Committee tables Pine Street lane-reduction plan, orders stakeholder working group

The Manchester Board of Mayor & Aldermen’s Committee on Public Safety, Health and Traffic on an unspecified date tabled a proposal that would reduce a travel lane and add a dedicated bike lane on Pine Street between Bridge Street and Webster Street and directed staff to form a working group to study bike-lane planning across the city.

The motion to table, made by Alderman Morgan, was adopted after an extended discussion in which city staff and several aldermen debated safety trade-offs, prior studies and the timing of upcoming paving on Pine Street.

Why it matters: Committee members said they want a broader, citywide plan before approving piecemeal bike-lane conversions. The timing matters because Pine Street is scheduled for resurfacing in the coming months; restriping decisions normally occur after paving and before final striping.

Committee discussion and key points

Alderman Morgan said the city appears to be “piecemealing” bike lanes and asked that a…