The BlueBike Expansion Plan Meeting Gets a Little Spicy in Southie
Southie loves a heated community meeting.
A presentation on a new Bluebikes expansion plan took place at the Tynan School in South Boston on November 7th, and things got a little heated, cutting the meeting short. Complaints included bike stations taking away parking to a station at Medal of Honor Park would be a “sacrilege.”
Background:
Last month, the City of Boston announced it would be installing more BlueBike stations in various neighborhoods around the city, including South Boston. The City’s goal is to make our public bike share more reliable and convenient, with the hope of adding more stations in every neighborhood by spring 2025.
In the current public engagement phase, the City is focusing on Charlestown, East Boston, South Boston, and South Boston Waterfront.
You are encouraged to attend an open house or share comments on potential sites via online surveys.
The City found 28 potential locations for 7-14 new Bluebikes stations in South Boston and South Boston Waterfront. See the locations below:
1) W Broadway at B St
2) Crowley Rogers at Saint Casimir
3) Emerson St at E Third St
4) Emerson St at E Broadway
5) E Broadway at M St 6) P St at E Broadway
7) E Fifth St at L St
8) William J Day Blvd at L St
9) Dorchester St at Old Colony Ave
10) Columbia Rd at Mercer St
11) Kemp St at Mnsr O’Callaghan Way
12) Columbia Rd at Mnsr O’Callaghan Way
13) Moakley Park at Bike Town
14) William J Day Blvd at Babe Ruth Park
15) Courthouse Way at Liberty Dr
16) Pier 4 Blvd at Harbor Shore Dr
17) Congress St at Pier 4 Blvd
18) Seaport Blvd at Seaport Ln
19) D St at Silver Line Way
20) Northern Ave at Haul Rd
21) Summer St at A St
22) 400 Summer St
23) Boston Convention and Exhibition Center – Summer St at West Side Dr
24) Summer St at D St
25) Harbor St at Channel St
26) Summer St at Marine Industrial Park
27) Harbor Walk at Binford St
28) New Cypher St at D St
Huntington News reports that the meeting kicked off with one gentleman interrupting the presentation with several outbursts including, “When are you going to start enforcing the rules of the road?” Concerns included the BlueBike stations taking up parking spots. One spot in particular is at L + 5th and would take away two parking spots.
When this concern was raised, Kim Foltz, a senior bike share and active transportation planner for Bluebikes responded with, “If we need to help move people, help give people options to get around the city, then taking those two car spaces and turning them into 15 bike spaces can make a lot of sense.”
Southie resident Bridget Walsh Nee stated “They’re punishing car owners. If you’re not 22 years old and take a bike to work but have three kids, how are you going to hockey, how are you food shopping?”
A Northeastern student in support of the proposal, said he uses BlueBikes when he visits a neighborhood like South Boston.
“I live somewhere else, and if I want to come here and go to a restaurant, or enjoy the beach, I Bluebike here, and when there are more stations it’s easier to enjoy the amenities.”
According to BlueBikes, users like to to travel across neighborhoods while using the bikes. In July 2023, 97% of trips to the D and Broadway bike station — South Boston’s most frequently used station — were from out of the neighborhood.
You can get all the spicy details of this neighborhood meeting via Huntington News here.
After receiving pushback from the neighborhood, the local elected officials from South Boston expressed opposition to BlueBikes expansion. You can read it
And here’s a letter in support.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
I was at meeting. The person presenting meeting couldn’t answer any questions concerning bike safety and bikes that need to follow rules of the road. She only said it’s a police problem. Also most at meeting in favor of more bike stations I feel it should be homeowners decisions because we own and are staying. People in favor won’t be living here in 5 years and here we are stuck with the outcome.
Blue bikes are excellent to commute to and from South Boston without a car.
The meeting was ruined by some old guy who drives an Uber for a living.
