Another week, another 8 inches! I had to drive to a meeting during the snowstorm on Friday and didn't get out on my bike until the single digit temperatured morning of the following Monday. I got some reports from Boston and Cambridge, and I'll check out as much of the rest as I can.
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 | Unchecked. |
Blackwell Footpath A half-mile gravel path connecting the Forest Hills MBTA station and the South St. Arboretum entrance Boston Parks and Harvard University | Unchecked, but probably not plowed |
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 | Probably even more covered by parked cars. It was nice to bike on the bike lanes during the snow emergency when the cars had to move. |
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 | Probably buried under even more snow, but the parallel sidewalks are plowed I don't know about the north-bound sidewalk between Murray and Kelly Circles. |
Franklin Park Roads Much of the park loop road is closed to motorized traffic and there are bike lanes on the main road. Boston Parks and Public Works Departments | Unchecked. |
Centre/South Bike Lanes A mile of bike lanes through the heart of Jamaica Plain from Jackson Square and the Southwest Corridor to Forest Hills./I> Boston Public Works Department | Unchecked. |
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 | Unchecked |
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 | Unchecked |
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 | Unchecked. |
Muddy River Path 12-foot-wide 0.6 mile shared bike/ped path with no intersections Brookline Park Department and DPW | Unchecked. |
Commonwealth Ave. Bike Lanes Connecting the B.U. Bridge to Boston University Boston Transportation Department | Unchecked. |
Brookline Bike Lanes Town of Brookline | Unchecked |
B. U. Bridge east sidewalk Boston to Cambridge Department of Conservation and Recreation, Plowed By Mass. Highway Department or B.U. | Unchecked |
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 | David Merfeld reported on Monday that the: Longfellow bridge is in better shape, but the cut-through is still buried. after Saturday morning's conditions: Longfellow Bridge itself is in great shape, but the bike lanes are buried, and the bike-only cut-through, heading from Cambridge to the far-right side of the bridge, has not been plowed since last week's storm. |
Charles River Bikepaths Narrow, shared bike-ped path with few intersections Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Urban Parks and Recreation |
Aaron Charlwood reported on Friday morning at 11:00 am: Snowdrifts on
the Memorial Drive side are 8"-14" deep and it hasn't been plowed. There
are narrow paths of compacted snow from joggers and pedestrians. I rode
on it with studded tires, got about 200' into it and could not maintain
momentum. It's basically unrideable right now.
New Balance has renewed a sponsorship agreement with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to ensure area runners, joggers and walkers have clear and safe running paths along the Charles River during the 2011 winter season. ... New Balance, recognizing DCRs commitment to outdoor enthusiasts, 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. Following DCRs normal priorities, 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 | Plowed to bare pavement. |
Allston bike lanes Boston Boston DPW | The North Harvard St. bike lanes have been covered since the post-Christmas storm, except near Western Ave. "minimomo1" reports on the Western Ave. bike lanes between Soldier Field Rd. and N. Harvard St. as of Saturday (1/22): Both West and East side Bike lanes are plowed and clear ... Some might have icey spots, but not a big problem. However, at the end of Western Avenue near Soldiers Field Rd., the pedestrian island is not plowed and has at least 4 to 5 feet of snow piled up and therefore, it is hard to cross to the Boston side of the Charles River Bike Path. Use caution when you cross over. You might have to carry your bike over the snow. |
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 | The bridge and ramps are totally clear on Monday morning. |
Southwest Corridor Bikepath Separated Bike/Ped path with poorly-designed intersections Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Urban Parks and Recreation | Unchecked |
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, but 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 after the snow stops. There is a Bombardier stationed at Pope John Paul II Park which is usually out as soon as the snow stops. |
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. |
Danehy Park Paths City of Cambridge | Not checked. |
Cambridge Bike Lanes Striped lanes of varying widths on major and connecting streets City of Cambridge | Most roads are clear, but the bike lanes are pretty much gone |
Fresh Pond Bike Path Parallel to Fresh Pond Parkway in Kingsley Park City of Cambridge | David Merfeld reported on Monday that the : Fresh Pond bike path is wider, but icy. Concord Ave. is the better option. Saturday morning, he said that: Fresh Pond was being plowed at 7:30, but only about half its normal width. |
Alewife Parkway Bridge Sidewalk Connection from Minuteman Bikepath to Fresh Pond and beyond Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Urban Parks and Recreation | Chris Porter reports: ... Alewife bridge has been regularly cleared but is likely to be slippery with a light covering of snow/ice. West side of Alewife Parkway bridge may have a couple inches of hard pack or slush depending on temp. These have been pretty consistent conditions. |
Minuteman "Commuter Bikeway" Towns of Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford | Probably not plowed. 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. The Friends of Stony Brook Reservation is leading a walk from Enneking Parkway at Smith Field Road at 1:00 pm on Sunday, January 30. |
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. |