City Council - Regular Meeting

For anyone who might be standing in the hallway or by the door, there is additional seating on the third floor because you cannot block, because of the fire code, you cannot block the door to the council chamber. Right. And you cannot stand on top of personnel, please. Thank you so very much. Appreciate it. A quorum of the city council being present, let us all rise to salute the flag and then pause for a moment of silence. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good evening. A quorum being present, I call tonight's June 16, 2025, regular meeting of the Cambridge City Council to order. The first order of business is a roll call of the members present. Deputy Crane, would you please call the roll?

Counselor Azeem. absent. Vice-Mayor McGovern. Present. Present. Councilor Nolan. Present. Present. Councilor Siddiqui. Present. Present. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler. Present. Present. Councilor Toner. Present. Present. Councilor Wilson. Present. Present. Councilor Zusy.

Present.

Present. Mayor Simmons. Present. Present. Councilor Azeem.

Present. Thank you. Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2025, adopted by the Massachusetts General Court and approved by the Governor, the City Council is authorized to use remote participation at meetings of the Cambridge City Council. In addition to having members present, members of the Council participate remotely, we have also set up Zoom teleconference for public comment. You can also view the meeting via the city open meeting portal or on city cable channel 22. You can also view the meeting. I said that already. To speak during public comment, you must sign up at the www.cambridgema.gov backslash public comment. You can also email written comments for the record to the city clerk at cityclerk at cambridgema.gov. We welcome your participation and you can sign up for public comment up to 6 p.m. Please note that the City of Cambridge audio and video records our meetings and makes it available for future viewing. In addition, third parties may be audio and video recording our meetings. We will now move to public comment. Public comment may be made in accordance with Massachusetts General Law 30A, Section 20G, and City Council Rules 23D and 37. Once you have finished speaking, the next speaker will be called. Individuals are not permitted to allocate the remainder of their time to other speakers. We ask that you state your name, your address for the record, and the item that you're speaking to. We have approximately 236 speakers. I'm sorry, Counselor, did you say something? Yes, it is. Given we had 236 speakers who have signed up, each person will be given one minute to speak. With that, I'm going to turn public comment over to Naomi Stephan. Ms. Stephan, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. We are at 239 speakers. Our first speaker is Kristen Anderson, followed by Alexander Poulsen, then Frank. Kristen, one minute. Please go ahead.

Kristen Anderson. Can you hear me?

Kristen, if you can turn the mic on.

No. You see the green light?

Kristen Anderson, 12 Upland Road West, Arlington, ending Elwife Sewage. Save the Elwife Brook is a growing grassroots environmental group with thousands of supporters, mostly Cantabrigians. Our focus is untreated sewage pollution and flooding. During heavy rainstorms, Alewife Brook floods into the parks, yards, and homes of area residents. 5,000 people live in the Alewife's 100-year floodplain. It is densely populated with multiple environmental justice neighborhoods. In 2023, 29 million gallons of hazardous raw sewage pollution was dumped into Alewife Brook. In 2021, 51 million gallons. The Brook flooded over its bank five times in 2023, sending untreated sewage floodwater into the Alewife path. We saw children riding bikes through untreated sewage flood water on the path. We saw joggers running through it, and we saw parents pushing baby strollers through untreated sewage flood water. The situation is horrifying. Please vote yes on ending alewife sewage. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Alexander Polson, followed by Ethan Frank, then Anne McDonald. Alexander, one minute.

Hello, my name's Alex Polson. I live at 301 Broadway, and I'm here to speak about bike lanes. My wife and I are grateful to be homeowners here in Cambridge. I bike, and I also own a car. We do not have off street parking, so we usually park on Broadway. But despite that, I am asking the city council to continue with the planned separated bike lanes on Broadway. I bike up and down Broadway every day, often with my son. Broadway is not safe to travel on for anything but cars. Despite the fact that it is a major thoroughfare, which many people in our city need, using many modes of transportation. Broadway is a critical piece of our city. On one side, it gives access to Harvard Square, the high school, the library. And then the other side, it gives access to MIT, Kendall Square, and Boston over the bridge. I believe it should be designed with the first priority being safe transportation rather than parking. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ethan Frank, followed by Anne McDonald, then Juliana Castedo. Ethan, one minute.

Hello, my name is Ethan. I live at 632 Mass Ave. I believe you've seen the Broadway parking occupancy data by now as there are two policy orders today regarding the underutilization of spots in Section A of the project and how we can use them more efficiently. Additionally, in the year since this project was delayed, we have implemented flexible parking corridors, learned that you can temporarily park in loading zones, are looking into sharing school and city-owned lots, and MBTA ridership is up 10%, so fewer people are driving. So how many parking spots is a person's life worth?

Thank you. Our next speaker is Anne McDonald, followed by Juliana Castedo, then Chloe Lewis. Anne, one minute.

Yeah, my name is Anne McDonald. I live at 24 Columbus, across from the Alewife Brook. Please support policy order number three. We have a once in a generation opportunity to pressure state leadership to envision a future Alewife MBTA complex as a confluence of housing and transport with both gray and green infrastructure. to address climate change and stop raw sewage releases in the grade D alewife. Last week, we heard from the next generation who bravely shared both concerns and dreams about their nearby river. Niels, Ella, Will, Julian, Sean, Dylan, Isaac, Ellie, Bethany, Autumn, and Avril, plus others pleaded with us as adults to lead and make decisions that clean up the brook and add win-win green infrastructure. We need to do better for our kids and all living creatures than a river, quoting Isaac, called Sewage Wife, which has deplorable conditions that appear to him from the Middle Ages. We need innovative solutions enacted before these children are in their 60s and 70s. Thank you.

Juliana Casteto, followed by Chloe Lewis, then Amanda Sindel-Kaswick. Juliana, go ahead.

Hi, I'm Juliana Casteto. I live at 44 Cottage Street in Cambridge, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy order one and two delaying Broadway bike lanes. This is my daughter, Lucy. She's three, and she goes to preschool on Broadway. We get around Cambridge many ways, including by car sometimes, but our favorite way is to get around by bike. We bike to Lucy's school. We bike to the pool. And sorry, we biked to the library. And in the summer, one of our favorite things to do is bike to the Gold Star Pool and have dinner in the neighborhood. And on a summer evening, biking home from there is magical. On Galileo Galileo Way, where the bike lanes are separated, it's perfect. And when we turn onto Broadway, I have to become hypervigilant, riding in the middle of the road to avoid being doored by cars, slowing down traffic, which I know is frustrating. I know drivers don't want to hurt us. Protected bike lanes on Broadway would help us to share the road safely and easily. We just want to get where we're going safely. Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Chloe Lewis, followed by Amanda Sindel Keswick, then Christian Tatu. Chloe, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Chloe Lewis. I'm a Cambridge resident. I've told this story in front of the city council previously. I moved to Cambridge to pursue my dream of rowing for the United States at the Olympics in the women's lightweight double in 2021. Obviously, the Olympics was postponed. Six days before I left for Florida for Olympic trials, I was hit by a car riding my bike on Broadway and I was in the hospital for two weeks with bad concussion and a number of other injuries. If you build safe bike infrastructure, more people will ride bikes, more people will feel comfortable riding bikes, fewer people will drive, it will solve parking problems, it will solve traffic problems. Cycling is also a way that as a woman, a single woman, I feel safe commuting at night. This is a pretty safe American city. I've lived in less safe American cities including Philadelphia, It is an empowering and safe way for women like me to get around at night. And, you know, as Ethan said, how many parking spaces is my life worth is a human life worth. So thank you for your consideration. And I hope that you will vote to not delay the bike lane project.

Our next speaker is Amanda Sindel Keswick, followed by Christian Tatu, David Lawrence, then Zyler Sharp. Amanda, one minute.

Hi, my name is Amanda Sindel Keswick, and this is Philip and Arthur over here. We live in Linden Park right near Broadway, and we're very excited about the bike lanes coming to Broadway. We love Senate Park, but there is no protected way to get there by bike. And I really want to thank Counselor Siddiqui for the creative solutions she's come up with, and I want to urge all of the counselors to vote yes on POs 5 and 6, and no on any PO that's going to delay or remove Broadway from the bicycle network. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Christian Tatu, followed by David Lawrence, then Zyler Sharp. Christian, one minute.

Good afternoon. I'm asking you to vote no on Orders 1 and 2 and yes on 5 and 6. As a transportation economist who bikes and lives in the port and uses a Broadway to bike every day to work, I know the dangers of the current design firsthand. Last fall, I was flying off my bike by a motorist opening their door. um this star right here on my temple is the evidence i have from it there are several other crashes like this that happen every week on broadway as you'll hear today i'm sure these injuries could be mitigated by moving forward with the broadway plan not reneging on the previously agreed upon changes allows the initial segment to be built and gives us a year of real world data to look and analyze and adjust policy further while only reducing parking spots by 23. um Paul Toner, by championing PO1 and 2, you're telling the residents of Cambridge that you care more about not inconveniencing drivers to find parking than the very children you've dedicated your career to helping and educating. Thousands of whom attend CRLS and other schools along Broadway. By suspending the implementation of bike lanes, you're putting them at risk of injury or worse, like what happened to me. All for the sake of a parking spot.

Thank you, Christian. Your time has expired. Our next speaker is David Lawrence, followed by Zyler Sharp, Julia Sharp, then Christina Curran. David, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is David Lawrence of One Aberdeen Way. I'm commenting on Policy Orders 1 and 2. I've lived and worked in Cambridge for 15 years. My office is on Broadway. Every day I drive my car down Broadway and I park in street parking. It is very difficult to find parking near Broadway and sometimes you have to walk quite a distance. However, you cannot compare my or anyone else's parking convenience against the safety and lives of the other people using the street. It is a moral imperative to build separated bike lanes now. By all means, continue your work to improve the parking situation for everyone, but do not delay the bike lanes. And if you build bike lanes on Broadway and not some inferior half-baked side street alternative, then I will start biking and stop parking. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Zyler Sharp, followed by Julia Sharp, Christina Curran, and Cody Scott. Zyler, one minute.

Hi, my name is and I live at 109 Inman Street. I am 10 years old and I bike everywhere. So I think we should build bike lanes on Broadway. I think this because there are almost 1,000 parking spaces on Broadway. so we can get rid of some to make our community a safer, nicer, kinder, and better place. I have to bike on Broadway almost every week, and it is always a challenge because of the lack of safety, the infrastructure, but you can change that. This act has been put in place to help our community, and to try to stop that is to try and hurt the place that we call home. So for the kids and families of our community, Please vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2 and vote yes on Policy Orders 5 and 6.

Our next speaker is Julia Sharp, followed by Christina Curran.

Excuse me, Naomi. Good evening, I'm Julia Sharp, homeowner at 109.

Ms.

Sharp. Could you hold just for a moment, please? Thank you. I just want to remind people that we try not to encourage clapping and shouting and booing. And the reason why we do that is sometimes people have different opinions. And if you're on the If you're in the minority, it might make you afraid to air your opinion. We want everybody to be able to share what's on their minds and their hearts. So I would ask if you don't mind not booing, clapping. We're going to all listen respectfully. I think we all deserve that. So thank you so much.

Ms.

Sharp, the floor is yours.

Good evening. I'm Julia Sharp, homeowner at 109 Inman Street with my husband and our 10-year-old twins, one of whom just spoke to you regarding policy orders one, two, five, and six. We live car-free and rely on biking or walking for nearly everything, including my regular rides down Broadway to physical therapy at MGH. I understand that Broadway must work for everyone. The kids heading to school, the library and local parks, commuters in cars on bikes and riding buses, our 70-year-old family friend who lives car-free in Cambridge and walks or rides transit, our neighbors making quick supply runs by car to the park so they can transport more toys, and the residents living on or near Broadway who value on-street parking. There's also people like me, temporarily mobility impaired but still needing to get around the city. Yes, I did get here by bike. No single design is perfect, but our choices signal our priorities. Cambridge should say loud and clear that safety for vulnerable road users and climate-friendly travel comes first. The protected bike lanes you've already approved embody that vision. Please show steady leadership. Vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Christina Curran, followed by Cody Scott, then Anjan Devaraj. Christina, one minute.

My name is Christina Kern. I live at 218 Harvard Street. I work in Back Bay. I bike to work every single day. It takes me 18 minutes. I've driven to work in Back Bay a few times. It's taken me almost an hour a few times. Everyone knows that the streets in Cambridge are extremely traffic-logged, and the only way to... prevent that and to keep them from being more and more traffic logged is to put in more safe bike transportation. So I encourage you to, I forget if it's vote yes or no, but I encourage you to support the bike lanes because they are going to help progress this city and decrease traffic in the future. So let's vote yes for progress and not go backwards. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Cody Scott, followed by Anjan Devaraj, then John Pitkin. Cody, one minute.

Hi. I urge you to vote no on PO 1 and 2, and yes on PO 5 and 6. I'm a homeowner in Cambridge. I've been here for 12 years, and I hope to retire here. In the meantime, we're doing 9 out of 10 trips by bike. My wife and I commute that way. My son gets to CRLS that way. And hopefully these three are going to get to CRLS by bike too. Broadway is a key access point to CRLS. We went 12 miles, these two biked 12 miles on their own yesterday through Cambridge and Watertown. And the only reason I felt safe with them doing that is because we had 10 adults riding around them like a herd on the Serengeti. They were protecting them because there weren't protected bike lanes where we were going. Protected bike lanes make it so that the mistakes of drivers or their mistakes while they're learning aren't fatal mistakes. They learn from it, they get up, and they keep on going. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Anjan Damaraj, followed by John Pitkin, then Roth Lois. Anjan, one minute.

Hi, I'm Anjan Devaraj of 194 Prospect Street, right near Broadway, and busy father of a five-year-old, two-year-old, and three-month-old. I'm speaking against policy order one and two, which would kill the Broadway bike lanes. This, personally, is incredibly devastating for our family. We literally cannot make our job commitments and our school commitments, and quite frankly, make anywhere on time by walking, car, or the T. The only way we can survive in Cambridge is by biking down Broadway. We bike for it for preschool drop-offs, for pre-K drop-offs, and to get to work on time. I often work night shifts, and the only way I can make it back home in time for my wife to work the day shift is to go down Broadway. We also have strict door-to-door times being on page while at home. We have used Broadway to bike despite how terrifying it is with the assumption that the bike lanes would have been completed by now. If PO one or two is passed, it would be devastating for us as we literally just bought our two bedroom condo after being lifelong renters by Broadway and it would financially devastate us to move. Thank you.

Our next speaker is John Pitkin. We are at speaker number 15 for those who are waiting. John Pitkin followed by Roth Lois, then Mark Boswell.

uh thank you better mayor my name is john pitkin i live at on 18th street i am speaking in favor of policy orders one and two this is about the future of our transportation system bike lanes are a part of that system an essential part of that system is the are the tens of thousands of cars that cambridge residents rely on every day to to go about the business of their lives in order to do that they need they need parking that is the reality of the system we all want the system to be to be safer and more sustainable But it is a system and people need parking in order to access that system. The majority of you have cars and need parking. You know you need parking. Why would you vote to take it away? I don't believe you would try to control a health care cost problem by depriving people of health care. I don't believe you would try to solve a water shortage by shutting off the taps of people in Cambridge. Why would you solve a transportation problem by depriving people access to the system that they need to live here? without looking for alternative solutions first. I urge you to vote for Councilor Zusy and Councilor Toner's motions. This is a transportation system issue.

John, your time has expired. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Rock Lois, followed by Mark Boswell, then Ivan Gonzalez. Rock, one minute.

One moment. Hello, City Council. We should add protected bike lanes to Broadway because it is not safe to ride a bike in the road otherwise, and I have proof. My proof is that one of my best friends was hit by a truck that tried to pass him. He was lucky he only had a broken leg. All this happened because there was no protected bike lane. Broadway is the street which leads to the high school, the war memorial, and the main library, and I need to be able to get into these places safely, and I want to go by bike, but I can't because it's not safe, so fix that.

Our speaker is Mark Boswell, followed by Ivan Gonzalez, then Ned Melanson. Mark, one minute.

Good evening, councillors. My name is Mark Boswell. I live at 105 Walden Street, Cambridge, neighborhood nine. I'm speaking on policy orders one, two, five, and six. I support policy orders five and six. The city should look into ways to create more residential parking spaces along Broadway segment A. I strongly oppose both Policy Orders 1 and 2. Broadway is an important connection for people on bikes or scooters. There's no way around that. The hundreds of students riding bikes to CRLS need to be separated from speeding cars and dump trucks, period. Cambridge Street and Hampshire Street are not parallel to Broadway. Residents along this corridor need to be heard, and we need to find ways to mitigate the issues. However, I urge you to prioritize what is best for the greater good of Cambridge and for the safety of those people who have no voice in this room today. I thank those counselors who understand this and want to see a complete network of safe streets. Please allow CSO implementation to continue on Broadway. Please vote no on policy orders one and two.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Ivan Gonzalez, followed by Ned Melanson, then Kathleen Pallott. Ivan, one minute.

My name is Alvin Gonzalez. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two. I'm a Cambridge resident for 12 years. I live close to St. Mary's, two blocks off of Broadway. I've been riding my bike for those 12 years. My son rides with me since he's a baby. I've witnessed numerous accidents and I've been hit once by a car on Hampshire before the bike lanes were installed. Protected bike lanes save lives and makes the streets safer for everyone. Broadway is especially important for children and teenagers because of the schools and the parks. How are these kids supposed to move around town? The feeling of your body when there is a bus or a truck passing you 30 miles an hour on an icy road is overwhelming. The thought of the body of your child being in the same situation is unbearable. Please, I urge you again to vote no on propositions one and two. There's no reason for more delays. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ned Melanson followed by Kathleen Pallott, then Nicholas Fernandez. Ned, one minute.

Hello, my name is Ned Melanson. Last year I was hit by a driver while cycling on Main Street. I'm telling you this because I'm alive to tell you this. I'm one of the lucky ones. Cyclists and pedestrians are maimed every year or killed by traffic in Cambridge and across the nation. Those deaths are entirely avoidable, and I'm furious about it. Hoboken, New Jersey, for instance, has had zero traffic deaths since 2017. Zero. Over nearly a decade. All they did was lower the speed limit, improve bike paths and pedestrian paths. That's it. A few new signs and a little cement. Safe streets are a solved problem. We have no more excuses, and until we act, every death is on our hands. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kathleen Pallott, followed by Nicholas Fernandez, then Nicole Neville. Kathleen, you have one minute. Please go ahead. Kathleen, if you could unmute yourself, you have the floor. Please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Kathleen pilot I am a Cambridge resident at 62 gorham street I am a biker i'm also a driver and i'm on mine tonight to ask city council to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. I want to go on record strongly supporting the installation of safe bicycle and pedestrian improvements on Broadway and everywhere in Cambridge. We're in a climate emergency and our children have been pushed out from using safe public spaces and everyone in Cambridge is affected by our continued reliance on automobiles. I do have two children. Both will be at the high school next year. And I do not feel that it is safe for them to be biking without protected bike lanes. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Nicholas Fernandez. Nicholas has not joined us. We will move on to speaker number 22, Nicole Neville, followed by Norman Doubts, then Michael Rugo. Nicole, one minute.

