Meeting of July 2, 2002

MIT representatives were Paul Curley, Talitha Fabricius and Paul Smith. Curley informed the opponents of the following points:

• The eastern part of the project was to go out to bid the next day, July 3.

• However, plans for the part of the project west of Massachusetts Avenue were still in an early enough stage that they might be reconsidered.

• Opponents of the project were to have the opportunity to meet with President Vest to discuss the project further.

• MIT would conduct an educational effort targeted at bicyclists

• MIT would track crash rates, types and cauation through the medical department.

Paul Smith asserted among other things that a number of the statements John Forester had made were inaccurate, and that the through bike lane to the right of other lanes carrying right-turning traffic complied with AASHTO guidelines. Only a bike lane to rhe right of a designated right-turn-only lane would be contrary to the AASHTO guidelines. No matter that probably 75% of the traffic turns right from the lane to the left of the bike lane, Smith stood on this technicality in spite of the rash of fatal collisions that had been occurring in the Boston area with bicyclists overtaking motorists on the right.

John Allen replied, : "then do better than AASHTO."  This isn't make much of an impression with Smith.

As the meeting broke up, Smith said "well, this won't kill as many people as the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster."

Allen replied, "no, it could. Just not all at once and not on national television."

It was not a good day for bicycling in Cambridge. Later that same day, Dana Laird, a highly talented and dedicated graduate sutdent in international relations at Tufts University, was killed in another poorly-conceived Cambridge bicycle facility. More details.