Kevin Sullivan
We’re striking a balance. That’s how Belmont Select Board Chair Roy Epstein described a pair of decisions Monday night connected to the new protected bike lane on Concord Avenue. The bike lane, which debuted last summer, enables cyclists to ride to the right of parked cars, shielding them from traffic. The Select Board heard proposals in June that would alter the bike lane, prompting concerns that the new bike-friendly roadway would be gnawed away piece by piece.
Some of those fears were realized Monday night when the Select Board voted unanimously to revert the bike lane design to its previous layout in front of the Post Office on Concord. This means cyclists will once again ride to the left of parked cars from the Post Office parking lot to the Belmont Center underpass. This change comes after residents complained that they felt unsafe exiting their vehicles while dropping off mail.
Meanwhile, the Board decided against making changes to the bike lane near the intersection of Concord Avenue and Underwood Street. At its June 26 meeting, the Board had been considering whether to add an accessible parking spot there, so veterans and their families would have easier access to the Belmont Veterans Memorial at Clay Pit Pond. A new parking spot could have forced the bike lane to shift to the left of parked cars.
Instead, the three Select Board members voted unanimously Monday night to put an accessible spot on Underwood, which would be closer to the Memorial. They also voted to reverse the direction of one-way traffic on that street, redirecting vehicles southward, spilling out onto Concord. Residents will be allowed to park on the left-hand side of the road, which is where their homes are located, except at the end of the street. The town will create two parking spots there, carving partially into the grass on the right side of the street. One of the spots will be for accessible parking.
Select Board members said the new traffic pattern on Underwood will reduce gridlock and improve overall safety as parents drop off their kids at school.
All changes are expected to be completed before school starts in September.
