Today I was given an update about the Cambridge St. Bike Lanes from the City, and wanted to share it with you. I’ve gotten many questions from all sides of the issue, such as:
What are the responsibilities of this group?
1. Provide a space to review recent bike safety projects, including Cambridge St. Brattle St., and sections of Massachusetts Ave. This review is about the *design* of, not the existence of the lanes.
2. Give input on how to improve the community process when moving forward with future bike lane projects.
Who will be facilitating the working group?
Our community has expressed interest in ending the “us vs. them” rhetoric that bike lanes have caused in the past. To help make progress on this, a 3rd party facilitator called the Consensus Building Institute, will be helping to guide the conversation.
How will the group be formed? Who will be on it?
The Consensus Building Institute will identify key stakeholder groups on this issue, and conduct 30-40 interviews with a representative sample of these stakeholder groups. Based on these interviews, CBI will make recommendations to the City Manager about appointments to the working group. After the group is formed, CBI will use their neutral viewpoint to lead a constructive, productive conversation.
When will the group be formed, and what is their timeline?
The City is finalizing the contract with CBI now, and we should hear more about a timeline at the May 14th Council meeting. Once the working group is formed, expect their study and feedback process to last about 12 to 18 months.
I want to thank everyone for their active engagement on this issue, but also your patience as we come together and ensure that this process is done right. I’m confident that the foundation laid by this group for a robust community conversation will be helpful as we move forward towards Cambridge’s Vision Zero goals.