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Fitchburg commissioners consider parking‑protected bike lanes for Richardson Street
Summary
Commissioners debated adding buffered and parking‑protected bike lanes to Richardson Street to improve connections to the McKe Park path, with proponents urging a low‑cost paint pilot and others asking for clearer packet data and resident outreach before painting.
The Transportation and Transit Commission on April 9 discussed a staff‑led review of the Richardson–Schuman intersection and possible road‑striping changes to improve safety for people walking and biking.
Ross, the city staff member presenting the item, told the commission the neighborhood has no sidewalks because resolution R185‑16 requires 75% of affected residents to approve new sidewalk installations, limiting options to bike lanes and paint. ‘‘We’re restricted from putting sidewalk in this neighborhood because of resolution R185‑16,’’ Ross said, explaining the legal constraint and why striping is being considered as an alternative.
Alder Bill Jetser, who lives near the intersection, urged the commission to adopt a parking‑protected configuration he said would better protect children and older residents. “I do favor this configuration for the street for a number of reasons. One is I think we can probably all agree that this is far safer if you wanted to send your kid out on a bike or an elderly person,” Jetser said, describing a layout with buffered bike lanes and parking acting as a protection for southbound cyclists.
Commissioners debated tradeoffs: whether painting a centerline reduces speeds, how much usable parking would be lost, gutter pan width and the true usable width of bike lanes, and the impact on snow removal and trash and mail delivery. Some members questioned data in the packet — one commissioner said the 85th‑percentile speed of 30 mph seemed high for Richardson — and asked staff for more context and resident outreach. Ross said the paint pilot would cost roughly $40,000–$50,000 per mile for striping and suggested it could be easily changed if it did not perform as hoped.
Mayor Praa, who said she had heard multiple resident complaints while door‑knocking in the neighborhood, urged the commission to give advance notice of meetings so more neighbors can attend and to consider signage and other immediate safety measures. “I have seen with my own eyes…kids crossing and people speeding,” the mayor said.
The commission did not take a formal vote on a specific design. Members endorsed exploring a prioritized list of streets for treatment, directed staff to refine packet context and community notice practices, and asked staff to return with options for a pilot striping treatment and a recommended prioritization for similar streets across the city. No permanent infrastructure changes were approved at the meeting.
Next steps: staff will provide clearer background data and a proposed pilot schedule for Richardson Street, including cost, expected maintenance implications and community outreach plans; the commission may revisit the issue after staff returns with that recommendation.
