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Residents urge protected bike lanes on Washington Street during Select Board public comment
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment to urge the Select Board to support protected bike lanes on Washington Street, citing student safety, family mobility and potential commercial benefits despite parking concerns.
During the public-comment period, several Brookline residents urged the Select Board to support protected bicycle lanes on Washington Street between Washington Square and Brookline Village.
Megan (first speaker) said protected bike lanes would make routes such as Beacon Street and Washington Street far safer and noted cyclists also patronize local businesses. Jessica, a nine-year Brookline resident, described family bicycling in other cities with protected infrastructure and said her children stopped biking after she moved to Brookline because the roads felt unsafe. Longtime resident Susan Ivy outlined specific hazards on Washington Street — higher speeds, sun glare near Brookline Village and awkward intersections — and argued that safe bike infrastructure would improve access to schools, libraries and civic buildings.
Speakers acknowledged business concerns about lost parking but suggested increased cycling traffic could offset parking loss by bringing customers. The Select Board received the comments during the public-comment portion and took no immediate action; the Washington Street redesign appeared elsewhere on the agenda and will receive its own review.