Hello, my name's Nicole Neville and I live at 342 Broadway. I'm here tonight asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. As I mentioned, I live on Broadway and commute primarily by bike. I witness near miss accidents on Broadway on a regular basis. Data collected by the city shows that half of drivers speed on Broadway and 40 crashes have occurred there since 2022, including a cyclist getting doored by a car directly in front of where I live. Even as a young and able-bodied person, I don't feel safe navigating my neighborhood. I also drive and park here, but recognize that nearly half of Cambridge residents and your constituents do not own cars or regularly drive. We cannot prioritize the convenience of some over the safety of all. Thus, I urge you to move forward with the planned Broadway safety improvements already in progress. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Norman Doust, followed by Michael Rogo, then Luis Mejias. Norman, one minute.

My name is Norman Doust from 157 Raymond Street in Cambridge. I was here last April when the committee voted to delay or extend the end date. Imagine how much enjoyable it will be traveling down Broadway after the implementation of the protected bike lanes. We know that our Department of Transportation does excellent work, and as a result of their work, things are safer and work better. Imagine how much safer it's going to be going down Broadway after the implementation. For these reasons, I urge you to vote no on one and two. And if you're concerned about parking, vote yes on five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Michael Rogo, followed by Luis Mejia, then Christopher Casa. Michael, one minute.

Hi, I'm Michael Rogo of 65 Spark Street. I'm speaking for multiple young families who can't be here tonight. It feels like we have a choice, a false choice between a city where it's easy for someone like me to get pretty much as many parking passes and permits as I want, but it's really hard for contractors to find parking during the day, versus a city where it's safe for kids to get to school. It feels like a false choice, and I think it is. These issues need not be continually opposed. That is the... That is the stance we took when this body voted to reverse on Garden Street and rip out all those parking spots. So I just want to say this is going to be a really long night, and I want to applaud city staff, especially for their patience and stamina. I came here a year ago. I told you the story about my father. He suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of insufficient cycling infrastructure, and since then, We've mostly gone slightly backward on the policy front, but out there, the cyclists are using that infrastructure. They're making good on the bet that you've made on building all this infrastructure. So I want to say, don't weaken the CSO. Thank you, and stay hydrated.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Luis Mejia, followed by Christopher Casa, then Sarah Benedict. Luis, one minute.

Good evening. Good evening, counselors. I'm Louis, and I'm a homeowner at 18 Plymouth Street. I lost a lot of sleep thinking about what I could say in one minute to try and change the minds of those of you who hold my safety in your hands. Is it the fact that our summer sky will be white instead of blue this year, blighted by wildfire smokes fueled by climate change itself, made worse by transportation emissions that some seek to perpetuate? Or is it dismay because some prioritize the storage of private property on the public right of way over the safety of residents and visitors? And how in three days we'll celebrate a liberation from the idea that people are property, but the property laws and policies rooted in that abhorrent idea are still paramount to the general welfare of the people. To the other and devastating heartbreak I feel when I pass by Portland and Hampshire, reminded that Min T. Nguyen was killed one minute after I passed by that same spot a year ago. And then I think, who will be next? Will a 10-year-old change your mind? Please vote no on PO 1 and 2, and yes in 5 and 6. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Christopher Casa, followed by Sarah Benedict, then Argenis Herrera. Christopher, one minute.

Hey, this is Chris Castle from 103 Gore Street. Thank you for hearing me tonight. I wanted to build a little bit on the idea of what Michael was raising about we're building this infrastructure and people are using it. There's no question the number of people that are biking is growing dramatically. The number of people blue biking went up 28% year over year last year. I just was trying to think about some of the question here about whether this is a zero sum game. When we think about whether 200 parking spots need to be replaced before we modify 100, what is the right number and why is it zero sum? And I just thought about the census data. 10 years ago, actually 13 years ago, 12 years ago in 2013, 35% of people, residents were driving to work. And now, in 2023, only 22% are driving to work. Only 6% were biking to work, and now it's doubled to 11% in 2023. So the work you're doing is making a difference, and I hope you build on it. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Sarah Benedict, followed by Argenis Herrera, then Bernal Corta.

Hi, my name is Sarah Catherine Benedict. I live at 11 Story Street. I'm 26 years old, and I've lived and worked in Cambridge since 2023. A year ago, I never would have come to something like this. I'm not a biker. I'm scared of public speaking. I've never told my story to a group like this. And on June 21, 2024, my close friend, Minty Nguyen, was struck and violently, painfully killed in Cambridge as she biked to her lab at MIT. She was 24 and so special. She also owned a car and regularly parked on surface streets in Cambridge. Even now as I go about my daily life in Cambridge, I meet new-to-me people who knew and loved and missed Minty. Reducing severe crashes saves lives, and I can't even tell you the pain a year later of one day giving a call that my beautiful 24-year-old friend tragically died. I'm asking the council to keep the commitment they made, vote no on policy order one and two, yes on five and six. No one else should have to lose their friend like I did.

Our next speaker is Argenis Herrera, followed by Bernal Corta, then Andy Rosevear. Argenis, one minute.

Good evening, my name is Argenis and I live on 385 Broadway. I'm here today to urge the city to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. I've been biking through Broadway for the last three years. I'll be here for school for the next three and I hope to spend my future here in Cambridge as well. For one reason being that I love to bike and I love biking in the city. I hope to continue to bike through Broadway, but I do feel that it is unsafe for me to do so now. And I know for a fact and from experience that it is frustrating for the drivers stuck behind me to share a road with, for me as a biker to share a road with cars. Adding protected bike lanes is not just a win for cyclists, but as we see here today, for families and children everywhere. It's a win for safety, for air quality, and for a better connected Cambridge. Broadway connects homes, schools, and businesses, and I hope that we make it work for everyone and not just for those with cars. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Bernal Cortes, followed by Andy Rosevear, then Sue Downing. Bernal, one minute.

Hi, my name is Bernal Cortez. I also live at 385 Broadway, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes to five and six. I also bike up and down Broadway every single day. It's often a scary experience, forcing cyclists to contend with drivers, putting us in competition for limited space. Neither the driver nor the cyclist benefits from this lack of infrastructure. I've personally been struck by a car, knocked off my bike twice in Cambridge. I was fortunate to walk away from those, but You know, protected bike lanes offer so much to a city in terms of safety, the promotion of a healthier city, environment, and quality of life. I've lived in Cambridge for three years and have decided to stick around and go to school for three more, in no small part due to how much better my life is getting around this city on a bike. And so I urge you to make this city even safer. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Andy Rosevere, followed by Sue Downing, then David Brand. Andy, one minute.

Just want to remind people not to block the door to the council chamber. There is excess seating on the third floor. Thank you so much.

Hi, my name is Andy Rosevere. I live at 127 Nightingale in Brighton, but I'm part owner of a business on Broadway. Drivers often drive intentionally close to me or swerve at me or scream at me from their cars while I'm commuting to my job, which is stressful. We're talking about 200 parking spots here, which sounds like a lot, but the adult population of Cambridge is about 103,000 adults. So it would be about 0.2% of the spots that would be needed for everyone to drive. Cars are big. Basic geometry says this limits how many people can be in an area. Businesses would shut down from lack of customers if we tried to force everyone to drive. Policies like this will always privilege a very small number of people. The majority is left with dangerous, hostile streets. City residents are resilient. We have options here. You can rent one. You can take a taxi or take the bus with your family. Parking on public streets is an unrealistic expectation that we need to stop entertaining. Every standard spot means space taken from residents with disabilities and loading zones and adequate sidewalks. Many other cities have figured it out. Cambridge can be a modern city, too. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker, we are at speaker 31 for those waiting, is Sue Downing followed by David Brand, then Emma Batson. Sue, one minute.

Sue Downing, resident 31 Fairmont Street in Cambridge, lifelong non-driver. Some of us cannot, will not, or do not drive for one reason or another. Since 1977, I've been biking the length of Massachusetts Avenue from the Charles River to Arlington, and the difference between then and now is night and day. The Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance first passed in 2019 was a very complex process with a lot of trade-offs and a lot of committees, and a beautiful 18-page PDF I urge people to look at if they haven't seen it recently with a vision for bicycle safety in Cambridge. Cambridge currently has been winning awards from cycling magazines. It now rivals some of the best European cities, and this is a gem that we should treasure and continue with. So in support of the original CSO, I would oppose PO1 and 2, and support alternatives for 5 and 6 that are creative to look for solutions. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is David Brand, followed by Emma Batson, then Rita Owens. David, one minute please.

Hi. My name's David Brand. I live at 399 Broadway in Cambridge. I park my car, drive, walk, and bike on Broadway. And I strongly encourage you to vote no on policy order one and two, and yes on five and six. Blue Bike Ridershare data supports that Broadway is heavily used by cyclists who will benefit from protected bike lanes. In the past year, there were over 200,000 Blue Bike rides that either started or stopped on Broadway. Between May and September, there are over 20,000 rides a month. That's 700 to 800 rides per day. As you've heard, people ride bikes to and from where they live, to and from where their schools and daycare are, and to and from where blue bike stations are. Protected bike lanes will make these rides safer for the thousands who utilize blue bikes on Broadway, and for the many, many more cyclists like me not accounted in these data. I encourage you to uphold the cycling safety ordinance and to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. Please continue to work to make Broadway and Cambridge safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Our next speaker is Emma Batson, followed by Rita Owens. Emma, one minute.

I'm Emma Batson of 12 Murdoch Street, a Cambridge resident of nine years and an MIT grad student. Like a third of all Cambridge residents, I do not own a car. I live very close to Broadway, and I bike to work, but on Hampshire because Broadway feels too dangerous to consider biking on during commute hours. It's often intimidating even to cross on foot to reach the coffee shop at Lamplighter, due to poor daylighting at intersections and how fast cars tend to go. It doesn't just feel unsafe, it is. At least 46 people walking and biking have been hit by cars on Broadway since 2022. Three people, including my fellow graduate student, Min Tin Nguyen, died cycling in Cambridge last year. The correct number of deaths on our streets is zero, and I'll be at these meetings begging you to value our lives over parking spots until we get there. Please vote no on POs 1 and 2 for a safe Broadway. And thank you to Sumbul Siddiqui for giving us a compromise option in 5 and 6 to preserve parking for those that need it as well.

Our next speaker is Rita Owens, followed by David Lyons and Stephanie Tellex. Rita, one minute.

Thank you. Hi, my name is Rita Owens. I live at 24 Bay State Road over by Fresh Pond, and I had the benefit of a lot of bike paths over there. In a couple of days, it will be a ninth anniversary of Amanda Phillips' death. She was my nursing student. I was a nursing professor. And you responded by redesigning Inman Square, which was lovely. Thank you very much. I also worked as a pediatric intensivist at Spalding, and I took care of a lot of kids that had been hit by bicycles. None of them were in a protected bike lane. So I'm asking for you, for the sake of the children, to please build these bike lanes as fast as you can. Thank you. Thank you.

Our next speaker is David Lyon, followed by Stephanie Tellex, then Alec Wideman. David, what now?

I'm David Lyon. I live at 6 Crawford Street on the corner of Broadway. And I serve on the Broadway Safety Committee, which advises the city on design of the bike lanes. And having learned from background research and hearing the demands of the cycling community, I'm deeply alarmed. I am asking you to please halt the Broadway bike lanes and preserve 100% of the parking. Here are the reasons. The city council has been misled. The last study of bike traffic predates the installation of any of the lanes. The neighborhood parking space census did not deal with overnight parking. Two, the plan is ageist and ableist and disregards vulnerable populations. One bike activist said, oh, poor people don't need parking spaces. They don't own cars. A project team member dismissed women's safety concerns about parking at night, saying, oh, the women I know are pretty feisty. The traffic department itself dismisses proven safety measures.

Mr. Lyon, your time has expired. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Stephanie Tellex, followed by Alec Weidman, then Douglas Baker. Stephanie, you have one minute.

Hi, I'm Stephanie Tellex, and I live on Hancock Street, just a block from Broadway. And I bike with my son Xander down Broadway to go from our house to daycare, which is near the one Kendall Square. And it's scary, and we have to be defensive about it. And sometimes my son is afraid to get on the bike with me. So I strongly encourage you all to please vote to make those Broadway bike lanes as fast as you can because it's really sad when you're, I also have a 12 year old and I'm teaching him how to bike safely and you have to explain things like dooring what it means to get doored and how to bike around the double parked cars and all of the other unsafe features. And it's a totally different experience when we get over to the parts of Mass Ave or over up on the Minuteman where we actually have these bike lanes. He feels much more comfortable biking. So I really encourage you to vote to help our kids learn safe, healthy practices for getting around our city. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alec Weidman, followed by Douglas Baker, then Sarah Block. Alec, one minute.

Hi, everyone. I'm Alec Weidman. I live at 223 Broadway in Cambridge, right across where the project has already started, where Mulan is. I park in Cambridge. I own a car. I'm going to be directly affected by this ordinance. And I'm sincerely asking you to vote no on one and two, vote yes on five and six, and support these bike lanes. It's not been a year since someone got murdered by a car not a block away from my house, which is just unacceptable. And is it going to take someone dying on Broadway to get those bike lanes put in? In a year's time, if they get delayed, are you going to be accountable for that? And please think about that when voting. If someone gets hurt, whose fault is it at this point? Because we have the opportunity to make it safe, and choosing to delay it any further is just unacceptable. That's all I have. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Douglas Baker followed by Sarah Block, then Joshua Hartshorn. Douglas, one minute. Douglas has not joined us. We will go to Sarah Block followed by Joshua Hartshorn.

Good evening. It was nice to see a bunch of you yesterday, Mayor Simmons, Sumbul Siddiqui, and I guess Azeem's not here. My name's Sarah Block. I live on Shepherd Street in Cambridge. My family moved here in 1970, and we own a triple decker. I grew up here. Please vote no on policy order number one and two. Keep the current timeline and plan for Broadway. And yes on five and six. Thank you, Sumbul, for submitting those. RECENTLY I SAW A T-SHIRT THAT SAID I JUST WANTED TO TAKE MY KID TO SCHOOL ON A BIKE AND NOW I SPEND HALF MY TIME IN THE CITY COUNCIL. MY DAUGHTER IS NOW 26. I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR BIKE LANES SINCE SHE WAS A TODDLER. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP COMING HERE. I WANT TO DO OTHER STUFF LIKE THE FUN THING I DID YESTERDAY WITH THE CAMBRIDGE BIKE GIVEBACK WHERE I SAW MAYOR SIMMONS ON A TRICYCLE.

We are going to go back one. Douglas Baker is joining us via Zoom. Douglas, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, everybody. Thank you so much. So I am going to ask you to vote no on one and two to not delay the project. I believe that the automobile generally in America and in Cambridge has been overly prioritized and privileged. And I think it's really important to continue the bike lane projects and the other pedestrian safety projects so that we can bring a kind of a reasonable balance to transportation. in Cambridge. And I say this as somebody who owns two cars and I do drive and my wife drives around town, but we also bike. And when I drive, I acknowledge it's not convenient to encounter the bike lanes at times and it can be stressful and confusing, but I believe overall it is worth it for public safety and for all the health benefits that come from not just keeping people safe, but more people biking and less noise, less air pollution, et cetera. Thank you.

Thank you. We are at speaker number 40, Joshua Hartshorn, followed by Owen Leddy, then Alexander Dickel. Joshua, one minute.

Hi, I'm Josh Hartshorn. I'm at 114 Inman Street, and this is Beanway Hartshorn.

It's people who want cars and want to delay the bike lanes. I want to write about one thing. We do need to make it fair, but that means having more bike lanes. They're not letting it be fair. We have not all bike lanes almost. We almost don't have any.

So I'd add to that, I travel to a lot of cities around the world for work, and it's disappointing to me how difficult it is to raise children here in Cambridge. In some cities, you can get your children anywhere you need without an expensive car. You can let the children go places on their own without worrying they're going to be run over. The cities, they're making their air cleaner for the kids. They're reducing microplastics, which cars create in bulk. They have nice sidewalk cafes because it's not noisy and polluted. And I want to live in a nice family-friendly place, and all it requires is a supportive counsel. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Owen Letty, followed by Alexander Dickel, then Jerome Ryan. Owen, one minute.

Hello, thank you so much to the council for the opportunity to speak. I'm Owen Letty. I live at 260 Harvard Street. I really wish there had been a bike lane along Broadway for the past several years because I would have been using it every day to get to work. I often work late and I'm coming home at night, and biking along Broadway has just never felt safe enough, even with lights and other safety gear. And after many near misses with cars, it's clear that there's a better solution needed. Biking is a fast, affordable, healthy, sustainable, and pleasant way to get around our city. that Cambridge should be ideally suited for if we put in the correct safety infrastructure. After multiple cyclists were killed last year, I think it's especially important that we not roll back the already planned and approved measures to improve safety for cyclists in Cambridge. Living on a direct transit route or in walking distance from where you work or study is not always practical for everyone, and expecting more people to own a car would be a wasteful and unnecessary way to add to traffic, pollution, and climate impacts. Thank you to Councillor Siddiqui also for helping to preserve parking for residents. Thank you, Owen.

Your time has expired. Our next speaker is Alexander Dickel, followed by Jerome Ryan, then Gabriel Grand. Alexander, one minute.

Hi, my name is Alex Stickle. I live at 41 Stern Street. I'm speaking today once again, once again, to implore you to stop delaying and rewriting the rules about bike lanes in Cambridge. I'll quickly outline two points. And first, I want to applaud people here who are composed and not angry because I am angry. First, the continued relitigation of this issue, first Garden Street and now this, erodes public trust in the council. It was a waste of time and it is a waste of money. These lanes have been approved, designed, and now on the eve of implementation, we're trying to rehash this and cancel them. It makes no sense. Second, I'm really ashamed that once again, this city is weighing the cost of human life versus the convenience of the few. Yeah, some parking is absolutely necessary. PO's five and six. Look for more research for that. It's already included in some of the design. Most of us don't need parking. Really, how is the convenience of the few more important than my life riding a bike here every day?

Our next speaker is Jerome Ryan followed by Gabriel Grand and then Alexa Gomberg.

Jerome Ryan, 35 Lee Street, one block off Broadway. I moved to Cambridge 50 years ago this October. Last Friday morning I went to the high school to count the number of locked bicycles, 174. A class group sitting outside said it was a light day. One of the students recounted two accidents he had had on Broadway, one in which he went over his handlebars. Those students told me they had never been consulted about bike safety along Broadway. They all supported proposed safety improvements. How many times have we heard, if it saves just one life, it's worth it? That is really what implementing bike safety measures is all about. It all too often seems that is lost sight of. I oppose policy orders one and two, support policy orders five and six, and hope you will too.

Our next speaker is Gabriel Grand, followed by Alexa Gomberg, then Melissa Berlin. Good evening, counselors.