What the hell is a Northeastern student who “live(s) somewhere else” doing testifying at a neighborhood hearing in South Boston, unless he is either a plant or has an interest in the outcome. Kim Foltz, the “City of Boston Streets Cabinet presenter” thinks it’s fine to take away two parking spaces for fifteen bike spaces. Perhaps in Cambridge Kim. Most of these new City titles would make for great satire if they weren’t real. She should have been escorted to the Reserve Channel and keelhauled, but just under a dinghy to make the point.
I’m a homeowner and a strong supporter of bike ownership, bike lanes, and the expansion of BlueBikes in our neighborhood. Providing more transportation options is essential in a community that’s heavily car-dependent—not just for commuting, but for quick errands, connecting to public transit, or even biking to the beach.
That said, I don’t support bike docks replacing parking spaces, as it’s an avoidable decision that only fuels unnecessary outrage and backlash against biking. Thoughtful planning can ensure we expand bike access without pitting transportation modes against one another. Let’s find solutions that work for everyone!
Agree with Corey. I’m a Southie homeowner and in full support of the blue bike expansion here; in fact I think the neighborhood stands to benefit more from an expanded system than other Boston areas.
More diverse transportation options would be a good thing but like Corey said, stations don’t necessarily need to take away parking spots. I think we can think a bit more creatively to find compromise. As an example, the Andrew Sq. blue bike station is removed during the winter months when bike commuting is less frequent. Most other Southie blue bike stations are actually up on the sidewalks (e.g., East Broadway, Gillette, Broadway T, Murphy Rink).
It’s laughable that people are upset about a bike rack near Medal of Honor Park…meanwhile, resident dog-owners let their dogs shit all over the park
The people on that memorial gave their lives for you respect them. As for the dog issue it’s a battle to try and get them to use the dog park, but then again they move with their dog after a year.
Honestly this wasn’t a meeting. It was the paid employees from the city telling us where the bikes will go. Interesting that Lyft is one of their sponsors. Also interesting to hear that Lyft will be shoveling out the blue bike corrals. They also informed us that blue bikers sign a waiver that they can’t be responsible if a blue bikers gets injured on their bikes. They report that it is the Boston Police who are responsible for traffic rules for blue bikers. I feel like the public should be aware of all this.
1-11-18-24
…In-Chief on the 5th floor of City Hall, who’s about to bankrupt an already failing city/state with her at-best-dubious objections to securing our safety and well-being by coddling illegals (yes, I said illegals) while at the same time ensuring absolutely NO financial support from Washington…they should change the name to Red Bikes.
L & Fifth are they crazy ???? Does anyone remember a child was killed there .
Very stupid !!! That only one of spots that ‘s not well thought out ! We need more blue bikes like a hole in the head. I’m tired of calling about blue bikes thrown on lawn and the greenie outside house ! Enough ! Why is Southie always the target
It’s pretty clear to anyone that lives in the neighborhood, and even moreso to long time residents of the neighborhood that parking is and will continue to be an issue. By presenting a proposal whereby a parking space will be eliminated, it immediately creates a situation where the proposers are seen as tone deaf. While they may be well-intentioned, and the city does need alternatives to buses and ride-shares on the East Side of Southie, this could have been averted by doing a bit of due diligence. Regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, no residents like to feel as though they’re being told what is in their best interests by people who may not live in their neighborhood.
Do not use our parking spaces.
between library and Dorchester street there will be 3 blue bike stations. according to this proposal. #1 library #2 Emerson and Broadway with is about 50 feet away from the library and #3 Emerson and East Third (back side of Emerson Auto. with ich 2 blocks from #2. also there is a huge “island ” wasting space in front of the post office why can’t one be installed on the island instead of taking up more parking. I’m not advocating for any stations but if they atrium gonna shove them in just to meet a quota put some thought into it.
******There is no St. Casimir Church on Roger-Crowley Way. St. Peter Lithuanian Church celebrated its 120th anniversary October 20 at that location.