Somerville’s alternative transportation infrastructure improvements has led to its being named among the top cities in the nation when it comes to providing safe and sustainable methods for getting people around. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jim Clark

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has long been a proponent of making Somerville the most bikeable, walkable and transit-accessible community in the nation. His goal appeared to take a major leap forward recently when the city was dubbed first among northeast cities in bicycle commuting and fifth in the nation overall regardless of population, according to the League of American Bicyclists’ annual report on bike commuting.

The League’s report, entitled Where We Ride: An Analysis of Bicycle Commuting in American Cities, stated that 7.8 percent of the city’s residents use biking to get to work, putting Somerville in first place in the League’s East region, which covers an area from Maine to Maryland.

The city also reportedly ranks fifth in the nation for commuter percentage. When compared to cities of similar population size (65,000-100,000), Somerville ranks third in the nation.

The mayor couldn’t have been more pleased by the news. “This is a tremendous achievement that has a positive impact on our environment, our economy and our health,” said Curtatone. “We’ve worked hard at making it easier and safer to bike to work in Somerville. It reduces our residents’ reliance on cars, saves them money and helps them lead healthier lives, while also sparing the environment from more greenhouse gas emissions. It connects people to mass transit and jobs, while bringing more customers to local businesses, and spurs more private investment in our neighborhoods in squares from people who see a vibrant, active city with bustling streets. This is a great achievement and we’re inching closer to our goal of being number one in the nation.”

The mayor and city planners have set goals aimed at increasing bicycle commuter activity, as well as making walking and transit use more accessible to residents overall.

Infrastructure investments have made inroads in terms of installation of bike lanes and sharrows throughout the city. Likewise, further development of the Somerville Community path and the realization of the Green Line Extension mark a discernible level of improvement for alternative methods of transportation throughout and beyond the city, according to those involved in the effort.

Under Mayor Curtatone, Somerville has set high goals for bicycle commuting. City and community stakeholders set a goal in SomerVision, the City’s 20-year comprehensive plan, of making 50% of all new trips in Somerville via bike, walking, and transit, and similarly the Somerville Bicycle Committee aims for a 10 percent commute share by 2020. Commuter trips account for 16% of trips in the city.

“When we set out to increase cycling by making it safer and more inviting, we set ambitious goals. But an increase of this amount over such a short time period—over 50% in four years—is more than planners anywhere would have expected,” Somerville Director of Transportation Hayes Morrison said. “Somerville residents’ have made a shift toward bicycle commuting that is truly extraordinary, which makes me believe we will surely reach our next goal to increase the percentage of our commuters who bike to 10 percent by 2020. We want to be number one in the nation and create streetscapes that accommodate all forms of travel, and with a community this motivated and open to new ways of commuting, I believe we can do it.”