Thank you. Gabriel Grand, 253 Walden Street, Cambridge. I've been a Cambridge resident since 2014. I've cycled on Broadway for many years. As an undergrad living in Radcliffe Yard, it was the shortest route between my dorm and my lab at MIT. Years later, my wife and I moved back to Neighborhood 9. We own a car. And most days, you can still find me biking on Broadway, especially on a day like today on my commute down to Kendall. Many parts of the journey, especially Garden Street, are significantly safer now. And that's thanks to recent improvements. I particularly appreciate Councilors Azeem, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, and Vice Mayor McGovern. Thank you guys for your leadership in protecting Garden Street's bike lanes. Now, Councilor Zusy, respectfully, your actions on bike lanes have been blindsiding to me and I think to a lot of us. It troubles me to see someone who is a champion of open spaces in our city derailing eco-friendly safety improvements on our streets. Tonight's policy orders are a cruel right hook to the momentum of the cycling safety ordinance. Please stick with the plan, vote against policy orders number one and two, and keep Cambridge moving safely forward.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Alexa Gomberg. Alexa, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Thanks. Can everyone hear me in the room? Yes, please go ahead. Great. My name is Alexa Gomberg. I work, bike, drive, and walk in Cambridge. And this Saturday, June 21st, it will be exactly one year since my lifelong friend, Min T. Nguyen, was killed while biking in Cambridge. None of you can bring her back or relieve any of the grief that her loved ones feel, but you can honor her memory today instead by choosing to continue to make Cambridge a safe place for everyone, even those who cannot afford to have a car to get around. I wanted to say thank you to the counselors who consistently show their commitment to saving lives in Cambridge for honoring Minty in this way. And thank you to Symbol in particular for submitting a statement for the Ride for Your Life, which I planned back in November on behalf of the city of Cambridge. And I wanted to end by saying that I've submitted a statement on behalf of the 7,000 graduate students at MIT in support of the protected bike lanes on Broadway. I encourage you to read this statement and to appreciate that this election cycle will be launching an extensive voter turnout campaign.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Melissa Berlin, followed by Sam Ratliff, then Justin Mazola-Paluska.

My name is Melissa. I live at 31 Lyon Street, a couple blocks away from Broadway. Biking is my main form of transportation. I bike pretty much everywhere that's further than walking distance. And a favorite hobby that my fiance and I have is spotting parents riding with their kids in cargo bikes. We're excited to raise our family here, and we're really excited to one day go buy a cargo bike and bring our kids around Cambridge in it. So we hope that the progress keeps moving forward so that we feel confident in that decision.

Our next speaker is Sam Ratliff, followed by Justin Mazola-Paluska, then Joshua Williams. Sam, one minute.

Hi there, my name is Sam Ratliff. I live at 35 Howard Street in Cambridge and I'm asking you to vote no against policies one and two and yes for policies five and six. I moved here in 2022 from the Midwest and I brought my car with me. And for over a year I drove two blocks from my house on Howard Street to the Whole Foods on River Street to get groceries. two blocks because it was easy for me to get parking and it was easy for me to have a car and well there's a grocery store and I have a car so I'm going to drive to it because that's what I do in the Midwest. So I just wanted to say that the way that we design our cities and the way that we make it easy for people to have cars and simple to find parking for people who might want a car makes it really hard on people who rely on cars to get around. If you need a car because you're handicapped, because you're a delivery driver, for whatever reason, my convenience of driving two blocks to the grocery store, you're bearing that burden. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Justin Mazola-Paluska, followed by Joshua Williams, then Sarah Stone. Justin, one minute.

Hi, my name is Justin Mazzola-Pileska, and I live at 22 Chatham Street, a street that is one block away from Broadway. I urge you to vote against policy orders one and two, and for policy orders five and six. Much of the commentary tonight is about the conflict around infrastructure for cyclists versus Park Lane. I need to talk about a different conflict. On March 7, 2016, I was cycling home, and I was assaulted by a driver after a bike crash on Broadway, about a block away from CLRS and the main library. After the crash, the driver got out of their car, screamed at me as I tried to get away, caught up to me and forced me to the ground. They injured my hands and left my legs bloody. The crash happened because I took the lane as per commonwealth law, and I was too slow for them for one block. This wouldn't have happened if there were proper bike infrastructure on Broadway, because bike infrastructure eliminates conflicts like these. I've been waiting and voting for almost 10 years since that incident for better biking infrastructure. Please don't make me wait any longer.

Our next speaker is Joshua Williams, followed by Sarah Stone, then Charles Franklin. Joshua, one minute.

Hi, I'm Joshua Williams. I live at 59 Maple Avenue in Cambridge, near Broadway. I encourage you to vote no on policy orders one and two. Living near Broadway, I bike on it frequently. I've been biking for over 10 years, and I found that Broadway is one of the scariest roads that I've biked on. I biked on a highway accidentally in Virginia, for example. Broadway might be scarier. But there are three schools on this street And for that reason, Broadway is a clear gap in the network. Those students are biking there all the time. They need beneficial bike infrastructure. They need to feel safe. Regardless of the existence of any other cycling infrastructure in the city, they will continue to bike on Broadway. So they need to feel safe. We owe it to them to build this out and provide a safe street for everyone. Thank you.

Our next speaker is speaker number 50, Sarah Stone, followed by Charles Franklin and Miranda Cecil. Sarah, you have one minute.

Hello, I'm Sarah Stone. I live on Hancock Street and I'm here to echo the sentiments of many of my fellow speakers tonight as I ask you to please vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. I've lived in Cambridge for seven years now, and I'm mostly here tonight on behalf of a loved one. My partner, who I met here in Cambridge, he and I fell in love here, and he bikes down Broadway to work frequently. It terrifies me to think of him getting hurt or worse, even though it's a short ride, and he wears a helmet and stays alert and does everything right. For my part, I also bike in Cambridge, and I really admired our city for investing in safer shared streets just in the time that I've lived here. Making cycling safer is good for bikers and drivers, and it helps us advance toward our climate goals. Please put people over parking. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Charles Franklin, followed by Miranda Cecil and Hannah Cordisco. Charles, one minute.

Good evening, Charles Franklin, 162 Hampshire Street. Last year, during a vote to delay bicycle lanes, a woman in a wheelchair testified that she often uses those lanes when our sidewalks are impassable. And since then, I've been paying a lot of attention to many of our, quite frankly, embarrassing sidewalks. And as part of that, I decided to walk up and down Broadway last week. And at first, I was actually quite impressed with how accessible it was. And then I got to the brick. There's about 2,000 feet of brick sidewalks on Broadway, give or take a few hundred. And I cannot tell you what it's like to wheel over brick in a wheelchair, but I can tell you what it's like to wheel over brick in a knee scooter with an injury. And it sucks. It really sucks. There are a few sidewalks on Broadway that are not passable if you're not fairly able-bodied. If you do pass this tonight, and I hope you don't, please have a PO next week to rip up the brick. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Miranda Cecil, followed by Hannah Cordisco, then Eric Grunenbaum. Miranda, one minute.

Hi, I'm Miranda Cecil, and I live at 304 Washington Street. I've been a resident of Cambridge for two years. And unlike 9% of Cambridges, I don't bike to work. I don't bike to work because I witnessed a near fatal bike accident resulting in catastrophic injuries along a major thoroughfare in Boston that doesn't have protected bike lanes. And I didn't feel safe after that. But luckily, she lived. We often hear that we're prioritizing small businesses when we vote against bikes, but that can't possibly be true if the small businesses I shop at incentivize bike travel through the bicycle benefits program. More than that, five and six provide an excellent compromise position. There's no reason to think that we need 200 additional parking spots, and there's no reason to build for cars and parking at the cost of our open spaces, our community-based transportation of walking and biking, and most importantly, at the cost of lives. The way we design our cities matters, designed for people.

Our next speaker is Hannah Cordisco followed by Eric Grunenbaum, Jeff Williams, then Eleanor Carlson. Hannah, please go ahead.

My name is Hannah Cordisco and I live at 4 Rockwell Street. I'm a Cambridge resident and I bike throughout Cambridge as well as to my office in Boston. Like many Cambridge residents, I do not own a car and I rely on my bike to get around the city. I am asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. There is no reason for a delay and the city council has voted for this plan and timeline earlier this year. The city has already spent public funding on this project and continuing to rehash this issue only costs more money. Protected bike lanes make streets safer for pedestrians, bikers, childrens, and seniors. Broadway carries many school aged children and studies show that protected bike lanes are highly effective at reducing crashes and making the roads safer for all users. I ask the city council to keep our city safe for all and honor the promise they made by voting no on PO 1 and 2 and yes on 5 and 6.

Our next speaker is Eric Grunenbaum followed by Jeff Williams, Eleanor Carlson, then Eppa Rixey. Eric, one minute.

Thank you, Mayor Simmons, Councilors. I live at 98 Montgomery Street, a few blocks from the Alewife Garage. Thank you for considering PO number three from last week, asking the state to recognize that MBTA's land is ideally situated to play a major role in solving the sewage problem with green and gray infrastructure. Not a single citizen spoke against it last week. Please pass it substantially as is. We ask for real action. First, we want the sewage problem to be integral to the RFP, not an afterthought with backroom discussions. Second, we want substantial green infrastructure allowing for continued sewage separation. DPW has consulted many times, and if these simple requests are not made of the state, it will be performative at best. A green and blue space here can also reconnect the last fragments of the wetlands, Alewife, Yates Pond, now overshadowed by the garage, and Jerry's Pond. Last, I am glad to invite any of you for a walk where most of the sewage flows by the garage so you can see it and smell it for yourselves. And that is your break from bikes for a moment.

Thank you, Eric. We are going to go back one to Nicholas Fernandez, who is in the Zoom. Then we will hear from Jeff Williams. Nicholas, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Sorry. Oh, hi. I'd like to speak in favor of building the bike lanes against Policy Order 1 and 2. So I'm Nicholas Fernandez. I live on 18 George Street in North Cambridge. And my wife and I have two kids. We don't have a car. We bike with cargo bikes around the city. And we both work down in Kendall. So we bike on Broadway and, you know, just getting around the city in different ways. And I think, you know, Broadway is like a a very important street and building these bike lanes is going to be really important to building this network, which, you know, the more connected the network is, the more people are going to be able to use this network. And, you know, we believe, you know, like providing parking is important, but obviously not as important as providing safe routes for people and encouraging people to drive less in the first place. And, you know, it's really important for climate goals and this kind of thing. And, you know, just in general, thank you for your time and definitely supporting the bike lanes.

Our next speaker is Jeff Williams, followed by Eleanor Carlson, Effa Rixie, then Amanda Liefer. Jeff, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Jeff Williams. I live at 1 Ellsworth Park in Cambridge for about two years now, one block away from Broadway. I bike on Broadway every day to my job in Back Bay. Let's see, I've lived in the area for about 10 years now, and in that time, I've been car-doored twice while on my bike. I've had more near misses than I can count, including multiple in about a five-block stretch that I bike on Broadway, including one about a month ago where a car just was not paying attention and cut me off. And if I weren't hypervigilant, I could have been hit, and that is an experience that I replay regularly. I don't know, every week or so. And the only reason I'm only on Broadway for about five blocks is that I can get off of it as soon as possible to somewhere where there is a bike lane. So I would really appreciate a no on policy votes one and two so we can get these bike lanes as fast as possible. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Eleanor Carlson, followed by Emma Rixby, Amanda Leifer, then Jonathan Haver. Eleanor, one minute.

Thank you. My name is Eleanor Carlson. I live at 568 Franklin Street. I bike everywhere in Cambridge. I love living in Cambridge because I can bike everywhere. But I also have a research group in Kendall Square, and most of the people in my research group are still too scared to bike in Cambridge, and I don't know what to tell them right now. Because I was doored on Broadway years ago. I went over the handlebars, hit the road, and I was lucky because there didn't happen to be a bus or a truck going by at that point in time. But nothing has changed since then, and we need to change it as soon as possible because every day that goes by without changes is a day when somebody else can get hurt. So please vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six.

thank you epa rixie please go ahead you have one minute hi my name is epa rixie i live at 126 harvey street i'm commenting today first on policy order number three about avoiding the use of escars in other words rat poison unless absolutely necessary on city properties and through city contracts these have impacts on birds and other unintended unintended ecosystem impacts especially near wildlife habitat i also want to comment on charter right number four It's urgent that Cambridge sends a message to the state about the importance of working to end CSO discharges in the Alewife area. And there's significant potential for mitigation at the Alewife station site and abutting lands. It doesn't make sense to require things prior to engineering study and exploration of options at the site and abutting lands, but strongly encouraging green stormwater infrastructure and gray infrastructure on the site and abutting lands is important and timely. This is supported by Green Cambridge and the OIF Study Group, two organizations that I've been involved in extensively. Please pass this policy order with minor amendments.

Our next speaker is Amanda Leifer, followed by Jonathan Haber. Amanda, one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Amanda Leifer, and I'm a recent homeowner in Cambridge at 170 Gore Street, but I used to live at 47 Inman right off of Broadway. My home was purchased through the city's great affordable housing program, and I'm unable to afford a car, even if I wanted one. I bike to my job in Jamaica Plain 40 minutes every day. This means that I rely on protected bike lanes to ensure that I arrive to work and other destinations safely. Biking is an affordable, sustainable, and efficient form of transit in our city. I was hit on my bike by a car on my way home from work one day on Broadway across the street from the lamplighter on June 4th of last year. I was thrown into oncoming traffic and watched as the cars in the driving lane nearly ran me over. And I'm lucky to have made it out alive because some people aren't as lucky. Within two weeks of my crash, two people were killed biking in Cambridge and these deaths could have been prevented. I never got to meet Minty or invite her on a weekend bike ride. And we have a lot in common. We were hit in Cambridge. We did nothing wrong. And our blood is on the streets in Cambridge. Please vote no on policy orders one and two and yes to policy orders five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jonathan Haber, followed by Lonnell Wells, then Kitty Escrizi. Jonathan, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi there. I'm a homeowner in neighborhood 9 and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders 1 and 2. I work in East Cambridge and biking down Broadway is a really scary experience as you've heard from so many people tonight. I heard the argument that bike lanes are ageist and ableist, but I think that ignores all of the available research, which pretty unanimously shows that this sort of infrastructure improves safety for all road users, including cars, bikes, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. I also heard the argument that Broadway doesn't need safe cycling infrastructure because people can use other east-west connections. In response, I would ask, why do we need a sidewalk on Broadway then? If we tear out the sidewalk, we can add even more parking and car lanes. Surely pedestrians can use other east-west connections, and if they really need to use Broadway, they can just walk in a narrow, unprotected corridor in between parked cars and speeding cars. Clearly, this argument doesn't sound so good when applied to pedestrian infrastructure. Cyclists also deserve a safe, connected transportation network. Thank you.

Our next speaker is speaker number 60, Lanell Wells, followed by Kitty Escrizzi, then Brendan Coffey, and Jane Katzkristi. Lanell? Lanell has not joined us. We will go to Kitty Escrizzi, followed by Brendan Coffey.

My name is Kitty Escrizi and I live at 47 Inman Street which is right off of Broadway and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. I use Broadway to bike to work at Harvard and I am advocating for the safety of everyone who uses that road. These bike lanes are critical safety infrastructure that should not be delayed any further. My friend just spoke a few turns ago and she was hit when she was doored on Broadway. Her crash was just one of the over 40 crashes on Broadway since 2022. Federal studies show that protected bike lanes are highly effective way to reduce crashes and make the streets safer for all road users. Delaying the project until the city creates 200 parking spaces does not make sense. The first project segment only affects a net of 23 parking spaces after meter mitigations. Requiring more parking spaces to be created than the project will affect is completely unreasonable. So please prioritize safety and do not delay the Broadway bike lanes any further. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Brendan Coffey, followed by Jane Katzkristi, then Michelle Eskrizi. Brendan, one minute.

Thank you. My name is Brendan, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy order one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. I've lived on 47 Inman Street, just two blocks off Broadway for the last three years, and I understand there have been over 40 crashes on Broadway just since 2022, including my neighbor and good friend Amanda, who spoke momentarily ago, was hit on Broadway. I bike often, but my partner bikes almost every day. And every day out of habit, I say, you know, bike safe and have a great day at work. But I know really deep down inside, that comes from a true place of fear and uncertainty for what could happen to them at any moment, especially given the multiple biking deaths that have occurred just since we've lived here in the last few years. So we want policies that put safety first. So we can all live with a little less of that fear and uncertainty. We want bike safe to go unsaid. So that safe biking can be the default. So please continue the bike lane development with no further delays.

Our next speaker is Jane Katzkristi, followed by Michelle Eskrizi and Sam Allen. Jane? Jane has not joined. We will go to Michelle Eskrizi, followed by Sam Allen, then Gleb Bamutov. Michelle.

Hi, my name is Michelle Escrizi and I live in Cambridge Port on Putnam Ave. I am both a car owner and a biker and a pedestrian in our city and I can say, like many have said tonight, that I feel safer when I'm walking, when I'm biking, and when I'm driving in the places in our city where we have separated bike lanes. As a teacher, I'm also particularly concerned about Broadway as a key route for our students who are biking to and from school. i understand that all city projects require compromise between bikes and cars and constituents but one thing we cannot compromise on is our safety especially when building out our bike lanes would benefit the safety of all road users for this i am urging you to fulfill the promises you made for safer streets by voting no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six thank you for your time

Our next speaker is Sam, I'm sorry, we are gonna go back to Jane Katzkristi, followed by Sam Allen, then Gleb Vamatov. Jane, one minute please.

Hi, I'm Janie Katz-Christy. I live at 166A Elm Street in North Cambridge. I urge the council to vote against policy orders one and two and follow through with the city's commitments to upgrade the safety along Broadway. I understand that these upgrades will involve change, and no one likes change. Unfortunately, change is happening all around us. The climate is changing, and it's changing because we are afraid of change. And yet in order to preserve a habitable climate for our future generations, we have to change and see a new way forward. If we as a city are to be remembered for one thing, it is how we acted in this crisis not whether we saved those particular parking spaces and i i know that we can come to common ground and not be afraid of this change and our safety is in your hands thank you our next speaker is sam allen followed by gleb bamutov preston mueller then julie curdy sam one minute

Hi, I'm Sam Alon. I live at 31 Lyon Street in Cambridge, not the Somerville side. I like to bike around, and Broadway has a bit of a hill, and so it's not necessarily the fastest place to bike. I don't intend to get doored. I'm in the middle of the lane. And if I'm going 10 miles an hour and there's a car behind me, that's just kind of a bad situation for everyone. So let's make that protected bike lane, get the traffic flowing at 25. I'll be going 10 in the bike lane, and everyone will be a bit happier when they get to where they need to go. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Gleb Bamutov, followed by Preston Mueller. Gleb. Club has not joined. We will go to Preston Mueller, followed by Julie Curdie, then Joe Fitzgerald. Preston.

