News

Fight over cyclist safety takes 'artistic' turn

BOSTON — Cyclists in Boston say they don’t always feel safe on the roads and now some are expressing that concern in a creative way.

“Honestly, every day is a fight for you life on the streets,” Mohammed Ali-Yousefy said. “You have to face opening doors on parked cars, cars trying to make left turns, right turns, pedestrians crossing the street."

That’s why some artistic activists put signs along Massachusetts Avenue overnight Sunday into Monday, which drew attention to bike lane safety.

By Tuesday morning, though, the City had removed all the signs except this one on the corner of Mass Ave and Columbus. One needed to be removed from the dividing line of the bike lane to the sidewalk.

The Boston Transportation Department released a statement and said:

"We appreciate the intent of the cartoon cutouts to inform and educate people about bike safety on Massachusetts Avenue in an artistic, eye-catching manner.  We agree that it is beneficial to circulate these important messages and we are working each day to further enhance our streets so that they are safe and welcoming for all users.  On Massachusetts Avenue, in particular, additional flex posts will soon be placed along the existing bike lane.

Unfortunately, however, the cutouts needed to be removed from this busy street to maximize visibility for all users of the roadway and to maintain safe passage for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.  Removal of the cutouts is in accordance with the City of Boston Traffic Rules and Regulations, Article III Traffic Signs, Signals, Markings and Devices, Section 1. Display of Unauthorized Signs, Signals, Markings, or Devices Prohibited - No person shall place, maintain, or display, upon or in view of any street, any unofficial sign, signal, marking, or device which purports to be, or is an imitation of, or resembles an official traffic sign, signal, marking, or device, or which attempts to direct the movement of traffic, or which hides from view any official sign, signal, marking, or device, unless otherwise authorized by the Boston Transportation Department.

BTD welcomes input and we encourage anyone who has suggestions on innovative steps that can be taken to increase the safety and functionality of our streets to benefit all users to email comments to btd@boston.gov."

One of the activists’ signs featured an unflattering cartoon of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh beside Matt Damon’s character from Good Will Hunting.

Last week, cyclists protested outside City Hall after Walsh spoke about the need for cyclists and pedestrians to also take responsibility and beware of their surroundings.

“As a cyclist, we’re moving around. Sometimes we can be reckless,” Ali-Yousefy said. “At the same time, I feel the burden falls more on the two-ton machine.”

But while Boston 25 News crews were reporting on the story in the South End on Tuesday morning, we witnessed traffic violations of all sorts. Some cyclists ignored red lights and just rode right through them, while several cars parked or stopped in the bike lane.

“There’s definitely some awareness needed that there are bikes out there and we’re trying to share the road and make things work. And in Boston, it’s very difficult,” Bryan Van Dorpe said.

One of the people behind the artwork, which they call “tactical urbanism,” didn’t respond to a request for comment by Boston 25 News.