Green Line Extension Plans Include Lots of Space to Store Your Bike

A presentation showed off the Pedal and Park stations coming to the new T stops in Somerville.

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The MBTA recently held a community meeting about the nearly complete design plans for two more Green Line Extension stops—the Union Square and Washington Street stations—and unveiled renderings of the properties to give residents and riders a snapshot of what’s to come in the next few years.

At the public meeting, officials walked people through the site design, station design, and construction sequencing process, unveiling the layout of where the majority of the work will take place, and highlighting the various entrances and amenities that the transit agency would like to see included in their final product.

One nice addition to both of the proposals, which are at the 90-percent design stage and under review, is the inclusion of the T’s patented Pedal and Park stations, which are either attached to or located nearby the building structures where the trolleys will pick up passengers.

As can be seen in the renderings posted on MassDOT’s Green Line Extension project page, in Union Square, developers want to include a long, encased storage facility for people’s bikes on the Bennett Court side of the new stop, so passengers can ride to the location on two wheels and then safely lock up once they get there:

The same goes for the Washington Street stop. There, a segregated space for bikes sits outside of the station, and judging by its size, cyclists should have no problem trying find a place to put their ride. Somerville being a leader as a city known for its bike-friendly culture, these Pedal and Park stations are a welcome addition to the transit project:

According to an MBTA spokesperson, all of the new stations along the Green Line Extension will include brand new Pedal and Park hubs.

The T’s Pedal and Park stations are a relatively new feature rolled out by the transit agency in the last few years, thanks in part to a federal grant program to provide access to safer bike-locking options for those who also rely on taking the trains.

In April of 2013, the MBTA opened up their first structure at the Oak Grove station stop near the Orange Line, just one of 12 new “high security” bike parking cages they planned to offer to riders. The stations, like the proposed structures for the new Green Line stops, are fully enclosed and provide parking for 50-150 bikes. Each facility is also equipped with security cameras, lighting, and a police intercom system, and can be accessed through pre-registered cards that unlock the doors to parking spaces.

The Pedal and Park stations help cut down on bike thefts, and also keep people from driving to the train stops. Knowing that if they bike to the train they will have a safe spot to leave their ride, people are apt to keep their cars at home.

You can review the plans that were shared with the community in their entirety below:

Washington Union Presentation110614