosswalk at K Circle, a dangerous busy intersection, without waiting for future development.2025–26Dorchester
- Car-free Centre Street in JP on summer weekendsResident asks to make Centre Street in Jamaica Plain car-free on summer weekends as an extension of Open Streets, keeping buses and emergency vehicles able to pass.2025–26Jamaica Plain
- 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
- Review traffic light timing and use side-street sensorsResident asks the city to review signal timing and consider sensors on side-street lights to keep main roads moving and reduce idling and air pollution.2025–26City-wide
- South Boston protected bike lanes and bus lanesResident asks for protected bike lanes on key South Boston streets, more Bluebikes docks, and a bus/bike lane on Broadway and Summer St connecting City Point to the Red Line.2025–26South Boston