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Politics & Government

South Brookline Bike Lane Concept Draws Some Residents' Ire

Neighbors say proposal would favor bikes over cars.

A proposal that would cut traffic lanes in favor of bikes routes in South Brookline received a hostile response from some neighbors earlier this week, even though the concept was developed by college students and has not been endorsed by anyone in town government.

The design, which was drafted by Northeastern University civil engineering students as part of a class, was presented at a special meeting of the Brookline Bicycle Advisory Committee last night. The preliminary proposal would call for slimming several South Brookline roads, including Lee, Clyde, Newton and Hammond streets, from four lanes down to two.

That did not go over well with some residents.

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“Your plan is discriminatory,” said a neighbor who identified herself as Dedin Bung. “You are favoring people who ride bicycles.”

Bung cited numerous problems removal of lanes would cause, including disruptions with trash pickup, and taxi and ambulance service.

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Peter Furth, a Northeastern professor and Brookline resident involved in the project, insisted that the proposal was unbiased.

“It is not a design that is good for bicycles and bad for everyone else,” said Furth.

The concept calls for significant changes to the look and use of several South Brookline arterial roads. Lee Street, for example, would have its eastern side turned into a service road for pedestrians and bicyclists. Limited vehicular traffic would also be allowed to use the service road, but speeds would be limited to 15 miles per hour and drivers could only use it to access adjacent neighborhoods.

The middle of Lee Street would be transformed into a landscaped park area for recreational uses, while the western portion would be set aside for a normal two-lane road, smaller than the four lanes now available for vehicles.

“Having good bicycle routes improves the quality of lives and raises property values,” said Forth.

Richard Nangle, a Town Meeting member, echoed Forth’s enthusiasm for the project, saying that it would rectify safety issues along Hammond Street.

“It really improves it exponentially,” said Nangle.

The project’s estimated price tag is about $1.1 million. A portion of the Northeastern study was already given to the Brookline Transportation Department in 2009. The remaining part will be handed over upon its completion in April.  

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