MassBike Bikepath Snow Plowing Report
Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Bikepaths are an integral part of the bicycle transportation network, and these reports are provided to encourage their use by bicyclists who might otherwise not venture out in the snow, and to encourage their proper maintenance (which includes snow plowing) by the responsible agencies given in bold type below. Paths with significant foot traffic become unskiable within a day, and remain a mess for everyone if they are not plowed while the snow is still soft.

The snow start falling on Tuesday afternoon and feel through the night. Through Tuesday's evening commute, the paths had so little snow that you could ride through it. By the Wednesday morning commute, there were six inches or more, enough for snow days at local schools which did not get Evacuation Day off. All of the major paths in Boston (except maybe the SW Corridor) were plowed, and most got a second pass after the snow finally stopped Wednesday afternoon. While the original plowing was seldom to bare pavement, warmer temperatures and some sun cleared all of the paths over Thursday and Friday, which wouldn't have happened if they weren't plowed. Congratulations to the City of Boston, the Town of Brookline, and the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation who all did a great job.

Please send updates and reports on the conditions of other paths in Massachusetts to Doug Mink dmink@massbike.org.

Arnold Arboretum
1.5 miles of park roads which are mostly closed to automobile traffic with no intersections
Boston Parks and Harvard University
Wednesday, the roads were plowed to soft icy slush, but by the end of the week, they were mostly bare pavement. The road from the Walter Street entrance stayed icy the longest.
Jamaicaway Bikepath
1.5 miles of mostly bike/ped-separated paths paralleling a busy 4-lane parkway; two intersections with traffic lights
Boston Parks Deparment
This path was plowed by Wednesday morning, though I had to use my trusty avalanche shovel to clear it past the bollards at Pine Bank which should be removed!. It was sanded, too, and was pretty clear by Wednesday evening.
Olmsted Park Paths
3/4-mile of mostly bike/ped-separated paths built over Riverdale Road, across Leverett Pond from the Jamaicaway.
Brookline Park Department
The bike path was plowed by Wednesday morning, the earliest after a storm I've seen it plowed this winter.
Muddy River Path
12-foot-wide 0.6 mile shared bike/ped path with no intersections
Brookline Park Department and DPW
This path was plowed to packed powder on Wednesday morning and was pretty clear by evening.
B.U. Bridge
The sidewalks were plowed by Wednesday morning, except for the stretch over Storrow Drive (which was the first part plowed last storm). Both Cambridge and Boston approaches were plowed, and the bridge, except for the uplowed section was bare pavement by Thursday.
Charles River Bikepath
Narrow, shared bike-ped path with few intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
This path was plowed by Wednesday morning, though it was a bit bumpy, especially on the narrow parts upstream from Harvard Square and downstream from the River St. Bridge. The plow missed the path in a few places on those narrow stretches, but the path was ridable from the BU Bridge to Hawthorn St. Thank the DCR for plowing the path at their feedback web page.
Southwest Corridor Bikepath
Separated Bike/Ped path with poorly-designed intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
No report. If you want it plowed, let the DCR know at their feedback web page.
Melnea Cass Bikepath
Separated Bike/Ped path
Boston Parks or Transportation Deparment
Not checked yet.
Neponset Trail
Mostly paved Bike/Ped path
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
This path is not plowed.
Cambridge Bike Lanes
Striped lanes of varying widths on major and connecting streets
City of Cambridge
There was enough snow to force cars away from the curb, but the bike lanes were plowed better than the last storm.
Fresh Pond Bike Path
Parallel to Fresh Pond Parkway in Kingsley Park
City of Cambridge
Not checked yet.
Minuteman Bikeway
From Cambridge through Arlington and Lexington to Bedford
Each town
It may be plowed in Arlington, as far as Varnum Street, but don't count on it. The rest of the path westward is unplowed on purpose.
Northampton Bikeway
East-west across the City of Northampton
City of Northampton
No report yet.
Norwottuck Rail Trail
Northampton to Amherst
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of State Parks and Recreation
No report for this storm, but a portion of the Norwottuck Rail Trail from roughly Baker St. to S. Pleasant St. has been plowed after the past few snowstorms. The plowed section allows travel from the UMass Bikeway Connector to S. Pleasant St.