MassPaths Bikepath Snow Plowing Report
Thursday, February 11, 2010

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.

We've almost gone without snow while the Mid-Atlantic states got clobbered over and over. Finally we had a nice storm forecast for yesterday, and it mostly failed to materialize, at least around Boston. We got almost two inches in Roslindale, but it looked more like an inch in Jamaica Plain and points north. There was enough that clearing the paths made a difference, though I could have gotten through unplowed paths with this little snow with no problem.

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

Arnold Arboretum
1.5 miles of park roads which are mostly closed to automobile traffic with no intersections
Boston Parks and Harvard University
The park roads were all plowed, with bare pavement anywhere they were exposed to the sun. Ice will probably persist along Hemlock Hill.
Blackwell Footpath
A half-mile gravel path connecting the Forest Hills MBTA station and the South St. Arboretum entrance
Boston Parks and Harvard University
This often gets plowed, but I haven't ridden it yet.
Washington St. Bike Lanes
A mile of bike lanes on both sides of Washington St. from Forest Hills to Roslindale Square and beyond on Belgrade Ave.
Boston Public Works Department
Clear and there wasn't enough snow to force cars to park further from the curb.
Arborway "Bike Lanes"
1 mile of wide paved shoulder which is unmarked but usually clear of parked cars during rush hour
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
The shoulders are clear all of the way to the curb. The sidewalks are plowed but there is a thin layer of snow everywhere that is not exposed to the sun. The sidewalks across Murray Circle were plowed all of the way to May St., and for the first time this winter, the sidewalks along the Arborway to Kelly Circle were plowed with a Bobcat, probably by the DCR.
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
The whole path was plowed, and it was clear but sandy wherever the sun was shining on it.
Perkins St. Bike Lanes
1.5 miles of mostly bike/ped-separated paths paralleling a busy 4-lane parkway; two intersections with traffic lights
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
These are clear because the roads were salted heavily enough that they never got much snow on them.
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
Not checked but probably pretty clear.
Muddy River Path
12-foot-wide 0.6 mile shared bike/ped path with no intersections
Brookline Park Department and DPW
Plowed to packed powder, with a lot of bare pavement. The contraflow cycle track wasn't plowed by 10:30 am, but the contraflow bike lanes were totally clear.
Commonwealth Ave. Bike Lanes
Connecting the B.U. Bridge to Boston University Boston Transportation Department
These were totally clear to wet pavement near the B.U. Bridge
Brookline Bike Lanes
Town of Brookline
The Beacon St. lanes looked clear.
B. U. Bridge west sidewalk
Boston to Cambridge Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Plowed By Mass. Highway Department or B.U.
Totally clear.
Harvard (Mass. Ave.) Bridge bike lanes
Cambridge to Boston Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Plowed By Mass. Highway Department
No report, but probably clear
Longfellow Bridge bike lanes
Cambridge to Boston Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Plowed By Mass. Highway Department
No report, but probably clear
Charles River Bikepaths
Narrow, shared bike-ped path with few intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
From the B.U. Bridge upstream to Hawthorn St., the Cambridge side path is plowed. It was totally clear except where it was shaded and there was a thin layer of snow.

Charles River Basin path plowing is supported this winter by a donation from New Balance shoes: Under the agreement, New Balance, which is based in Boston, has pledged to provide funding to support snow removal efforts along the 17-plus mile Charles River path spanning from the Museum of Science area in Cambridge to the Galen Street Bridge in Watertown.

The snow removal will be performed by DCR within 24 hours of the completion of a storm. Because the route runs in close proximity to the river bank, there is limited salting and sanding that can be performed, so the DCR and New Balance urge runners to continue to use caution.

J.F.K. Park
Wide, shared bike-ped path from river to Harvard Square
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Clear pavement.
N. Harvard St. bike lanes
Boston Boston DPW
Not checked yet, but probably clear
Lincoln St. to Cambridge St. MassPike Bridge
Bike/Ped connection from Harvard Square to Allston's Harvard Ave. district via Franklin St.
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
Not checked but probably clear
Southwest Corridor Bikepath
Separated Bike/Ped path with poorly-designed intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Not checked yet.
South Bay Harbor Trail
Bike/Ped path from the Federal Court House up Fort Point Channel to the Southwest Corridor
City of Boston
Not checked yet, bu I suspect that the section in front of the Crosstown Development near Mass. Ave. will be done, and the path will be clear where it goes under the Expressway.
Neponset Trail
Mostly paved Bike/Ped path
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Not checked but probably plowed. If you use this path regularly and want the DCR to plow it, let them know (or thank them when it is plowed) at 617-626-4973 or contact DCR Community Affairs. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/aboutDCR.htm.
Somerville Community Path
Wide rail trail from Davis Square to Cedar St.
City of Somerville
Not checked, but probably plowed.
Red Line Linear Park Path
Alewife MBTA station to Davis Square over Red Line
City of Cambridge City of Somerville
Not checked but probably plowed.
Danehy Park Paths
City of Cambridge
Not checked yet.
Cambridge Bike Lanes
Striped lanes of varying widths on major and connecting streets
City of Cambridge
The roads are clear, and the bike lanes never got much snow on them.
Fresh Pond Bike Path
Parallel to Fresh Pond Parkway in Kingsley Park
City of Cambridge
No report yet
Alewife Parkway Bridge Sidewalk
Connection from Minuteman Bikepath to Fresh Pond and beyond
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
No report yet.
Minuteman "Commuter Bikeway"

Towns of Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford
Details are usually posted at http://www.clearthetrail.org
Upper Charles Reservation
Watertown, Newton, Waltham
4+ miles of paved and unpaved bikepaths
Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Not checked.
Stony Brook Reservation
Hyde Park
4+ miles of paved bikepaths
Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
These paths aren't plowed because they get relatively little transportation use and because they are used by cross-country skiers like me. There are marked narrow bike lanes on Enneking Parkway through the reservation which are probably clear.
Former Metropolitan State Hospital
Belmont, Waltham
paved bikepaths
Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Not checked yet.
Assabet River Rail Trail
Hudson and Marlborough, so far
Town of Hudson, City of Marlborough (so far)
Not checked, but probably not plowed.
Northampton Bikeway
East-west across the City of Northampton
City of Northampton
Craig Della Penna, who lives next to the path, reports that it is the intention of the DPW to make it passable ASAP after a storm. If the storm is significant, then they plow it repeatedly --sometimes 10-12 times during the course of the storm to ensure its usability.
Norwottuck Rail Trail
Northampton to Amherst
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of State Parks and Recreation
No report, but there wasn't much snow out west.