Hi, I'm Preston Mueller. I live at 1105 Mass Ave in Cambridge, two blocks from Broadway. I asked the counselors to vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. I'm a cyclist who purchased my bicycle at Broadway Bicycle School at Broadway and Antrim Street in 2019. I'll never forget the fear I felt biking in our city the first time on that street. Broadway bike lanes will make that fear a thing of the past for all new cyclists. And further, I don't own a car, and Broadway bike lanes keep me safe from getting hit. I live here because we do hard things. I also love my bike, so let's keep at it. Thanks.

Our next speaker is Julie Curdy, followed by Joe Fitzgerald and Carl Schmeck-Pepper. Julie, one minute.

Hi, my name is Julie Kurti. I'm a Cambridge resident urban planner by profession and parent of two young children. I strongly encourage the council to vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. My husband and I regularly bike around Cambridge with our two small children, and my husband regularly commutes on Broadway. We need safer bike infrastructure. I have been hit by a car while I was on my bike on Cambridge Street, and I had a close friend who was doored on Broadway, and she no longer feels safe biking in the city. I feel very unsafe biking on Broadway, especially by the main library and by the high school. We need to prioritize the safety of our children, especially at CRLS and Fletcher Maynard, and follow through on the plan the city council previously voted for. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Joe Fitzgerald, followed by Carl Schmackpepper. Joe?

Hello, thank you. I'm here to speak, to vocalize my opposition to POs 1 and 2. I'm a biker. I'm also a data scientist, and it's clear what the data says. Bike lanes are safer for everyone involved. We can also see, I take my dad. He's a senior citizen. He loves to bike. We live on Amory Street, just right off of Broadway. And unfortunately, he's afraid to go south, because any direction south means Broadway. I'd love to see him get out more, and I think bike lanes would make that possible for him. As it stands, he takes his car because he doesn't feel safe biking. So that's the snowball of car-dependent cities that we have built in America. As has been mentioned this evening, I think this is a great opportunity to continue the momentum Cambridge has already in becoming a green, livable city. Thank you.

Our next speaker is speaker number 70 of 241, Carl Schmeckpepper, followed by Casey Szilagyi and Jordy Ali. Carl?

Thank you. My name is Carl Schmeckpepper. I live on 249 3rd Street. I work on Broadway. Three years ago, on my way to work, I was hit by a car. I was fortunate. I wasn't injured that badly. Bruises, some blood, but my bike was bent up. The next day, I still biked to work, not because I particularly enjoyed the experience, but because I still needed to get to work. And biking was the only way I could get there. It was too far to walk. Public transportation didn't go in that direction. And I didn't own a car. Many people depend on biking to get where they're going every day. We need to make the streets safer for them. It should not be dangerous to go to the work, to the grocery store, to visit friends. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Casey Zalaji, followed by Jordi Ali, then Ariana Olson. Casey, one minute.

Hello, my name is Casey Szilagyi. I'm urging you to vote no on policy order one and two. I don't use Broadway very much because it's a little bit too scary for me, but there were kids out there biking to school this morning. There will be kids out there biking to school tomorrow. Adults commuting to work, visiting their friends, visiting businesses, doing all this stuff. And I'm just kind of asking, are we really okay with putting their lives at risk every day that we delay this project? I'm personally excited for a future where anyone can ride a bike if they want to. You don't have to, but if you want to, it should be safe and comfortable for you to do so. For me, it's the most convenient and affordable way to get around. I really enjoy it and I think a lot more people would also enjoy it if they felt safe enough to do it. And in order for this to actually happen, we need a network of safe bike lanes. So I'm encouraging you not to delay this project and to please support policy orders five and six, which are a reasonable compromise. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jordi Ali, followed by Ariana Olson and Catherine O'Connor. Jordi, one minute. Please go ahead.

My name is . I live in Cambridge Port. I'm asking to vote for bike lanes. There should be proper separation between bike lanes and cars. Cones can move around. Poles can be bent and paint can just be driven over. I would like to bike on my own bike more. Lots of people ride on bikes. Bikes don't use fuel. In conclusion, you should help make bike lanes become more common on lots more roads. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Arianna Olson, followed by Catherine O'Connor, then Richard Fryerman. Arianna, one minute, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Arianna Olson. I live on 94 Pleasant Street in Cambridgeport, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. I've been a Cambridge resident for over five years now, and throughout my time here, I've used my bike to get around. Since I moved here, I've lived in several different neighborhoods, but consistently I've avoided Broadway, even though my local bike shop is on Broadway, the library is on Broadway, because it's not safe to bike on. One of my good friends got hit. or doored on Broadway recently, and it's been so scary to think about every time I do need to go on there and squeeze between vehicles. Also, if we have more people feeling safe to bike, we'll have fewer drivers on Broadway, which will make it more pleasant to exist on in general and less noisy, less polluted.

Our next speaker is Catherine O'Connor, followed by Richard Fryerman, then Nina Katz-Christie. Catherine, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Catherine O'Connor. I live on Hamilton Street in Cambridgeport. I'm a Cambridge resident of almost 20 years or so. I bike to work over in Charlestown. I bike with my family. My child was just up a minute ago. We bike all over the city to different activities, crisscrossing. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. My husband and I have both been doored while cycling, thankfully both minor, but we don't want to be hit. I mean, that was years ago and certainly stakes are higher now. Safe streets protect children. My family likes to bike to activities. several days a week. Though my child can ride on his own bike, I won't let him because there are big gaps in the bike lane network and poor decisions made by a young rider or the driver of a vehicle can very quickly have disastrous results. Creating more separated bike lanes will provide that physical separation, reduce vehicle speeding to pass us, and establish that we belong in the streets too.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Richard Fireman, followed by Nina Katz-Christie, then Vivek Sikri. Richard, one minute.

Hi, I'm Richard Fryman, 39 RC Kelly Street. Why are we going through this again? City Council voted for the CSO six years ago. More recently, you voted to change deadlines, including Broadway, approved unanimously. There have been community meetings, presentations, reviews, and publications about this project for years. City staff is already working on signage and painting. So why are we going through this again? It's nothing new in Cambridge that any big vote by city council of a new program will have outspoken supporters and detractors. It's also nothing new that when change is imminent, there will be people who claim they weren't asked about it beforehand. Respect the process. Respect the votes and the planning. If not, we can look forward to more battles of petitions and late nights, any time one side or another marshals support to change the plan. That's not good governance. That's not leadership. Please reject Policy Orders 1 and 2 and support the initiatives in Orders 5 and 6.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Nina Katzkristi, followed by Vivek Sikri, then Jeffrey Oishi. Nina, one minute.

Hi, my name is Nina Katzkristi, and I live at 24 Hardwick Street between Broadway and Cambridge Street. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. As a child biking in Cambridge 20 years ago, many of my friends and their parents didn't feel safe enough to bike the way I was able to. And it's heartwarming to see so many more children biking to school today. I'm confident that the investment in bike lanes has significantly contributed to this increase, but we can't stop partway. Bike lanes will continue to contribute to Cambridge residents of all ages choosing to bike, a choice which makes our communities safer and more accessible for everyone, including those who drive. Please follow through with your commitments to make our streets safer for all.

Our next speaker is Vivek Sikri, followed by Jeffrey Oishi, then Ted Moore. Vivek? Vivek has not joined us. We will go to Jeffrey Oishi, followed by Ted Moore, then Catherine Moon.

My name is Jeffrey Oishi. I live at 45.5 Cogswell Avenue in North Cambridge. I commute by bike and car down Broadway to work frequently. And while I certainly support all of the important climate-related issues many people have mentioned today, I'd also like to point out that providing safe alternative transportation options is essential city business, and protected bike lanes do just that. Please do not delay a plan that this council voted for this year. Sudden change is not good governance, and I encourage you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ted Moore, followed by Katherine Moon, then Kai Feldman. Ted, you have one minute.

Hello, my name is Ted Moore. I live on Thorndike Street in East Cambridge. My wife and I have been here for 10 years and we raise a five-year-old daughter. We use bikes as a primary mode of transportation and Broadway is an important throughfare for us to get to the main library and Senate Park and a lot of other good Cambridge places. um i'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two uh broadway has some problems that this uh that the the city engineers have been working hard to address um key among them uh keeping us separated from cars so that we don't have to merge into fast-flowing traffic and keeping us safer as well as clearing sight lines at intersections that can be quite dangerous for us on our family cargo bike Any delay, I think, just increases the chances that we might get into a bad accident. So thank you, and no on one and two, and yes on five and six, please. Thanks.

Our next speaker is speaker number 80, Catherine Moon, followed by Kai Feldman, then Rebecca Bjork. Catherine, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, good evening. Thank you for allowing me to speak. My name is Catherine Moon. I'm a Cambridge resident at Wellington Harrington off Cardinal Madero's, very close to Broadway. And I'm here tonight to persuade you to vote no on policy orders one and two. I do not want any more delays to the Broadway bike lanes. I would encourage the counselors, if they remain concerned about any negative side effects of the bike lanes, to vote yes on policy order five and six as a compromise. I use my bike most days commuting to my job in Boston for fun doing errands. I'm extremely lucky to have had only near miss accidents. I know that with my daily bicycling and the increasing number of bicyclists I see around the city, more people will die and be seriously injured without building this important infrastructure. Broadway is especially important. It has schools, parks, and the main library branch. THESE ARE ALL PUBLIC RESOURCES AND PLEASE INVEST IN BIKING INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE HAVE PLANNED IN THE CITY. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAI FELDMAN FOLLOWED BY REBECCA BEYORK, AVAGALE STARR, THEN ROBERT RESSLER. KAI, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

Hi, my name is Kai Feldman. I'm a Cambridge resident. I live on Gore Street and I frequently walk on Broadway. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. I don't own a car and it's not feasible for me to do so. I also don't bike because I am afraid of getting hit by a car or getting doored, which is very, very common. I know many people who have been hit while bicycling. And I encourage you to continue the construction of the protected bike lanes. Protected bike lanes make the roads safer for everyone, not just for cyclists, but for pedestrians and drivers as well. And in addition to that, it will, you know, have many environmental benefits as well to decreasing the number of drivers, increasing the number of bicyclists and assisting with traffic. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Rebecca Bjork, followed by Abigail Starr, Robert Ressler, then Jonathan Frieden. Rebecca, you have the floor if you can unmute yourself.

My name is Rebecca Bjork, Cambridge resident for 27 years, and I often use Broadway for my daily bike commute between Harvard Square and MIT. But I avoid as much of it as possible due to the lack of safe bike lanes. I ask the council to vote no on policy order one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. We need bike lanes on Broadway as soon as possible. I have experienced many dangerous drivers on Broadway while biking, including a driver who drove at me honking after I took the lane near Senate Park and ensured that the driver stopped for a pedestrian in the crosswalk. I also used to live off Broadway on Norfolk and know how important Senate Park is for the families of Cambridge. They deserve to be able to bike and walk there safely. Adding bike lanes and the associated traffic calming improves safety for everyone using Broadway. Thank you.

I think our next speaker is Abigail Starr, followed by Robert Ressler, Jonathan Frieden, David Halperin. Abigail Starr? Abigail has not joined us. Oh, I see Abigail now. Hold on one second. Abigail, please go ahead. You have one minute.

Hi, thank you. My name's Abigail Starr. I live at 16 Richard Ave in North Cambridge. I'm speaking today to ask you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. I'm a homeowner in North Cambridge. I have two kids in Cambridge Elementary Schools. I own a cargo bike and a car, but the bike is really the primary way that my whole family gets around Cambridge, 12 months a year. It's how I pick up my kids from school, bring them to activities around town. It's how I get to my dentist, go grocery shopping, go to the library. I've put about 8,000 miles on the bike in the past four years. It's really, I use it for everything locally. And last week I biked my son to a play date at Senate Park going up and down Broadway and was surprised given how comfortable I am biking around Cambridge, how uncomfortable and unsafe I felt on Broadway going to Senate Park and just how important it is to make these safety improvements on Broadway. It's such an important connector in town. Please don't delay it. Don't cancel it. It's important for the community. Thank you.

Thank you, our next speaker is Robert Ressler followed by, excuse me one second, Robert Ressler followed by Jonathan Frieden, then David Halperin. Robert, if you can unmute yourself, you have the floor.

Hello, good evening. Thank you for the opportunity to participate remotely. My name is Robert Ressler and I live on Dana Street off of Broadway and I'm here as a strong supporter of bike lanes, so please vote no on POs 1 and 2. For years, residents have shown up, given feedback, pushed for safer, greener, and more connected streets. Please do not derail this hard-won plan with these last-minute policy orders. Mike lanes don't divide us they connect us they support public health reduce reduce pollution and create the kind of vibrant people centered communities, we need to maintain a healthy social life. This is also about more than transportation. When we build bike lanes, we build a city where people can see each other, where we can wave to neighbors, stop at local businesses, and experience our neighborhoods up close. That's the kind of community I want to live in, one that does not put mine or my neighbors' lives in danger when they're just getting around town. So please don't stop this plan that would benefit all of us. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jonathan Frieden, followed by David Halperin, Alejandro Paz, then Jan Devereaux. Jonathan?

Hi, my name is Jonathan Frieden. I live at 6 Washington Avenue. I work for Foundation Medicine. I'm a bioinformatics scientist, and I bike to and from work every day, every weekday. So I'm riding about 70 miles a week, including my other trips, and I'm asking you to vote no on one and two, yes on five and six, and continue the incredible support that you've shown for improving bike safety infrastructure here in Cambridge. I was doored once on Mount Auburn Street by a rideshare whose passenger exited in the middle of traffic. Since then, there's been a protected bike lane put there, and I don't think that accident would have occurred today. I was lucky. I just landed on the sidewalk with a bloody finger. I could have been injured much worse. So thanks for your support and good day.

Thanks. Our next speaker is David Halperin, followed by Alejandro Paz, Jan Devereaux, Christian Denkla, then Joshua Williams. David.

Good evening. David Halperin, 14 Valentine Street, Unit 3. I'm asking you to vote no on POs 1 and 2 tonight. PO 2 says we already have east-west routes. Do we need so many east-west roads for cars? The cycling network is asking for a very small percentage of our road, but it seems we need to fight for every single inch. The plans for the network were made years ago and Broadway is already in the planning stages and it doesn't make sense to suddenly revisit this at the last minute. Please prioritize safety and no further delays to the bike network. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Alejandro Paz. Alejandro, one minute.

Hello. Thank you. My name is Alejandro Paz. I live in the Cambridge Port neighborhood, and I am a former resident of the mid-Cambridge neighborhood, and used to live on Dana Street, which is adjacent to Broadway. So as someone who lives and works in the city and who frequents many of the businesses along Broadway, such as the Bicycle School, the Pita Coffee, and the Garment District, I think having these separated bicycle lanes would be a great policy. I've many times seen teenagers riding their bicycles up and down this particular stretch of Broadway. And I dread to think what might happen if one of them would get into an accident, especially due to the high speeds that cars can sometimes drive along this particular part of Broadway. So I really do urge you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jan Devereaux, followed by Christian Dankla, Joshua Williams, then Kim Martineau. Jan Devereaux, one minute, please go ahead.

Hi, everyone. Jan Devereaux here, 255 Lakeview Avenue. I am a senior now, and not surprisingly, I'm speaking against the two policy orders that would delay or even cancel the Broadway bike lane project. Work has already been done to prepare the street along Section A. You've held community meetings. You have a bike network plan that's been codified into law. And you already voted to support this project in this timeline earlier this year. I'm getting whiplash. You also have two policy orders on the agenda that would mitigate the parking loss. So stay the course. Please don't backtrack. Thank you. Bye.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Christian Denkla, followed by Joshua Williams, Kim Martineau, then Jonathan Cohen. Christian? Christian is not here. We will go to Joshua Williams. Joshua Williams is not here. We will go to Dana, sorry, Kim Martineau, then Jonathan Cohen.

Hi, I'm a former Cambridge resident. I actually used to live right near the library on Broadway and can personally attest to the need for bike lanes on the street. I've been almost doored several times on this road. I work in Cambridge, and so I bike to work every day back and forth and have had many close calls. I just urge you to please stay the course with the Broadway bike lanes. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jonathan Cohen, followed by Dana Bullister, then Tim Russell.

Hi. My name is Jonathan Cohen, and I live on 22 Waters Street in East Cambridge. And I urge the city council to not delay building Broadway's bike lanes. For two years in grad school at MIT, I'd bike to tutor after school at CRLS. That trip was regularly terrifying. I'm sure high schoolers who bike to CRLS would agree. There are many people like me who rely on biking to get around regardless. So part of this is how much you value our safety over potentially competing priorities. But part of this is recognizing that road design isn't necessarily a zero sum as these policy orders make it out to be. For older people like my dad, a protected bike lane is the difference between taking a blue bike versus driving. For young parents like what I hope to be soon, a protected bike lane is the difference between taking your kids and a cargo bike versus driving. Making these trips biking instead of driving frees up congestion and parking for people who, for whatever reason, will always drive. Please, do not delay building protected bike lanes. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Dana Bullister, followed by Tim Russell, Hunter Dickens, then Ryan Grams. Dana?

Hi, everyone. I'm Dana, and I'm a Cambridge resident and somebody who has spent nearly my entire adult life commuting by bike back and forth on Broadway. I can speak firsthand to how vital this corridor is to accessing economic opportunity every day for so many people and how dangerous it is. Much of that time was spent living with many housemates who bunked together and sacrificed quite a lot in comfort just to be able to live in Cambridge. People who definitely could not afford their own cars. We need to make this place a place where folks can find opportunity and build better lives. and in a way that is physically safe. The data does say that most people in Cambridge do not commute to work alone by car. From the perspective of serving the most residents and reducing fatalities, the path forward is clear. Please vote to finish what we started and finish the safe infrastructure we planned on Broadway. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Tim Russell. Tim, one minute.

Thank you. I'm Tim Russell. I'm a resident of North Cambridge. I live here. I work here. My kids go to school here. They started at Fletcher Maynard and now they go to CRLS. They bike to school. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. We don't need to delay the project on Broadway. Broadway's been in the cycling safety ordinance for years. This project's not new. It's not incremental. The CSO is not trying to protect all streets, just 25 miles out of the 125 we have in Cambridge. So it's 20% of the city roads. So the CSO is voted on in 2020. It's made to achieve certain policy goals, and what we're doing here tonight is just setting those goals aside. Delaying now waste resources, it puts lives at risk. We've seen 40 crashes in Broadway since 2022. Making protected bike lanes makes the road safer for everyone, for pedestrians and drivers. Thank you.

Our next speaker is speaker number 95, Hunter Dinkins, followed by Ryan Grams, Jeremy Burns, then Daniel Vernick. Hunter? Hunter, if you can unmute yourself.

Yes, thank you. My name is Hunter Dinkins and I live at Homer Avenue in West Cambridge. And I urge the city councilors to vote no on policy order one and two and to vote yes on policy orders five and six. I don't own a car and bicycling is the primary form of transportation for me and my wife year round. And it's also the way that we transport our 11 month old son around Cambridge and the surrounding areas. I love that Cambridge is one of the few cities in America where it's feasible to live without a car, and I'm very grateful to many people on the city council who have supported that. Nevertheless, there are still some areas of Cambridge, especially Broadway, that I avoid because they don't feel safe. I understand, as I'm sure the city councilors do, that there are lots of competing interests in Cambridge, but the reality is that still the majority of space on our streets is allotted to cars, either for travel lanes or for parking, and the Cambridge bicycle network is incomplete without protected bicycle lanes on Broadway. Unprotected lanes are not a substitute, and I hope that the city council proceeds with Broadway's lanes. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Ryan Grams, followed by Jeremy Burns, Daniel Vernick, then Tian-Tian Chan. Ryan?

