Making Newton a more Bikeable City

 In order to fulfill Newton's potential to be a state leader on issues such as climate change and socioeconomic inclusivity we must have well placed, protected, and frequent bike paths in our city. This pandemic has shown us the devastating effects that being trapped indoors can have on people's mental health. Outdoors exercise, like bicycling, has been proven to help both mental and physical health. Safe bike paths provide residents with multiple functions such as exercise, transportation, and leisure. 

However Newton does not have an approved general bike path policy. There are painted bike lanes that start and stop, and Newton only built its first protected bike path last year and it doesn’t even go an entire block. A research study published in the Journal of Transport and Health concluded that when a city uses protected bike lanes it lowers traffic safety risks for drivers as well as lowering bicycling injury and death by half. Bryan will fight to make safe and widespread bike paths a priority and listen to residents and community activist groups such as Bike Newton. 

Building protected bike paths with planters and stanchions in school zones would allow students and their families to travel to school without the need to burn fuel, saving money and the environment. In Massachusetts, passenger cars alone are responsible for roughly 27% of all carbon pollution. Giving Newtons youth the option to safely ride their bikes has been a community concern for decades. Riding bikes to school teaches independence but also creates lifelong habits. Biking should also be a safe option for commuting to work and to public transportation hubs. When designing public transportation stations it is crucial that bike paths be constructed to provide commuters the ability to get to the train or bus station without a car and to promote a “car light” lifestyle. 

If elected, Bryan will work to make greater biking infrastructure in Newton a reality. He will work proactively to make sure that bike paths become part of the road design process and not an afterthought. He believes that as a first step, we should work to create at least one uninterrupted bike path from East to West and one North to South.