Council Updates, Cycling Safety Ordinance, And More

CSO Policy Order
We have received a huge number of communications around POR 2024 #50, which asks for an extension to the timeline associated with the Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO), and I have done my best to respond to as many emails as possible – and I will continue to respond to more. I have also been able to connect with dozens of residents via phone and zoom over the last week to hear different perspectives on the CSO, the delay, and how it would affect them. I held a small office hour session where I heard from several more residents as well, and I have appreciated a lot of the constructive conversations.

I appreciate that this issue is complicated, and I hope all residents recognize that. I believe that all folks weighing in on this issue have the best of intentions. People who have been pushing for a completed bike lane network do care about mitigating adverse effects on local businesses, and people who are advocating for an extension on the implementation timeline do care about street safety. And that’s true for the council as well. As the city staff said during the meeting last Monday, there are potential gains and drawbacks to both outcomes – we will have to consider the implications of no extension and an extension.

I was appreciative of the conversation last Monday night and I expect more detailed information from the city the next time we discuss this on April 29; namely, what we would be gaining from a delayed implementation on certain streets? Does 18 months give the city staff more flexibility with construction schedules? As was noted by the city manager, it’s a complicated calculus and there isn’t a perfect solution, but there are tangible pros and cons that we need to be honest about and cannot be afraid to discuss plainly. Will periodizing construction over different timelines in different areas better prevent pedestrian, bike, and car traffic obstructions that would occur with multiple ongoing projects that could impact short term street safety?

To be clear, I will not vote for a permanent stop to or moratorium on bike lane installation. As I’ve said, I believe we should continue to expand the network of separated bike lanes in line with the ordinance totals. And I expect the city staff to clarify whether a delay on one street may mean shifting construction schedules to other streets. That kind of schedule change may be an effective mitigation plan, but I need to see that more clearly outlined. And as the city staff said, there may be benefits to segmenting Cambridge Street into two projects – but I still need more clarity to determine if that will have any benefits on design or implementation.

I’m certain that folks on both sides of this issue will continue to advocate, and I appreciate the dialogue, but I do want to be clear that I am considering this issue with an eye towards safety. I bike around the city every day – I understand the on-the-ground reality of trying to navigate the city. And I also speak to residents and business owners who are also concerned with safety and see major issues with the tight implementation schedule and see how the city can benefit from more flexibility in terms of transportation safety, mitigation of construction impacts, and mitigation of business impacts. Now that it is certain that we have a couple of weeks for the city to present a full picture of the options I hope that we can all better understand the best path forward for the city. Thanks for reading, and for caring about this issue. The installation of a network of bike lanes is a net positive for the city and I continue to be proud of our plan even as I continue to criticize elements of the implementation.

Health and Environment Committee Updates
On March 27, I held a Health &Environment Committee meeting to discuss regional coastal flood resilience interventions required to address increased vulnerability due to climate change risk. It was a hugely important meeting which went into detail on many of the ongoing regional infrastructure projects and coordinated efforts being undertaken to protect our city and the surrounding region from the effects of climate change. We are doing a lot to mitigate stormwater and coastal flooding and are continuing to collaborate with regional partners from state agencies and regional non-profits like the Charles River Watershed Association and the Mystic River Watershed Association to get similar buy-in from municipalities in the region. I would urge you to take some time to watch the recording of the meeting to learn more about ongoing work.

Next Wednesday, April 24 from 11:00am – 1:00pm, I will be chairing a Health&Env. Committee meeting to review and discuss the Net Zero Action Plan (NZAP) annual report, including review of yearly action items, progress made, and next steps to reach annual goals. NZAP, as I’m sure you’ve heard me talk about before, was adopted in 2015 and is Cambridge’s roadmap to combat the climate crisis through reducing building emissions. It informs all of the administration decisions of the City and is the lens through which we set policy. NZAP is a framework that includes a suite of actions that work in unison, which we worked to update as part of a mandated 5-year review. In addition to the 5-year update, the city administration is required to submit an annual report to show progress on yearly action items and overall progress. The meeting next Wednesday will be a review of that annual report.

Finance Committee Updates
As co-chair of the Finance Committee, my co-chair Councillor Pickett and I will be leading the council through the FY25 budget process. As part of that process, we have been building on the work Councillor Carlone and I did last term to have earlier and more transparent discussions of the budget process. This term, we have held several council hearings to continue to gain more input throughout the budget process. Councillor Pickett and I want to use our position as Finance co-chairs to work towards increased transparency and accountability throughout the city budget. That means more regular input throughout the year from the council as well as from residents. Residents sometimes, or often, feel they don’t understand the city’s budget and/or don’t know how to give input. That is why Councillor Pickett and I have committed to reaching out to neighborhood groups to bring the budget process to them. We have already met with some neighborhood groups and we would like to continue to meet with more to discuss not only this year’s budget, but future planning as well. We want to share budget background information and hear from the community about our sense of the city’s priorities to bring our voices into the upcoming council discussions. We hope to continue these discussions throughout the year and continue to bring more people into the budget process for the city.