Hello, my name is Ryan Grams. I live in the Cambridgeport neighborhood. In fact, I just left the Amigos School block party celebration at the end of the year because it is so important for me to speak to say that we need not delay the implementation of protected bike lanes, especially on Broadway. When I bike with my children, whether it be by cargo bike, and I saw over a dozen families on cargo bikes arriving to school today with their children for this party, I have them, and they are starting to outgrow that bike and need to bike on their own. And it is difficult to have my first and third grader bike to some of the places we like to go along Broadway and other places in our wonderful city that offers us so much. It is... frustration that I feel when I hear that we are going to delay things that we have planned, that we have made a vision for. Many other cities envy us in the fact that we have a strategic plan. Let us not delay, and let's make this happen.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jeremy Burns, followed by Daniel Vernick, Tintin Chan, Ken Carlson. Jeremy, one minute.

Hello, my name is Jeremy Burns. I live at 15 Vincent Street in neighborhood 9, and I'm asking today not to delay the Broadway safety project. I was biking on Cambridge Street last year, which has an unprotected bike lane, and I was car-doored by a taxi cab that just released their passengers right into the bike lane. I wasn't hurt, but I've just been so scared biking on that street, I no longer go there. I used to patronize businesses on there for lunch all the time, bike there from work, but I don't do that anymore. Broadway is another street I don't go on ever because it's not protected. I just don't feel safe, so there are a lot of really nice businesses that I don't patronize, parts of the town I don't go visit. I would like to go to Lamplighter, but it's just I'm going to choose a nicer place to go to that is safer for me to bike to and from than there. I've lived in Cambridge for five years, and it's gotten a lot better, but we still have a lot of way to go. If people here are getting hit left and right, I think we still have work to do, and Broadway's part of that work. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Daniel Vernick, followed by Tian-Tian Chan, Ken Carlson, Steve Jerome. Daniel? Daniel has not joined us. We will go to Tian-Tian, followed by Ken Carlson, Steve Jerome, then Teresa Cloutier.

Do you want to introduce yourself? OK. Hi. This is Izzy. She's five years old, and she's an avid biker. I'm Tim Tim Chan, and I am asking you to vote no on PO 1 and 2, and yes on 5 and 6. I'm a Cambridge Port resident, homeowner, and I bike with Izzy everywhere across Cambridge. And I want to be able to bike safely to the Cambridge Public Library. Anytime we bike that isn't in protected bike lanes, there is a double parked car. And I have to choose to put my life and Izzy's life at risk every time to weave around the cars. And I think it's incredibly important that we provide safe infrastructure. Izzy knows this. When Kathy, Council Member Zusy, when you voted last year for bike lanes, Izzy wrote you a thank you card. And I hope that Izzy gets a chance to write every single one of you a thank you card today for voting for her safety.

Thank you. Thank you. Your time is up. We will go to speaker number 100, Ken Carlson, followed by Steve Jerome, Teresa Cloutier, then Casey Hogel. Ken?

Good evening, city councilors. I'm Ken, and I'm a homeowner in Cambridge living at 328 Harvard Street. I am 64 years old and get around Cambridge predominantly by bicycle. Living one block away, I frequent many destinations on Broadway. These bike trips typically include my six-year-old granddaughter, taking her to the Cambridge Port School, Senate Park, or the library. We also visit businesses along Broadway, including Cafe Burismo, Angelo's Pizza, and many others. I have many neighbors who bike their kids to destinations on Broadway. Given the number of schools, daycares, and parks on Broadway, I would submit that Broadway has the most school-aged children of any street in all of Cambridge. But biking on Broadway is dangerous due to the fact that it completely lacks bike lanes. But we bike on Broadway because of these key destinations. Counselors, I am urging you to support safe bicycling and safer walking on Broadway by voting no on Policy Orders 1 and 2 and yes on Policy Orders 5 and 6. The last two policy orders, sponsored by Councilors Siddiqui, Nolan, and others, helps provide some meaningful mitigation for local residents through overnight parking changes and access to caregiver permits. Mr. Carlson, your time has expired. Please vote to keep children, parents, and grandparents safe on Broadway.

Our next speaker is Steve Jerome, followed by Teresa Cloutier, then Casey Hogel. Steve? Steve has not joined us. We will go to Teresa Cloutier, followed by Casey Hogel.

Hi, everyone. I'm Teresa Cloutier. I live at 10 Lopez Street. I've been a resident of Cambridge for 10 years. I moved here right after college. I bike every day as my primary mode of transportation. Luckily, I have only had close calls. I've had multiple friends be doored by cars, leading to concussions impacting their ability to complete their, we were in grad school, so working in their lab, impacting their ability to go to work. I'm terrified of the same thing happening to me or more of my friends. And the issue with Broadway as it stands is that you're biking right next to the parked cars in either you're with traffic or you're at risk of getting doored. I would like you to support policy orders one and two. Sorry, I would like you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six to make Broadway safer for all road users. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Casey Hogle, followed by Thomas Henschel, Sam Ribnick, Rosie Jones. Casey, please go ahead.

Hi, I'm a Cambridge resident and homeowner. I live on Fayette Street right off of Broadway. Every night I bike on Broadway, or my husband does, when we take our five-year-old son home from preschool. So very familiar with Broadway. We do not own a car. We just bike as our primary form of transportation, which is very affordable and climate-friendly. I strongly request that you make Broadway safer. This isn't hypothetical. You've heard from a lot of folks tonight about accidents. We know folks have lost their lives in Cambridge. And so please request that you ensure my family isn't next. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two. I'M ALSO PRETTY FRUSTRATED THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT THE COUNCIL ALREADY VOTED FOR AND THERE'S ALREADY BEEN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND NOW YOU'RE SEEKING TO BACK OUT. PLEASE DO NOT WASTE GOVERNMENT RESOURCES BY REOPENING THIS WHEN THERE ARE MEANINGFUL MITIGATIONS FOR OVERNIGHT PARKING AND ACCESS TO CAREGIVERS PROPOSED UNDER ORDER FIVE AND SIX. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THOMAS HENCHEL FOLLOWED BY SAM RIBNICK THEN ROSIE JONES. THOMAS.

HI. I'm Thomas Henschel. I live on Cushing Street in Cambridge near Fresh Pond area. I'm a relatively new resident here. I've been here kind of a little over a year. And I frequently bike to get groceries or to get to work in downtown Boston. When I was looking at places to live, one of the main reasons I chose to live in Cambridge was because of its commitment to bike safety and pedestrian safety. When it comes to transportation, people will tend to choose the most convenient option, whether that's driving or biking or walking. And if we reduce parking and increase safe bike infrastructure, more people tend to bike and fewer park. And this seems to align with many of the city's transportation goals. Giving people safe and convenient and connected infrastructure to bike means fewer cars on the road and more room for people who really need to drive, like seniors and caregivers. Thank you so much, bye.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Sam Ribnick, followed by Rosie Jones. Sam, one minute.

Hi, my name is Sam Ribnick. I live on Pulcherson Street. I've lived in Cambridge for over 20 years without a car. We have three kids, bike everywhere with them, because as I said, we don't have a car. Just honestly can't even explain to my kids why it is that we're having this meeting again. They see me out there. Firing on behalf of city council candidates who have voted for safer bike infrastructure. They know that time after time the city council has voted to reaffirm the CSO I especially want to shout out Councilor Kathy Zusy who joined the council and voted to keep the CSO on track. And I don't know how we explain that our city has good governance if we're then going to allow these small interest groups to derail a process that was voted for and affirmed again and again through our electoral process. And I hope that you all will honor the fact that the CSO has been passed and reaffirmed by voters so that we can get this done and call it a success. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Rosie Jones. Then we will go back to speaker Gleb Babunatov. Rosie, one minute.

My name is Rosie Jones. I live at 28 Valentine Street. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. I have two children. One is a junior at Cambridge Rindgen Latin High School. The other is a third grader at Amigos. My CRLS student cycles to school most days. After school, she cycles to sports. Over the years, this has entailed cycling to Danahy for soccer practice, to the Simone Ice Rink for ice hockey practice, and to the Cambridge Boat Club for crew. She's also cycled to the Harvard Smithsonian for an internship over the last academic year. All of these journeys begin or end on Broadway. Many of her classmates and teammates cycle too, and we would like to ensure their safety on their journey to and from school. In fact, she was among the group of students spoken to by one of our earlier speakers. One of her classmates has been doored a couple of times on Broadway. My third grade son and I biked around Cambridge together, including to the main library here on Broadway. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six.

Our next speaker is Gleb Bahmatov, followed by Robert Morgan, Jackson Potter, Andy Gao, then Kevin C. Gleb, one minute.

Hello, this is Gleb Bahmatov from 19 Winslow Street. My son went to his King Open Elementary School located on Broadway Street, and he still goes to that building for some of his activities. I have to drive him there because there is no safe way for him to bike there by himself in reasonable time. Me driving on Broadway Street increases traffic and creates parking woes for local residents, and it's inconvenient for me and for my son. And if you want to lower car traffic, if you want to make road injuries less likely, you must install bike lane on West Street. This will make traffic in the entire city better. Do not delay installation any longer. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Robert Morgan, followed by Jackson Potter, then Andy Gao. Robert, you have one minute, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Robert Morgan. I live at 796 Main Street, a short walk from Broadway. I'm speaking to ask you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. I lived and worked in Cambridge for the last three years. During that whole time, I've been car free. The ability to live car free is a large part of why I moved to Cambridge. I choose to bike in Cambridge only as a last resort because of unsafe streets like Broadway. And I'm also often a pedestrian. And I've had several close calls with drivers who don't yield at crosswalks or make dangerous turns. More cyclists on the roads means safer walking for me and everyone who walks in Cambridge. So please, again, I urge you to support the bike lanes on Broadway by voting against POs 1 and 2 and for POs 5 and 6. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Jackson Potter, followed by Andy Gao, Kevin See, then Nils Mertens. Jackson.

Hello, my name is Jackson Potter. I'm asking the council to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on POs five and six. I'm a former resident of Cambridge on Calderon and still commute in and out of the city on a daily basis. I use public transit and cycling to get around the city. All my friends still live in Cambridge. I like to visit Lamplighter, the Garment District, and a lot of other businesses on Broadway. The proposed changes to the streets will improve safety not just for our most vulnerable community members, like the kids at the schools and our senior community members, but also for all users of the road, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists alike, saving lives and reducing life-altering injuries. Reducing severe crashes through these infrastructure changes will save lives. So I urge the council to vote no on PO 1 and 2, and yes on PO 5 and 6. I'd like to also thank Councilor Siddiqui for your support of POs 5 and 6. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Andy Gao, followed by Kevin Seed, Nils Merton, then Giuseppe Ferrara. Andy?

Hello. Can you hear me?

Yes, please go ahead.

Yes, yes, hello I'm Andy and I would like to ask you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six, I am a resident of Cambridge. And I also work in Cambridge, and I've taken Broadway multiple times to get to work, as well as to do other more fun things, such as going to one of my favorite breweries in the area, Lamplighter, and just going to see friends around Central Square or Boston. So I really think Broadway acts as a really vital kind of artery for residents such as myself to have an alternative mode of transport. to get from where I live to where I work and where I also pursue other recreational activities. So I really think that we shouldn't, you know, that I don't see any reason to delay any further the installation of the already approved Project F for the bike lanes on Broadway. So again, I would like to ask you to vote no on PO 1 and 2 and yes on PO 5 and 6. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kevin C., followed by Nils Mertens, Giuseppe Ferrara, Bennett Chaney. Kevin? Kevin has not joined us. We will go to Nils Mertens.

Hello, my name is Nils Mertens. I live in 3 Webster Avenue in Cambridge, right next to Broadway. I moved to Cambridge three years ago, and I travel Broadway frequently and see all the young children and adolescents walking there, and I don't think it's safe. I'm a pediatrician, I bike, I have a car, I have a motorcycle, and I was there when Mentee died a few months ago on a bike accident, hit by a car at Cardinal Madero Avenue, right in front of my home. And I did not know her personally, but I think about her almost every day. as I crossed that corner. And I'm here to attest to what I saw after the accident a few hours. I saw the driver sitting there crying and I think about him also almost every day because I think he lost his life too. And I think traffic deaths are a systems failure and I think there's abundant evidence that safer, separate bike lanes, safe lives, and I think you have the opportunity to save lives with your vote. And so please vote against delays, especially Broadway, as there live so many children. We need to protect bikers and drivers.

Thank you, Mills. Your time has expired. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Giuseppe Ferreira, followed by Bennett Chaney, Tom Cleland, Laura Wacker. Giuseppe?

Hi, I'm Giuseppe. I live on Western Avenue. I was hit by a car two years ago that caused shoulder instability problems for me that finally required surgery at the beginning of this year. I'm motivated to speak up against policy orders one and two because I bike up to and along Broadway to meet a friend and bike out to work. We ride about 30 miles out to work outside of the city, and the scariest part by far is always in the city that we live in. I wear a helmet, I wear lights when it's dark, and I do everything I can to keep myself safe, but there's really nothing that can stop a car from speeding down the road and clipping you with the edge of its mirror. Protected bike lanes would help with that. Install protected bike lanes, vote no against policy orders one and two, and save everyone the fear of a collision. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Bennett Cheney, followed by Tom Cleland, Laura Wacker, Benjamin Batarski. Bennett, one minute.

My name is Bennett Cheney. I live on Sherman Street in Taylor Square. And I ride on Broadway regularly. And I've been living in Cambridge for 18 years. And I moved here so that I could live without a car. And the reason I live without a car is because I have epilepsy. And that is one thing that a lot of people make arguments against by claims because they believe that it does not benefit people with disabilities, but epilepsy is a disability that really needs to have alternatives to having to use a car. So please vote in such a way that supports bike lanes for Broadway. It's a very scary street, probably the scariest in the city. So thank you.

Our next speaker is Tom Cleland, followed by Laura Wacker, Benjamin Bartoski, Maggie Barretts. Tom.

good evening my name is tom cleland i'm asking you all to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six i live on 77 marion street in somerville and i commute to inman i commute to kendall square from inman every day for the last four years i don't own a car so i get everywhere in boston and somerville and cambridge on my bicycle I still have Minty Nguyen's death on my calendar as a reminder that every year, it could have been me, right? Safer infrastructure now saves lives now. And I wanted to mention with a little bit left of my time that my friend group, who are all avid bicyclists, live with the mentality of the if they're going to get hit. Well, rather the when, not the if. Pardon me. And I think this is a really gruesome mindset to have learned. So please, safer infrastructure, please. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Laura Wacker, followed by Benjamin Bartorski, Maggie Baratz, Carolyn Fuller. Benjamin? Sorry, Laura.

Hi, my name is Laura Wacker. My husband and I are homeowners on Broadway, and we're raising our two little kids right here in Cambridge. I'm not a biker, but my toddlers do love scootering through Joan Lorenz Park. It's one of their favorite things to do. Right now, they're quite small, so we always go with them. But what keeps me up at night is thinking about the day they'll ask to walk or scooter to that park alone. I hope to be able to say yes. I want to feel confident that they'll be safe crossing Broadway. But when I look out my window, I see cars absolutely flying down Broadway, blowing through crosswalks, swerving around cyclists. It's hard for me to cross Broadway on my own. I think it's scary and it's clear. Broadway is a dangerous street for pedestrians. So please vote no on policy orders one and two. Fully separated bike lanes keep the most vulnerable safer by reducing vehicle speeding and shortening crossing distances. So please vote to make our city pedestrian friendly.

Thank you. That's your time. Thank you. Our next speaker is Benjamin Bartorski, followed by Maggie Baratz, Carolyn Fuller, then Catherine Ford-Augustine. Benjamin?

Hello and thank you. My name is Benjamin Butorsky. I live on Ellsworth Avenue. I have been on basically Broadway for about 10 years. So you can trust me when I say it is not in good shape. It is not good for pedestrians, not good for cyclists, and it's not good for drivers. I think we should think about policy. We should think about the improvements to the Broadway as a first step towards improving that. I'm kind of frustrated that every single time I have to come here, It's about talking about what we can't do and what's not possible. I think we should start thinking about what is possible, what things that we can do to improve a street and an infrastructure that has already done so much damage, as you've heard from other speakers. So I encourage the council to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2 and to vote yes on 5 and 6. Thank you so much.

Our next speaker is Maggie Baratz, followed by Carolyn Fuller, Catherine Ford-Augustine, and Fiona Wood. Maggie?

Thank you.

My name is Maggie Barretts. I live at 37 Walker Street. I'm a homeowner and mom to a four-year-old. And I'm asking you to vote no for policy orders one and two, and yes for policy orders five and six. This body passed the CSO. Why would you undermine your own ordinance? Here's what the CSO is doing. It's helping keep people alive. helping keep people uninjured, helping keep our community lower its dependence on fossil fuels by creating safe alternatives to driving. And I think this goes under-discussed and under-appreciated, but it's making street crossings safer for people not on bikes, for people on foot, people in wheelchairs, people with limited mobility. You already passed major parking relief in December. and you've got two creative policy orders right here tonight to vote on to provide additional parking relief. Be leaders and stick with your plan that does the most good for meeting the goals you've set out for our community. Vote to make conditions safer for everyone and show us that you mean what you say. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Carolyn Fuller, followed by Katherine Ford-Augustine, Fiona Wood, sorry, then Bill McAvinny. Carolyn? Carolyn Fuller, you have the floor.

Yes. Thank you. Sorry. I'm Carolyn Fuller, homeowner in Central Square at 12 Douglas Street and Cambridge resident for 57 years. I'm a 77-year-old retiree who has not been on a bicycle in over 30 years, but I am a pedestrian. I walk five miles every day, and many of those miles are on various parts of Broadway. Streets that are safer for bicyclists are safer for pedestrians. Please vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Catherine Ford Augustine. Catherine, one minute.

Yes, good evening. I live on 28 Suffolk Street. I've been a Cambridge resident since 1979. graduate of Ridge in 85 and I was a bike rider. Due to a knee injury, I do not ride anymore. I support parking on Broadway. If we take away the parking, then you're putting stress on the side streets. You cannot deny people the right to own a vehicle. You're putting up a building on Broadway, and Ellery with no parking. You're taking away parking at 243 Broadway. We're putting down new sewers on Broadway, sewer and water. So where are the people supposed to park? Where are the caregivers, the tradesmen? So we have to be considerate of everyone. If you guys are afraid to ride on Broadway, then ride on Cambridge Street. But you have to consider those that own vehicles. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Chair, we have reached the halfway point for public comment. We're at speaker number 120, Fiona Wood, followed by Bill McAvany, Sarah Wharton, then Brian Souza. Fiona, one minute.

