Transportation

As Boston Encourages Biking, More Suburban Cyclists Are Getting Struck

Bike accidents are on the rise in suburban Boston, according to The Boston Globe.
Boston is doubling down on biking, but are suburban commuters safe?Flickr/Fiona Wong

Nearly a decade ago, former Boston mayor Thomas Menino launched the Boston Bikes initiative, an effort to revamp the city's second-rate cycling infrastructure. At the time, only 60 yards of bike lanes were accessible within the city. And Menino's ambitious plan created much-needed improvements.

Boston's bike lanes have since grown from less than one mile in 2007 to more than 60 miles today. Over 22,000 people bike to work each morning. Yet, in Boston's surrounding suburban communities—those with many city commuters—town officials may need to rethink their own cycling infrastructure: Cyclists traveling the outskirts of Boston are being struck by vehicles at alarming rates.