MassPaths Bikepath Snow Plowing Report
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Bikepaths are an integral part of the bicycle transportation network, and these reports are provided to encourage their use by bicyclists who might otherwise not venture out in the snow, and to encourage their proper maintenance (which includes snow plowing) by the responsible agencies given in bold type below. Paths with significant foot traffic become unskiable within a day, and remain a mess for everyone if they are not plowed while the snow is still soft.

It feels weird to be writing up a plowing report after biking 10 miles through pouring rain, but ths snow might not all be gone by evening commuting time, and the various path owners got out and did one of the best jobs of the year. Most of the ice, interestingly enough, is left over from last weekend's snow, which was almost entirely gone by Monday morning.

Please send updates and reports on the conditions of other paths in Massachusetts to Doug Mink.

Arnold Arboretum
1.5 miles of park roads which are mostly closed to automobile traffic with no intersections
Boston Parks and Harvard University
The park roads were all plowed pretty well, but the ice from last weekend still covers much of the road along Hemlock Hill from the Bussey St. entrance. It is thick and will not go away quickly, so watch out! The rest of the Arboretum, including the sidewalk to and across Murray Circle, where the Arboway meets Centre St, were plowed to bare pavement.
Arborway "Bike Lanes"
1 mile of wide paved shoulder which is unmarked but usually clear of parked cars during rush hour
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
They should be clear by evening.
Jamaicaway Bikepath
1.5 miles of mostly bike/ped-separated paths paralleling a busy 4-lane parkway; two intersections with traffic lights
Boston Parks Deparment
The path was plowed to bare pavement from Kelly Circle to Route 9. It looked like it was sanded lightly, too. Monday morning, the only path I rode which had been touched was the hill between Perkin St. and Willow Pond Ave., which was sanded. Needless to say, it was bare pavement today.
Olmsted Park Paths
3/4-mile of mostly bike/ped-separated paths built over Riverdale Road, across Leverett Pond from the Jamaicaway.
Brookline Park Department
D I forgot to check the path this morning because of traffic, but it had an stretch of ice south of Willow Pond Ave. on Monday night, which might still be there even if the path is plowed.
Muddy River Path
12-foot-wide 0.6 mile shared bike/ped path with no intersections
Brookline Park Department and DPW
The path was plowed and sanded by 10:30 am, though the plow was still working on it.
B.U. Bridge
Easy connection to Charles River bikepath Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
The upstream sidewalk was plowed to wet pavement all of the way.
Charles River Bikepath
Narrow, shared bike-ped path with few intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
The Cambridge side path was clear all of the way from the B.U. Bridge to Hawthorn St. (past Harvard Square) and beyond. It looked from the half-inch of slush on the trail upstream from Western Ave. as if the DCR plowed before it stopped snowing! Now all they need to do is plow the wider stretch from River St. to Harvard Square with a wider plow so the entire path is clear and not just half. None the less, this was the easiest post-storm cycling I've had all winter, though the views were better when it wasn't raining.

On the other side of the river, Ray Coffey reports: Boston side North Beacon Street bridge to Arsenal Western Ave Bridge: Not plowed.
Boston side River Street Bridge to BU Bridge: Unpaved and unplowed
BU Bridge to Fairfield Street footbridge: Unplowed. Compressed slushy footprints but not yet frozen and passable.
I was the first bike between River Street Bridge and the Harvard Bridge!

Ask the DCR to plow the *entire* path during or immediately after snowfalls by calling DCR Community Affairs at 617-626-4973, or email them.

J.F.K. Park
Wide, shared bike-ped path from river to Harvard Square
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Plowed.
Lincoln St. to Cambridge St. MassPike Bridge
Bike/Ped connection from Harvard Square to Allston's Harvard Ave. district via Franklin St.
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
Unchecked, but probably clear.
Southwest Corridor Bikepath
Separated Bike/Ped path with poorly-designed intersections
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
Unchecked
Melnea Cass Bikepath
Separated Bike/Ped path
Boston Parks or Transportation Deparment
Not checked yet, but probably not plowed.
Harborwalk (Fort Point Channel)
Bike/Ped path along Fort Point Channel
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
City of Boston
No report yet.
Neponset Trail
Mostly paved Bike/Ped path
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
The park manager told the January Greenway Council meeting that he has been plowing the path, and it sounds like he has been pretty thorough. I haven't ridden it and would be interested in a report from anyone who has.
Somerville Community Path
Wide rail trail from Davis Square to Cedar St.
City of Somerville
Not checked, but probably plowed.
Red Line Linear Park Path
Alewife MBTA station to Davis Square over Red Line
City of Cambridge City of Somerville
Not checked, but probably clear.
Danehy Park Paths
City of Cambridge
Not checked, but probably clear.
Cambridge Bike Lanes
Striped lanes of varying widths on major and connecting streets
City of Cambridge
No report yet
Fresh Pond Bike Path
Parallel to Fresh Pond Parkway in Kingsley Park
City of Cambridge
No report yet.
Alewife Parkway Bridge Sidewalk
Connection from Minuteman Bikepath to Fresh Pond and beyond
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
No report yet
Minuteman "Commuter Bikeway"

Towns of Cambridge, Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford
No report yet.

The trial plowing project is happening only in Arlington this winter--not in Lexington or Bedford. More details are posted at http://www.clearthetrail.org/news.htm

Upper Charles Reservation
Watertown, Newton, Waltham
4+ miles of paved and unpaved bikepaths
Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
These paths aren't plowed.
Stony Brook Reservation
Hyde Park
4+ miles of paved bikepaths
Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation
Division of Urban Parks and Recreation
These paths aren't plowed because they get relatively little transportation use and because they are used by cross-country skiers like me. They are fun to ride during the first couple of inches of a fresh snowfall, though.
Assabet River Rail Trail
Hudson and Marlborough, so far
Town of Hudson, City of Marlborough (so far)
No report yet.
Northampton Bikeway
East-west across the City of Northampton
City of Northampton
Craig Della Penna, who lives next to the path, reports that it is the intention of the DPW to make it passable ASAP after a storm. If the storm is significant, then they plow it repeatedly --sometimes 10-12 times during the course of the storm to ensure its usability.
Norwottuck Rail Trail
Northampton to Amherst
Department of Conservation and Recreation,
Division of State Parks and Recreation
No report yet.