Hi, everyone. I'm Fiona Wood. I live at 204 Franklin Street near Central Square. and I want to thank the city staff for all the work that they've already done and put in to develop the cycling safety ordinance and start implementing it and urge you to vote no on policy orders one and two and stop these wasteful attempts to delay making our city better. The difference that you can already see in places like Inman Square is really night and day. The first time I tried riding a bike in Cambridge was about 2016 and I was pretty scared. Then after that I started to get more familiar with it and start to bike a lot more and I've really enjoyed being able to get around on a bike. That being said, I did get hit by a car when I was in an unprotected bike lane a couple years ago, and since then I've been pretty cautious in avoiding places that have unprotected bike lanes like Broadway. I'm also cautious crossing the street on Broadway to get to the library because it's such a hectic street with cars going way too fast, and I think it's pretty ironic that the street that has both our high school and the main library branch is unsafe to bike on. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Bill McIverney, followed by Sarah Wharton, Brian Souza, then Harvey Halpern. Bill, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, this is Bill McIverney from I live at 12 Douglas Street in Cambridge. Hold on, sorry. I'm speaking as an elderly pedestrian from the port. I fear for my life crossing Broadway. Separated lines protect us pedestrians as well as bikers. Citywide, one in five of us walk to work and one in three households don't own cars. Only one in five miles of our streets are planned for these safety improvements. I'm particularly bothered that when it is coming to the port, you're thinking of canceling these safety improvements. For example, in Newtown Court and Washington Elms, the census block that includes both of those and a little bit more, one in four walk to work. I hope you'll value the lives of port residents who can't afford a car, choose not to own one, are children, or are too old to drive. I ask and hope you'll value our lives more than parking spaces and vote no on PO 1 and 2. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Sarah Wharton, followed by Brian Souza, Harvey Halfurn, then Chelsea Graham. Sarah, one minute.

Thank you. My name is Sarah Wharton, and I live on Essex Street, just a few blocks away from Broadway. I'm here to support safe cycling infrastructure on Broadway, and I ask you all to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2, and yes on 5 and 6. I regularly use Broadway to commute, and it's incredibly stressful. With no protection or separation, I'm at the mercy of drivers on the road who might not even see me. And I'm even more concerned for the children who regularly bike to school on Broadway. They absolutely deserve to grow up with safe streets. I'd really like to thank the counselors who have proposed and are supporting Policy Orders 5 and 6. They are meaningful steps to address equity concerns and parking loss. Thank you all for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Brian Souza, followed by Harvey Halpern, Chelsea Graham, Mike D, and then Aya Al-Zubi.

Thank you. Thank you all for being here. I know it's been a long night. Give me the opportunity to speak. My name is Brian Sousa. I live over at 20 Elm Street, like right on the corner of Broadway. And I'm asking you, like so many of my other neighbors, to vote no on Orders 1 and 2 and yes on 5 and 6. I moved to Cambridge in 2021 to pursue my graduate studies in environmental health. I'm particularly interested in how the environment that we build affects our health overall. And that includes things like cycling infrastructure. We know that things like these ordinances are able to produce measurable benefits for public health. And I think that Cambridge is a place that I love and has been a true trailblazer across the country in really installing and improving our cycling infrastructure, something that not many other places can say. However, we have a lot more to go, and that includes things like the Broadway safety ordinance. So I just ask you to vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Harvey Halpern. Harvey, one minute. Please go ahead.

Now you can. Hi, my name is Harvey Halpern. I've lived in Cambridge for 50 years. I'm a 73-year-old senior homeowner and car owner, and I urge you, to vote no on one and two. We need more protected bike lanes, not less. And the fact that where our high school and our largest public library are on such a busy street that doesn't have protected bike lanes, that's insane. And the fact that the police don't do a little better job of keeping the speed down of those who speed down Broadway is a bad mark on the police. So please, Safety of bicyclists is paramount. Many of us, even elders like myself, bicycle all the time around Cambridge. Let's make it as safe as possible. People can park somewhere else. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Chelsea Graham. Chelsea, one minute.

Hi, thank you. I'm Chelsea Graham. I'm a recent resident of Cambridge for five years, and I recently moved to Everett. I bike into Cambridge every day. I work at MIT. I'm also a car owner, but I'm trying to take traffic off the road, and I made use of the Massachusetts e-bike voucher, so I'm very thankful for that. I urge everyone to vote no for policy order one and two and yes for policy order five and six. Last year I was at the scene when John Corcoran was hit by a car on Memorial Drive. I know that's you know, not Broadway, not what we're talking about, but it definitely had a large impact on me. And I would encourage you to vote for safer roads for bikers. Thank you.

Our next speakers are Mike D, Aya Al-Zubi, Luca Govedi, and then Martha O'Meara. Mike? Mike has not joined. We will go to Aya Al-Zubi. Aya has not joined, we will go to Luca Govedi.

Hi, I'm Luca Govedich, and I live at 126 Charles Street. I've been a resident of Cambridge for the last seven years, and I'm here today to urge the council to vote no on policy orders one and two, and proceed with by construction as planned with no delays. I used to live on 174 Columbia, ride by Broadway at the end of phase one, and bike on Broadway every day. I still bike there at least once a week to see my friends, go to dinner in Central, Harvard Squares, Danahy Park, and many other places in Cambridge. I run into double parked cars daily and have close calls getting sideswiped or passed really closely, at least weekly. To be fair, it happens much more often in Boston and Cambridge, and that's because of you guys. Cambridge has been a leader in bike and pedestrian safety, and we should continue to lead instead of giving in to the status quo. This infrastructure helps drivers, too. Paying attention to bicyclists and pedestrians is much easier with proper safety infrastructure, and more bicyclists means fewer parked and driving cars. I felt this improvement in cyclists and pedestrian safety firsthand. Please don't delay improving further. Thanks for your time.

Our next speaker is Martha O'Mara, followed by Jackie Gong, Itamar Turner-Troring, Grant Simmons.

Martha? Hi, I'm Martha O'Mara. I live at 12 Maple Avenue, Cambridge. I've lived in Cambridge for 29 years, and I'm a former professor of urban planning and design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Yes, bike safety is incredibly important, but Broadway is a very unique street. And there has been no study, no research or any quantification, any study at all, of putting a bike lane on this particular street, which was laid out in 1805. In 2017, a very comprehensive study was done of Cambridge Street, and only less than 10% of the parking was taken out. This is taking out 60% of the parking on Broadway. If you look at the cross section of the design, it's 22 feet. The fire department has not been talked to. You will not be able to get emergency vehicles or fire trucks or anything like that during rush hour when the traffic's backed up. A huge liability and people will die because ambulances and medical personnel and fire trucks can't get through.

Your time has expired. Thank you. Please email the remainder.

our next speaker is jackie gong followed by itamar turner troring grant simmons then larry ward jackie hi my name is jackie i live on kelly road in cambridgeport and i'm asking you to please vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six it's obvious that reducing crash rates for bikers saves lives but i thought i would break down my fear of being hit by someone opening their car door while i ride my bike also known as doring Riding on Broadway without a bike lane separation means that I'm white knuckling my way past parked cars on my right side and many close calls with people swinging their car doors out just a few feet from me without warning has been really scary. On a busy street like Broadway this gets even more stressful because of cars and traffic passing me on the left side and at best this creates a situation that is uncomfortable for both drivers and cyclists and at worst I've been subject to road rage and being honked at for trying to keep my distance from the parked cars. And I don't want to get hit by a car on my left side or right side. And I really don't think that Broadway needs to be this dangerous. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Itamar Turner-Troring, followed by Grant Simmons, Larry Ward, Sonali Dougald, and Gwendolyn Spieth. Itamar?

Hi. My name is Itamar Turner-Troring. I have... been to uh crls and the library during the day on occasion uh one thing you see there is that all the bike racks are often completely full like all the bikes by the high school and there's a lot of them all the bank racks by the library this is like students employees And the thing about high school students is that they don't always make the best decisions. I have occasionally seen high school students biking with their helmet around their handlebars. They don't work that way. And so saying that you can take a different route is all very well and good, but the high school students are just going to ignore that because they're kids and a lot of them think they're immortal. And so there will be high school students biking on Broadway, whether or not you like it. And so since they are going to be biking, it is important that they be safe. And so I urge you to vote no on policies orders one and two.

Our next speaker is Grant Simmons, followed by Larry Ward, Sonali Dougal, Gwendolyn Spieth, then David Wink. Grant?

Hi, I'm Grant Simmons. I live at 6 Antrim Street in Cambridge. I live right off of Broadway Street. I drive down Broadway, I park on Broadway, I bike on Broadway almost daily. It's very difficult to drive down Broadway without having a close call with a bicyclist. It's also very dangerous and difficult to bike down Broadway without having close encounters with cars. Broadway clearly meets a need unmet by other existing bikeways. People are going to use it whether the bike lanes are there or not. PO number two hails Harvard Street as a safe bike route alternative, but it's not even recognized as a bicycle-friendly street on Google Maps. Three Blue Bikes locations are on Broadway. No other east-west street, including Cambridge and Hampshire Street combined, have this many. Encouraging the most vulnerable riders to use Broadway as a thoroughfare without providing the necessary safety infrastructure is undermining the CSO. It's an active danger to Cambridge residents, and quite frankly, it's irresponsible. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, our next speaker is Larry Ward followed by Sonali Dougal, Gwendolyn Spieth, David Wank, then Nate Sharp. Larry?

Hi, thank you all for having us here. My name is Larry Ward. I live at 372 Broadway. I'm a 37 year resident in the same house on Broadway. My kids all went to CRLS and they biked up and down the street the whole time. I am appalled. Everybody is saying, or a lot of people are saying how dangerous Broadway is. No one is saying how dangerous Cambridge, Hampshire, or Mass Ave is that are protected bike lanes. They're less than one or two minutes away. Able-bodied people can get to those lanes as opposed to taking parking away from the many people who need it on Broadway. Adjacent to Broadway, there's 6,854 residents. That's 5.8% of the population, 2,460 parking permits, 7.7%. Please vote yes. Do not take the parking away from people who need it.

Thank you, Mr. Ward. Your time has expired. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Sonali Dougal, followed by Gwendolyn Spieth, David Wink, Nate Sharp, Ann Stewart, and Paul Recuglia. Sonali, one minute.

Hi, my name is Sonali Dougal. I live at 79 Norfolk Street in the Port. Thanks so much for listening. I know it's a lot of speakers. I just wanted to talk a little bit about my experience biking in Cambridge. I have three kids. They are 10, 7, and 5. And I'm often biking with anywhere between one to three of them. The other day I was biking down my street, Norfolk Street, with my five-year-old, and there was a car that was behind us that was just honking the entire time. On Norfolk, there's nowhere for me to go. I can't make space for the car. It was honking at me. I got past Bishop Allen, and the last block of Norfolk, it swung around me, even though I tried to take the lane, it came within inches of us. It was terrifying. We were OK. But it was just a very scary situation. And we experience these kinds of situations all the time in Cambridge biking with kids. So I'm asking you to please vote no on PO 1 and 2 and ensure that there is bike lanes on Broadway. Thank you so much.

Thank you. We are at speaker number 135, Gwendolyn Spieth. Gwendolyn?

Pallet cleanser, different kind of CSO, combined sewer overflow. My name's Gwen Spieth, I live at 16 Churchill Ave. And I'm speaking about policy order number three, charter right four. Thanks Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern, and City Council. Passing the PO, the policy order, Sorry. Sorry. We're counting on you to use your power as our elected representatives to make sure that Governor Healey knows how bad the CSO sewage dumping in Alewife Brook is. Passing the PSO doesn't compel anyone to do anything impossible. It alerts the governor and relevant state agencies about the urgency of the problem. and ask them to maximize the benefits from this once-in-a-generation opportunity to take a giant leap forward in solving it by using the redevelopment of the LYFT station, not just to provide desperately needed affordable housing, but also to protect our community and the thousands of LYFT commuters.

Thank you. That's your time.

I'm sorry, Mr. Vice Mayor.

Yes, Councilor Wilson.

If you don't mind just kind of giving her 30 more seconds just because she had a slow start to just getting, is that, do we need to?

Councilor Wilson moves to allow the speaker 30 more seconds. Pleasure, Council. Go ahead.

Thanks. This is a unique opportunity to take a giant leap forward in solving the problem by using the redevelopment of the station, not just to provide desperately needed affordable housing, but also to protect our community and the thousands of LYT commuters from exposure to raw untreated sewage. By adding CSO storage and creating a second beloved stormwater wetland, as our wonderful DPW has done in other parts of Cambridge, this opportunity will be lost if we don't act now. Please be our voice and vote yes on Policy Order 3, Charter Right 4. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is David Wang, followed by Nate Sharp, Ann Stewart, and Paul Rakuglia. David, one minute. Please go ahead.

I'll keep this simple for y'all. My name's David. I live on a side street off Broadway. I do not own a car. I bike everywhere. I bike on Broadway five or six times a week, at least. I encourage you to vote no on policy order one and two.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Nate Sharp, followed by Ann Stewart, then Paul Recuglia. Nate, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Nate Sharp. I live on Inman Street with my wife and twin 10 year olds and I'm urging you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. Even though we live north of Broadway and Inman is one way, most of our trips by bike in the city involve cycling on Broadway. Broadway doesn't currently have any bike infrastructure at all for most of its length, other than the occasional faded sharrow. My kids have recently gotten mature and responsible enough to start biking short distances from our house by themselves, including going to and from their elementary school at Cambridge Port Elementary, as well as local destinations like Senate Park and the main library to meet up with friends. Given the frequency with which our entire family rides on Broadway, The planned infrastructure improvements cannot come soon enough. Any delay means more days that my kids and I will be biking in the shared vehicle lanes alongside drivers regularly going 30 or more miles per hour. There are options to reduce the impacts of reduced parking available like POs five and six that don't delay the planned timeline. Please focus your energy on options like that and vote no on POs one and two. Thank you very much.

Thanks. Our next speaker is Ann Stewart. And has not joined us, we will go to Paul Recuglia, followed by Paula Mote, Caroline Worling, then Mira Wital. Paul Recuglia, one minute.

Hi, my name is Paul Ruculia. I own my home at 9-5 Bella Circle in Cambridge, and I first moved to Cambridge 10 years ago. I am speaking in support of the Broadway Bicycle Safety Projects. I'm asking you to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2, and yes on Policy Orders 5 and 6. I commute by bike from North Cambridge to Kendall Square. Garden and Broadway form the majority of that route. I do not feel safe biking on Broadway. Cambridge is doing great work to modernize our transportation infrastructure, and I encourage you not to jeopardize that. I recently saw a teenager knocked off his bike by a car near my home. The driver did not stop. No one was able to record the license plate, and the victim called his mother and walked home. I urge you to remember that a year ago in June 2024, when you passed the Safe Streets Ordinance, two bicyclists were killed in Cambridge. We still have a lot of work to do, and I urge you not to delay it. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Paula Mote. Paula has not joined us. We will go to Caroline Werling. Caroline Werling has not joined. We will go to Mira Wetzel. Mira, you have one minute.

Hi, everyone. I'm a resident of Lower Austin, and I frequently commute to work in the Harvard and MIT area. I'm a graduate student in the area. I'm asking the body to vote no on policy orders one and two so that I and others can commute to work safely. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Steve Boer, followed by Jacob Winokoff, Xander Keith, and Fareed Artaud. Steve, one minute.

Hi, I'm Steve Boer. I live at 330 Harvard Street. I'm speaking against delays to installing bike lanes. I'm a biker. I'm a driver. I'm a pedestrian. I'm a father. 20 years ago, our kids were little, and we were fortunate to live in the Netherlands, where there was a bike and car-friendly infrastructure of protected bike lanes everywhere. There, the kids learned how to bike. We did all our shopping. We interacted with other families and the community on the protected bike lanes. Recently, my grown son was biking north on Mass Ave across from Walden Street, that spot where the bike lane just suddenly disappears. Without a bike lane, he was cut off and fractured his femur in two. He no longer feels safe biking in Cambridge, so he takes Ubers, ironically congesting the traffic further. I've had two bike accidents in Cambridge, and they've both taken place where there's no protected bike lanes. My wife and I especially love the protected bike lanes on Brattle Street. As drivers, we don't worry about the bikers. As bikers, we don't worry about the cars. Please invest in the health of our Cambridge community and do not delay installing bike lanes further.

Thank you, Steve. Our next speaker is Jacob Winokoff, followed by Xander Keith, then Farid Artaud, Nicholas Merle. Jacob?

Good evening. My name is Jacob Winnikoff. I live at 276 Windsor Street, which is just off Broadway, and I work at Harvard. As a cyclist and a street parking car owner, I ask you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. When I use Broadway to get to work and to get into Boston, The lack of separated bike lanes makes both bike and car trips less safe and more stressful. I've witnessed one accident, a car ped collision on Broadway, as well as many near misses. In my view, our forward-looking mobility policy is a big part of what distinguishes Cambridge from its neighbor cities and makes it a great place to live. Since I moved here three years ago, I've looked forward to the Broadway Safety Project, as have many of my neighbors. We'd be heartbroken to see it killed in the 11th hour after so much careful community engagement and hard work by the city and by this council. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Xander Keith, followed by Farid Artaud, Nicholas Merle, and Carmen Boscoff. Xander?

Hello. My name is Xander Keith. I live at 72 Willis Street in the Cambridge-Valenti neighborhood. I'm asking you to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2. Like many who have spoken here tonight, cycling and public transit are my primary means of transportation, both for my daily commute and for getting around the city. In recent years, it's clear that Cambridge has been moving in a good direction with improving infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. Maybe not as fast as I'd like, but I understand that you need to get people's feedback before making changes. The thing that I don't understand, though, is there was already a lengthy community discussion which agreed on the Broadway safety improvement. It's genuinely shocking to me that the results of that public process are at risk of being rolled back. So please do not delay. Continue to make the streets of Cambridge safer for everyone who uses them. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Fareed Artaud. Fareed, one minute.

Hi, my name is Ferid Artho. I live at 3 Lee Street. I'm speaking in support of building bike lanes on Broadway and no delays. I work at MIT, but sometimes I also have to go to Harvard. Broadway is the main and direct way between these two places, and for many other students who cross-register at both institutions as well. And it didn't take very long for me at the beginning to figure out that going down Broadway is extremely dangerous as is. In fact, I was almost hit by an MBTA bus one of the few times I did this, who should or are the best drivers out here in Boston. So I'm asking you to no delays on the bike lanes. It's a critical safety need. And I don't think endangering lives just for a few more parking spots is something we should be doing. Thank you for your time.

Our next speaker is Nicholas Merle. Nicholas, please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Nicholas Merle. I'm an eight-year resident of Cambridge and Somerville. I'm here to speak in favor of bike lanes. I think you should vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. Thank you for your time.

Our next speaker is Carmen Baskoff, followed by Ian Moody and Kara Lee Ron. Carmen?

Good evening. My name is Carmen Baskoff. I live at 295 Harvard Street, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. I both live and work in Cambridge and bike every day to my job in Kendall Square. My house is a block from Broadway, and my job is directly off Broadway. I bike because it is the most affordable and efficient way to get to work on my civil servant salary. Not having to own and maintain a personal car helps me be able to afford to continue living here in Cambridge. Separated bike lanes are a proven safety enhancement. The Federal Highway Administration has found that separated, buffered bike lanes, like the ones that the city is planning to install on Broadway, are a significant crash modification factor beyond traditional bike lanes. This means that separated bike lanes statistically reduce bike crashes. This is based on a study data that was collected right here in Cambridge, amongst other locations. I urge the city councilors to put the safety of all our residents first. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Ian Moody, followed by Carolee Ron. Ian has not joined us. We will go to speaker number 150, Carol Lee Ron, followed by Benjamin Mazota, Jennifer Flygare, and Andrew Xu. Carol Lee Ron, please unmute yourself. You have the floor, one minute.

Thank you. My name is Carolee Ron. I've been a homeowner on Larchwood Drive for over 25 years and I strongly oppose policy orders one and two and support policy orders five and six. I know from personal experience that Broadway is one of the most dangerous streets in Cambridge to walk and bike on. It is well established that separated bike lanes prevent injuries and deaths. And it is indisputable that promoting cycling reduces congestion, air pollution, and GHG emissions. It is also clear from previous public hearings and this one that there is overwhelming public support for bike lanes on Broadway. At a time when Cambridge is facing budgetary constraints and we are seeing significant rollbacks on climate and air pollution protections at the federal level, I BELIEVE IT IS A POOR USE OF THE COUNCIL'S TIME TO ATTEMPT TO BACKTRACK ON THIS ISSUE YET AGAIN. AFTER EXTENSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS HAS SHOWN STRONG SUPPORT FOR BIKE LANES, THE BENEFIT OF BIKE LANES ARE WELL ESTABLISHED AND INSTALLATION IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BENJAMIN MAZZOTTA FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER FLYGEAR THEN ANDREW ZHU. BENJAMIN.

Hi, my name's Ben. I'm a father of three kids in Cambridge. They're all under age 15. I'm a voter and- Ben, if you could lift up the mic.

Sorry? Get directly into the mic, please.

Hi. My name is Ben. I'm a homeowner father of three in Cambridge on Standish Street. My kids are all under age 15. They can't drive. And I think that the bicycles are really the essential way that they get around Cambridge. They go to school. They go to the library. They go to soccer. They go to community theater. They see friends. They go to the park. It's really the only safe way for them to go around on bikes is in separated bike lanes. We plan all our travel around the safest routes for them to ride, and there's really nothing close to a separated bike lane. Streets are just too complex for children to navigate. It's been seven years since my own accident on Broadway, which could have easily been prevented with a separated bike lane. Please don't delay any further on this plan. There's no such thing as a perfect plan, but there is such a thing as too late. Please vote no on policy orders one and two, yes on five and six. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Jennifer Flygare, followed by Andrew Zhu, then East. Jennifer, please go ahead. Jennifer has not joined us. We will go to Andrew Zhu, followed by East Lazuskate. I apologize if I'm mispronouncing your name.

Hello, my name is Andrew Tso. I live on 292 Prospect Street. I am speaking today to ask the Council to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2. I am the Secretary of Cambridge's Transit Advisory Committee, a frequent user of the 64 and 68 buses on Broadway to go to and from work. And lastly, I do not own nor know how to ride a bicycle. I mention this to indicate that I am speaking not from the perspective of a cyclist, but as a resident, pedestrian, and transit user. Through my time living here, I have seen how critical Broadway is as a means to get around for those like myself that are unable to drive. I believe that this project is crucial not only towards improving the safety of cyclists, but its traffic speed calming measures will do wonders towards improving the lives and safety of hundreds of children, elderly, and pedestrians that regularly use Broadway every day. Councilors, by voting against Policy Orders 1 and 2, you will send a message to thousands of voters and residents such as myself that this city is legitimately serious about its own environmental safety and transportation goals, but also that this council is committed to protecting the lives and safety of our city's pedestrians, cyclists, elderly, disabled, our underprivileged, and our children. Please consider this and vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2. Thank you.

Thank you. We're going to go back one to Jennifer Flygare, who is joining via Zoom, followed by East, then Randy Stern. Jennifer, one minute.

Hi, thank you. I bike commute daily with young children in Cambridge, but I also drive when I have to. I understand the frustration about parking and the sense that the driving is being pushed aside. And I'm frustrated when cyclists ignore red lights or act like they own the road. That has to change. Still, I want to offer a broader view. Cities like New York and Seattle may see an initial dip in business, but long-term they see big growth. Cyclists and pedestrians shop more often, and Cambridge's own data shows most shoppers aren't even arriving by car. I didn't expect to enjoy biking, but once I started, I was surprised how pleasant and efficient my commute has become, especially in well-designed lanes. It improved the quality of my life and drop-off and pick-up with my children immensely. Design matters. We need bike lanes with delivery zones, drop-off space, and good signage, and we need them to be protected. When we get that right, streets work better for everyone. Our city is getting denser and the climate reality is getting sharper. Like it or not, we need to face that. This isn't anti-driver. It is smart, long-term planning for a healthier Cambridge. We need to stay the course with bike lanes. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is East Lazowskate. I apologize again for destroying your name. Please go ahead. You have one minute. East or east?

Oh, hi. Sorry. My name is Aiste. I'm a Cambridge homeowner and a parent of the three kids under 10. We live off Ellery Street, which is half a block away from Broadway, and bike kids to school and other activities daily. The idea of them biking independently is truly terrifying. Broadway is not safe. There's heavy traffic, constant speeding, and drivers racing to beat red lights or dodge parking cars. And this is the street that has only parking high school. Hundreds of kids use it every day, and if one of them is hurt, it won't be an accident. It will be our failure to act, and that responsibility will be ours. It's not city's job to store everyone's private vehicles. It is job of the city to provide safe public streets. And we can still meet accessibility needs by adding more handicap and short term parking without sacrificing safety. Please no delays to Broadway Safety Project.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Randy Stern followed by Abby Martin, Andrea Williams, then Patricia Wagner. We are at speaker number 155. Randy Stern, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hello, I'm Randy Stern and I've lived at 12 Kenwood Street and voted in city council elections for over 45 years. I urge you to vote no on the unwise policy orders one and two. A majority of the council has repeatedly voted for ordinances addressing climate change, pollution, and congestion, including the vehicle trip reduction ordinance, the net zero transportation plan, and the city's vision zero goals as for transportation safety to be a priority. The council is well aware that the cycling safety ordinance, which allows cyclists to safely get to important destinations, will lead more people to feel safe enough and actually be safe enough to change some of their trips within the city from driving to cycling. Further, it reduces vehicle speeds, improves pedestrian safety, and provides a safe option for those who can't afford a car. The cost on Broadway is only around half the parking spots on the street. DROPPING BROADWAY FROM THE CSO WOULD BE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE DENSITY OF SCHOOLS AND PARKS THAT ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BIKE THERE. PLEASE THINK OF THE KIDS WHEN YOU VOTE TODAY.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ABBY MARTIN FOLLOWED BY ANDREA WILLIAMS, PATRICIA WAGNER, THEN ARI AFSEVIT.

ABBY? Hello, my name is Abby Martin. I'm a Cambridge homeowner. I encourage you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. This has not been a rushed process. This has been part of the complete streets plan since 2019. In fact, there is a public process to review and improve this earlier this year. I moved to Cambridge because of equitable streets. This is a place where I can live without a car or I can live a car life. I can feel confident while cycling. I can feel confident while walking. I can feel confident while out on the streets with the children in my life. I encourage you to vote for safer streets and continue to make Cambridge a place that is livable, sustainable, and attractive for people like me who want to get around by car and many other modes. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Andrea Williams. Andrea, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, I'm Andrea Williams. I live at 176 Appleton Street. I'm 70 years old and have lived and biked in Cambridge my entire adult life. And I consider myself pretty intrepid, but even I find biking on Broadway scary, and I do have to bike on Broadway pretty often. I really hope that I, well, I'm asking you to please vote in favor of no more delays to safe biking infrastructure. And so vote no on policy orders one and two. YES ON FIVE AND SIX. AND I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT I THINK THAT HAVING, LIKE, INTERMITTENT BITS AND PIECES OF INFRASTRUCTURE IS ONLY CONFUSING TO DRIVERS AND CYCLISTS, AND WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE, WELL, LIKE THE CYCLING PLAN PROVIDES FOR, CONSISTENT INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

Thank you, Andrea. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Patricia Wagner, followed by Ari Offsavit, Lauren Koselich, Corsell Stark, then Zachary Davidson. Patricia?

Good evening. My name is Patricia Wagner. I'm a Cambridge homeowner and a mom of two young kids, and I live just off Broadway on Clinton Street. I bike with my kids daily to schools, to parks, and errands because it's the most practical way for all of us to get around. My husband also bikes this exact stretch of Broadway to work every day. I'm a careful cyclist, and we are as a family, but I can't always trust drivers around us. And my greatest fear is that someone won't be paying attention and my kids are going to get hurt. My seven year old specifically is starting to ride a bike alongside me more and more, which is exciting. But I worry whenever we find ourselves on parts of Broadway where the bike lane isn't clearly protected. It just doesn't feel safe. I urge you all to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on five and six. Protected bike lanes make streets safer for families like mine and for everyone. I'm committed to raising my kids here through their school years. Please help ensure that Cambridge continues to be a city where families can get around safely without a car. Let's not let perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to this policy. Thanks.

Our next speaker is Ari Opsavit, followed by Lauren Koselich. Ari?

Hi, my name is Ari Opsavit. I'm here with... My seven months old, if you hear him in the background, but he's being pretty good right now. And I support five and six. I oppose one and two. As everyone else has said, you know, this has been a long process. There's been a way too long process. We need the safer infrastructure. so that I can walk safely with my seven-month-old so I can cross fast streets. We know that reducing the width of streets like this can reduce the speed of cars. And I'm getting tired of coming to these meetings. We have 300 people come and say that we want safer infrastructure. We have six people come and say that it's more important that People have convenient parking and safe infrastructure. And the city council seems to look at that and say, well, I guess we can't really see what we should do. Guys, we know what we should do. Safe infrastructure is important. Let's stop kicking the can. Let's do this now. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Lauren Kulclich.

Hello. I'm like, you know,

Go ahead. Hi, this is Lauren. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policies five and six. I've been a Cambridge resident since 2014. My husband and I have two kids in Cambridge Public Schools and we use all different types of transportation, including cycling, to get around the city for social events, town sports, Girl Scout meetings, volunteer commitments, restaurants, shopping, errands, et cetera. A number of years ago, though, my husband was biking on Broadway to get to work in Kendall Square when he was hit by a door that was being opened by a parked car. He was knocked off his bicycle and fell to the ground in the lane of traffic. Gratefully, he was not seriously injured, but only because the car coming up behind him managed to break in time. that experience makes us both deeply nervous about our 11 and 13 year old daughters biking independently on some of cambridge's busier streets including broadway i urge you to not delay the implementation of bike lanes to make that route safer for cyclists of all ages thank you our next speaker is corsell stark followed by zachary davidson course i'll go ahead

Hi there, my name is Corsel Stark and I live at 17 Whitney Avenue in Cambridgeport. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. Thank you all so much for the work you've already done to implement wonderful protected bike lanes through lots of Cambridge. I ride my bike year-round as my main mode of transportation, and I feel so much safer and more joyful when I'm riding on protected bike lanes. Riding my bike is also an integral part of my small business. I'm a baker, and I deliver bread by e-bike throughout the Boston area, and I often end up on Broadway, even though I tried to avoid it. Please continue the project that is already under construction, that already had six public meetings, and was already approved earlier this year. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Zachary Davidson.

Good evening, council. My name is Zach Davidson. I work in Cambridge. When I was 13 years old, my freshman year of high school, I was hit by a car when riding my bike. The driver pulled out of a driveway, accelerated into me, knocked me down into oncoming traffic. Thankfully, the car that was coming was able to stop in time. protected lanes ultimately, help prevent crashes, and improve road safety for everyone. So I encourage council to vote no, policy orders one and two, and support policy orders five and six. Thank you all so much for your time. Really appreciate it.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Nathan Strauss, followed by Martin Brew.

Hello, I'm Nathan Strauss, Acadia Park. I am a former resident of Cambridge, current resident of Somerville. I'm speaking to ask the council to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes to five and six, because I use Broadway to both bike and drive. But it's not great for either right now. Separating bikes and cars will improve safety for everyone. The white bikes that exist in memory to those who have lost their lives cycling our streets are too many and I don't want to see another white bike in Cambridge. I ask the council to vote no on policy orders one and two, yes on five and six. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Martin Brew followed by Marilee Meyer. Martin, go ahead. Martin Brew, you are unmuted. Go ahead.

Sorry about that.

My name is Martin. I urge the council to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. I'm a Cambridge homeowner and resident with two small children and bike on Broadway regularly for commuting and errands. Right now, we use a cargo bike so the kids are with me, but in just a few short years, they will be riding bikes of their own. The idea of my children riding bikes on streets without protected bike lanes is terrifying because all it takes is a half second of inattention for a driver to cause a fatal accident. I know that there will be side effects of any proposed changes to Broadway, but the health and safety of our residents, including our high school students, must take priority over other considerations. Thanks for listening.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Marilee Meyer. Marilee is not in the Zoom. We'll go to our next speaker, Heather Esme Carmelo.

Hello, my name is Heather Esme Caramello. I'm a homeowner on Green Street in Cambridge. I've been biking, driving, walking, and taking public transportation in Cambridge for over 25 years. I'm asking you to please vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. I personally have been hit by cars twice in the city of Cambridge, once on my way to work and once on my way to run errands. Actually, the first time was on my way home from work, just to be precise. My son was hit by cars twice in Cambridge on his way to elementary school, both on bikes. And none of these places was where there was a protected bike lane. I thought that would be a really big deal to say that at this meeting tonight, but actually I've been sitting here for hours and listening to the meeting before that, and it turns out it's not a big deal because it's happening to everyone, and I'm just shocked. So I'm doubly motivated. Fortunately, my son and I were okay, but we were also scared, and we stopped biking, and I started driving, and I don't want that to happen, any of that to happen to more people. I really urge you to do the right thing here tonight. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Julia Fuller, followed by Katie Blair.

Hi, my name is Julia Fuller. I've lived in Cambridge for the past 12 years. I'm a homeowner on Garden Court. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. Broadway has been in the cycling safety ordinance plan since 2019. It's already paved and it's only 1600 feet long. It's ready to go and there's already parking mitigations in place. Delaying it sends the wrong message about planning and follow through in the city of Cambridge. I bike for transportation to see my friends, to go out and be social, and I support protected bike lanes because they make our streets safer for everyone, especially the kids who are going to school and the library on Broadway. Over 40 crashes have happened on Broadway in just the past couple of years, and this project will save lives, improve access, and bring us closer to the city's climate and equity goals as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Julia. Our next speaker is Katie Blair followed by Aviva Muscus. Katie, go ahead, you are unmuted.

Hi, my name is Katie Blair and I live on Concord Avenue in Cambridge. I'm here to ask you to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. The bike lane plan has been extensively studied and there have been several public meetings already and there is no reason for any further delay. I personally actually tend to drive more than I bike, but I still care about the safety of others in my community and about having sustainable transportation options. And I would probably bike more often with better bike safety infrastructure. Please make sure the project is not delayed. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Aviva Muscus. Aviva has not joined the Zoom. Our next speaker for those waiting is speaker number 170, Peter Hsu. Peter has not joined the Zoom. Our next speaker is Drew Nelson.

Hi, Drew Nelson. Today is my 30th birthday. And yeah, for my 30th birthday, I'd like you to vote no on one and two, yes on five and six. I'm a biker. You can tell because I'm in a good mood and maybe by the shirt as well. I have a unique perspective here because I work at a local bike shop and I'm the first person that people come to when they've been doored. You've already heard from a bunch of people here tonight about their Doring experience. It's at least two a week. It's at least two people a week who come in with their handlebars twisted because they've been doored. It shouldn't have to be that way. We all know this. There are things that we can do about this. I also do volunteer work with the e-bike lending library. We've put dozens of people on e-bikes and electric cargo bikes with their kids already this year. We anticipate more and more families biking with their kids going forward. So the numbers are only going to continue to grow. Yeah, thanks.

Thank you. Our next speaker is John Perverta followed by Zion Sharon.

Hi, my name is John Pervertera. I'm a resident of East Cambridge and I live a block away from Broadway Street. Before this meeting, I biked all the way down and back Broadway Street and had a great time. The protected bike lanes all the way up until Technology Square are incredible, and I felt really safe using them. The moment you pass Technology Square, you're sharing a lane with cars, and it's awful for both parties. The cars have to just stay behind a slow moving bike, and the bike has to hope that all the cars behind you aren't going to hit you. I generally avoid biking down Broadway because I don't feel safe there and avoid most of the businesses on that way as blue bikes are my main form of transportation. I'm urging you guys to vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Zion Sharon.

Zion Sharon, 401 Washington Street. I support bike lanes and believe there's reasons for their implementation. Unfortunately, new construction, such as potential development on 60 Ellery, will add to our current parking shortage. I strongly urge the council to view this issue holistically and find other parking solutions to accommodate the loss of parking, keeping our community accessible for all residents, especially seniors and those with disabilities. This is why I ask the council to vote yes to Prop 5, no to Prop 2, and work towards a version of Prop 1, potentially replacing the word before with during. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Adam Mancher, followed by Damian Slide.

Adam , thank you for your time and patience. I'm a 33 year resident and avid bike rider and commuter for many years, transit user and vehicle owner. I do not support the plan for the changes to Broadway, principally due to the loss of parking for most residents. Please be thoughtful to the vast majority of constituents that use Broadway in cars, in particular students, residents, student families, library users, and businesses. We've made great strides in creating safe avenues and side passages for bike riders. important, but we the bike riders in the minority, including myself, are in the minority. The short and long-term goals of bicycle access safety and net neutrality should not blind us to the impact of a dramatic change to Broadway. Our local city government is behaving like our federal government with an ends that justify the means attitude. We are a progressive community living together, the majority embracing common goals towards the environment, safety, opportunity, and housing. It's time the city council show they represent all the citizens and merchants of the city by enacting a more balanced and pragmatic approach to change. VOTE YES ON ONE, TWO, FIVE, AND SIX. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAMIAN SCHLEID FOLLOWED BY JAMES KITCH AND TERRY CRYSTAL.

HELLO AND GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAMIAN SCHIELD AND I'M AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN. And I not only see people who are adored and may have some bumps and bruises, but also people who are seriously injured due to bike crashes, particularly when avoiding or being colliding with cars. Bike safety is really important. I suggest we do not delay at all in the construction of the protected bike lanes on Broadway so we can have accessibility for the whole city on the main thoroughway from East Cambridge where we live towards the high school where we hope our kids will attend once they get old enough to go there. So we look forward to having that bike accessibility throughout the city. And thank you very much for your consideration.

Thank you. Our next speaker is James Kitch.

Hi, everyone. My name is James. I am 25 years old, and I'm a Cambridge resident. And I also grew up in Belmont, so I've been in the Boston area for a long time. And it has made me so happy to see the growth of bike lanes in Cambridge throughout the last five or 10 years, even while I've been in college. It's made my ability to get around town so much easier, and I've also seen it in my friends who have gone from saying, man, biking just scares me. I just don't think I can do that. I think I need a car, or I think I can only walk, and therefore I can't go to Central Square, Inman Square, to being like, yeah, I love biking in Cambridge. And I also have friends who have been really, really close to traumatic accidents. I have a friend who showed up to that really tragic accident with the MIT graduate student about 30 seconds after she was hit by the truck. Yeah, and I just think bike lanes do a lot for making Cambridge a healthy and happy and wonderful place to be for all residents. And so I want to say no to one and two and yes to five and six. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Karen Nassberg. Sorry, Catherine Nassberg. Catherine, one minute. Catherine, if you can unmute yourself. Catherine, you have the floor. Please go ahead. We will come back to Catherine. We will go to Terry Crystal. Terry, you have one minute.

um terry crystal i live on ware street in cambridge i've lived here 40 years and in mid-cambridge 20 years you're hearing a lot from bikers i support one and two you're hearing a lot from bikers wanting to feel safe as they cycle down broadway but the important thing to remember is they don't need to bicycle on broadway to get where they are going Bikers already have protected lanes on nearby Cambridge and Hampshire streets, and Mass Ave and Main going to the same destinations. In bad weather, these same folks can take the MBTA in various bus routes or their own cars, as do all members of the council. So just a little bit about my building. As a senior who relies on on-street parking near my home, I support the removal of Broadway from the cycling petition. I live in a large apartment building with a diversity of people of many ages and backgrounds. While we have many differences, the one thing we have in common is the need for parking. At least one-third of my neighbors use cars to get around.

Terry, your time has expired. Please email the remainder of your comment, or you may leave a copy of it if you have a copy with you. We're going to try Catherine Nassberg again, followed by Julian Powers. Catherine?

There we go. Am I coming through now? Yes, please go ahead. Okay, so my name is Catherine Nassberg. This is probably my third time speaking on this. And honestly, I'm at the point now where I'm really trying to get to the point where we really need to just stop delaying. This is my third time speaking on it. The last time I spoke was several months ago. And since then, two people have died. And I really am at the point now where I just feel we need to stop delaying. My husband honestly thinks at this point that there is no point, that the counselors who are against this are not going to change their minds. And frankly, I'm still trying because where we're at, I shouldn't have to ask for my own safety. And here I am for the fourth time asking for my safety and for my children's safety. I live on the corner of Broadway. I've been lucky enough not to have near misses, but I've had accidents where I've already broken my arm. So I'm asking you guys, please, let's just get this done. The science is out there. The data is out there. Everybody's speaking in favor of it. Can we please, just please get these bike lanes in?

I think our next speaker is Julian Powers. Julian, one minute.

Hello. I'm Julian. I've been a Cambridge resident for six years. My main method of getting around is biking and walking. And I'm so happy to live in a city that values the mobility of people who don't have cars, especially people who are too poor to afford cars in the city. Most people I know who have experienced traffic violence in some way or they know someone who's experienced traffic violence. And this particular Broadway plan has been in the works since 2019. It's been on the bike plan since 2019. And there have been public meetings and outreach for the past two years. And there are federal studies proving that protected bike lanes improve safety for everyone if you're in a car, a bike, or walking. So I really think it's just time to implement the plan and stop delaying. Every week we wait, the injuries just build up and build up, and I think it's just time to just do it. So I'm asking the council to vote no on one and two. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is speaker number 180, James Williamson, followed by Frank Settler, Marco DiPaola, and then Catherine Silvestri. James Williamson. James is not on the Zoom. We will go to Frank Settler. Frank, you have one minute.

Yes, hi. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. This is my second time speaking in favor of no more delays to Broadway. So no to PO1 and 2, yes to 5 and 6. I bike to Cambridge daily for work, as well as on the weekends with my family, my wife and two young children, often in a cargo bike. Um, well, we love going to, so we are both avid bread bakers and love trying the numerous bakeries throughout Cambridge. There's a lot on Broadway, though, that we just won't go to on our bike. We steer clear of that street as we do not feel safe biking there, especially with young kids. We've had numerous close calls over the years. And at this point, I just prefer to stick to the safe streets. EXCELLENTLY EXECUTED IN CAMBRIDGE. SO WE ENCOURAGE THE STATE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT SAFE STREETS AND ALLOW EVERYONE TO GET AROUND CAMBRIDGE IN A SAFE MANNER. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCO DEPALA FOLLOWED BY KATHERINE SILVESTRI, CLARE MATHAIS, THEN ANDREW ONG. MARCO. Marco has not joined, we will go to Catherine Silvestri. Catherine, you have one minute, please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Catherine Silvestri and I'm a homeowner on Norfolk Street right off of Broadway. I urge the city council to vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. These attempts to backtrack on the CSO in general, and Broadway in particular, are irresponsible and a huge waste of time and money. Separated bike lanes on Broadway are essential to protect the many cyclists who use this major street. As a pedestrian myself, there are many points where crossing Broadway on foot is terrifying, and the project will also help improve Broadway for pedestrians and public transit users. Making Broadway safer for cyclists will have the added benefit of empowering more people to cycle and thus reduce vehicular traffic. We've heard from a number of people already tonight who say they would cycle more if there were protected bike lanes on Broadway. Fundamentally, I believe this council has a responsibility to protect cyclists' lives and follow through on the CSO. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Claire Matias, followed by Andrew Ong, Scott Kilcoyne, then Brendan Hickey. Claire? Claire, you should be able to unmute yourself now.

Thank you so much. My name's Claire Mathias. I live on the corner of Tremont and Hampshire Street, and I've lived here for three years. I commute to work every day on Broadway on my bike, and I'm urging the counselors to vote no on one and two, and yes on five and six. Broadway is not safe. There have been over 40 crashes on Broadway in the past three years, and based on my experience, I'm honestly surprised it's not higher. Any delays in installing safe bike lanes will cause more injuries. I choose to bike because it's the cheapest way to get around, and so I urge counselors to vote no on one and two to keep cycling an accessible and safe mode of transit. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Andrew Ong. Andrew, one minute. Please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Andrew. I'm a 10 plus year resident of the Wellington Harrington neighborhood. I live on Willow Street and the entirety of my neighborhood is flanked north and south by Cambridge Street and Broadway. If I'm going to partake in any activities on the rest of Cambridge, I have to find a way through or past Broadway. My four year old and six year old and myself have found that biking has become our primary form of transportation. to school, to public events put on by the city and by family events, Center for Family Events as well. In addition to that, my other three week old child is going to be in a stroller and I'll be walking around with them and I would love to be able to partake in Broadway and have safer pedestrian crosswalks in addition to safer bike lanes. Please, I urge the council to vote no on one and two and yes on five and six.

Our next speaker is Scott Kilcoyne, followed by Brendan Hickey, Amelia Baum, then Austin Ledzian. Scott?

Hi, I'm Scott Kilcoyne. I live in North Cambridge. Every Friday in the summer, spring, fall, I go hang out with a lot of friends at General Lawrence Park. I get there by biking, commuting from my office. The only problem is I can't go as directly as I would like to because it's not safe to bike on Broadway. I am lucky, I can choose other routes that are much more securitous, much longer, and still not safe enough. But all the students that go to CRLS every day, hundreds of them are biking. They're not going to go out of the way way out of the way to take extra mile biking and make that choice. They are going to choose to go down Broadway. We need to make the streets safe enough that these hundreds of students every day biking to school are able to safely do that. Thank you.

Brendan Hickey, followed by Amelia Baum, Austin Ledzian, Seamus Joyce Johnson, and Faye Gee. Brendan, please go ahead.

There, Brendan Hickey, Concord Ave, urging you to reject policy orders one and two. Every time we have an opportunity to expand bike infrastructure, we hear about process. We have meeting after meeting after meeting, and then maybe after a year it gets passed. Whenever someone wants to roll back bike lanes, it happens in a heartbeat. It's ridiculous. So please vote against this. Thanks.

Our next speaker is Amelia Baum, followed by Austin Ledzian. Amelia is not with us. We will go to Austin. Austin, one minute. Please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Austin Legend. I live on 295 Harvard Street, which is one street from Broadway, and I urge you to vote no on PO 1 and 2 to not delay the planned safety changes. I own a car that I park in Cambridge, and I also walk on Broadway regularly. I'm well aware that since 2022 there have been over 40 crashes on Broadway, including 10 bike injuries and seven pedestrian injuries. And we've heard some of those personal accounts of crashes that happened on Broadway tonight. This is not a safe street. It is the job of this council to provide safe streets above all other issues. Vote no to delay the planned safety improvements on Broadway. Furthermore, more bikers on Broadway means less residents that will need parking spaces, less traffic, and safer streets for our children and our seniors. Thank you and vote now to delay.

Our next speaker is Seamus Joyce Johnson, followed by Faye Gee, Phillip Ben, John Corcoran, then Jonathan Anderson. Seamus, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Hi, sorry. My name is Joyce Johnson. I live on Prospect Street. I urge the council to vote no on policy orders one and two. I grew up in Washington, DC and biked to my high school, just like Julian, who spoke earlier. And I was actually hit by a motor vehicle on my way to school one day on a street without protected bike lanes. That was before protected bike lanes were common in the United States, except in Cambridge, which has been a leader in developing protected bike infrastructure since all the way back in 2004 when the Vassar Street protected bike lanes were installed and they were some of the first in the country. More recently in 2022, I moved here for graduate school, partly because of the cycling safety ordinance, which I thought was a model for how cities around the country should approach planning protected bike infrastructure. So it's extremely disappointing to me to see the hard work of city employees who have spent years performing extensive outreach on these types of projects being ignored by the counselors who are proposing these policy orders. Please vote no.

Our next speaker is Faye Gee, followed by Phillip Ben, John Corcoran, Jonathan Anderson, and Becca Phillips. Faye, one minute, please go ahead.

Hi, my name is Faye. I have lived in Cambridge for over 10 years. I currently live in Cambridgeport on McGee Street. I greatly benefit from the separated bike lanes on Western Ave. And because of the separated bike lanes near me, I opt to bike or walk much more than I drive, even though I have a car. I'd like it to be more safe to bike and walk in Cambridge and these bike lanes will help to do that. Please don't delay the bike lanes on Broadway any longer. Please vote no on policy orders one and two and yes on policy orders five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Phillip Ben. Phillip is not with us. We will go to John Corcoran. John Corcoran has not joined. We will go to Jonathan Anderson. Jonathan Anderson has not joined. We will go to Becca Phillips. Becca Phillips is not joined. We will go to Hans Gunther. Hans, I believe you have your hand up. Please go ahead. You have the floor. One minute.

I'm actually a resident of Somerville, but I work at MIT around Kendall Square. and I regularly need to go for meetings to the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics on Garden Street. I've been doing that for the last 15 years or so, and I've had a couple of spots on Broadway that I'm not comfortable with cycling and that I've always wondered what can be done to make that safer. I've been looking forward to the protected bike lanes to get me back in force for a while, so I hope I really urge you to put them in as... So vote no on one and two and yes and five and six. Since I'm not a Cambridge resident, even if I don't have a car, but even if I had a car, taking a car wouldn't be an alternative because I can't park it on both sides. My employer doesn't provide parking on other spots somewhere. So cycling is by far the best way to get around. Cambridge has a large number of jobs for people who don't live in Cambridge and we also need to get around. We need to get there and we need to get back. Thanks.

Our next speaker is Henry Lieberman. Henry Lieberman, followed by Isabella Caruso, Christopher Morris, then Chinara Elder. Henry.

Hello. Yes. Can you hear me?

Yes.

Yes. So my name is Henry Lieberman. I live on Chauncey Street in Harvard Square. And I've lived in Cambridge for about 55 years. I'm 73 years old. And I bicycle every day between my home in Harvard Square and MIT. It's a distance of about three miles. Broadway is the direct route. So I'm on this road every day. It is not safe. I've also been a witness to an accident that has happened in Broadway. And I want to urge the council to support the bicycle, implementing as fast as possible the bicycle safety ordinance. which I'm proud of to be in Cambridge and being on the vanguard of fighting for climate change. Other cities have gone through this. What happens is there's an objection, but eventually people get used to it and improves the city. I've seen that in many other cities. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Isabella Caruso. Isabella, one minute, please.

Hi, my name is Isabella Caruso. I'm an MIT graduate student, so a Somerville resident, but I bike through Cambridge every day. I want to really encourage you to vote no on one and two, yes on five and six. We need more bike lanes. I've gotten to see firsthand over the course of my PhD just how much having bike lanes on Hampshire, the new protected bike lanes, has increased people biking, which is so exciting because the more people that are biking means fewer people on the roads, means the people who really need to drive. It's an easier process for them. So, yeah, I would just like to encourage that we not delay any further. You've heard from so many people, other people, and I agree that it's a safety issue and safety really is what we should be emphasizing here. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Christopher Morris, followed by Chinara Elder, then Lee Manley. Christopher, please go ahead. You have one minute.

Hi, my name is Christopher Morris. I live on Antrim Street, which is a one way street that feeds onto Broadway. And I've been a resident of Cambridge for six years, hopefully many more to come. I'm urging you to vote for no delays to the Broadway safety project. I rely on my bicycle to travel. And like so many of those who've already spoken, who live in the area, it didn't take me long upon moving to Antrim Street to learn that I should really avoid Broadway if I value my life. And that doesn't seem like a really fair question to be posed to someone just trying to get around. So I really hope that we can avoid delays to the Broadway safety improvements. Thank you.

Thank you. We are at speaker number 200, Chinara Elder. Chinara has left. We will go to Leigh Manley, followed by Dean Mazur, Steven Crossman, then Sean Kennedy. Leigh, you have one minute.

I can hear me.

Yes, please go ahead.

Hi, my name's Lee. I live in West Cambridge. I've lived in Cambridge for a long time now. We have a beautiful bike lane over here in West Cambridge on Brattle Street. You can see on people's faces, they're smiling from ear to ear because they're so much less stressed out on this bike lane that's well separated from the drivers. And it seems to be much more populated than Broadway, which is such much more of a main throwaway. So I really want to encourage you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes, on policy orders five and six. I would love to be able to use Broadway without being afraid of being struck by a vehicle. I was struck by a vehicle on my bike about 10 years ago in Harvard Square. It's not fun. And yeah, I'd love to be able to get back and forth between Boston and West Cambridge, because right now I'm too afraid.

Lee, please email the remainder. Our next speaker, speaker number 202, Dan Mazur, followed by Steven Crossman, Sean Kennedy, then Serby Agrawal. Dan? Dan is not here. We will go to Steven Crossman. Steven, you have the floor. One minute. Please go ahead.

Hello, my name is Steve Crossman. I'm 37 years old. I live on Erie Street in Cambridgeport. I'm here to advise or recommend that you vote no on one and two. I know parking is important for people who need it, but honestly, the people who need it should have access. It's just that the majority of people who are parking there aren't the people who need it. um so we really shouldn't we should find a way to accommodate those people without without really catering to the majority who just have a car because it's convenient because it's the default um i've been biking in boston for years i've had several you know near-death experiences as you've heard many tonight and you know i think cambridge is a special town because we're really nearing that critical mass where people are starting to actually feel safe out there so I think we need to keep that momentum going.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Sean Kennedy, followed by Surabhi Agrawal, then Matthew Green. Sean? Sean, you have the floor.

Hi, I'm Sean Kennedy. I just want to say that I support bike lanes in Cambridge. I bike on them every single day, and they're very important for me to get to work. Please vote no on one and two. Thanks.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Sorby Agrawal followed by Matthew Green. Sorby has left. We will go to Matthew Green followed by James Collins, Lawrence Adkins, then Dan Dieterich. Matthew Green is not here. We will go to James Collins. James, you have the floor. Please go ahead.

Hi, my name is James Collins. I'm a former resident of Ware Street in Cambridge, just off Broadway, and currently residing in Boston. I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on policy orders five and six. I have and continue to spend a significant amount of time biking around Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston, as my primary mode of transportation around the Boston area is via bicycle. And as someone who experiences near misses with motor vehicles on a nearly weekly basis, I can attest that though Cambridge has made really good progress in providing protected bike lanes, the safe infrastructure is still not sufficient. And I urge you for the safety of both myself and other cyclists to not delay any planned safe biking infrastructure. Thank you and good night.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Lawrence Adkins. Then we're going to go back to Surabhi Agarwal. Lawrence, please go ahead.

Good evening. I'm asking the council to vote yes on one and two. My scurrying around the city, I run into other bicyclists who make it plain and clear that there is plenty of lanes availability out there. And this move, a continuation, does not demonstrate the devil in the details. We make reference to the CFO, but all of these twists and turns in it weren't presented then. And had they been, we would not be here almost like at each other's stroke with this decision. So this council has a responsibility to make sure that all are involved. And no matter what is being said, science or whatever, they are not specific to Cambridge. And 40 accidents over three years, if I was in a car, would be amazing. Otherwise, we would have a host of people here trying to sell bicycle insurance, because that's an opportunity for somebody to make some money. I'm not saying that the accidents that have occurred should be avoided. But I am saying that the number of them, the way they're being presented is false. Because if it was that number, we would have had done something long ago. So let's face this for what it is. a fuller conversation, a much more detailed presentation by those who are supposed to be working for all of us and not just particular audiences like bikers. The bikers are the ones who are well informed. Everybody else who should have a right, like the park where they live at, are not. And they are suffering on the end that they all of a sudden now are being told they're going to have to do without. And it's shocking. And I've been in this city 70 years. I am fifth generation. And there are big numbers of those who have not been involved in this. Clean your act up and don't make this mistake because election time is upon us. And if you think this conversation it's not going to impact them, then fine. Thank you and good night.

Thank you. We are going to go back to Surabhi Agrawal. Surabhi, if you could unmute yourself, you have one minute.

Thank you. I am strongly advocating for continuing the bike lane project. I've been living in Cambridge for four years now. I take the Broadway route to work every day to downtown. And I think protected bike lanes are crucial. In fact, a year ago, last winter, I was on my bike on Broadway and because of a very strong gust of wind, I fell from my bike and broke my elbow. It was pretty dangerous because like literally I fell on the street, like all of my stuff was strewn all over the street. And I think having been in a protected bike lane in that circumstance would have been a much better situation. And I know there's so many bikers who on my daily commute, I see biking to work every day on Broadway. the intersections feel a little bit dangerous right now because there's like no protection there and like really exposed and even um the other sections where there's like no protected bike lanes or sometimes like i've had a car thanks siri please email us the remainder our next speaker is dan dietrich followed by anna knoer joe ronan then dave dixon dan

Hello, I'm Dan Dietrich, bike accident survivor. I've lived for 15 years on Otis Street in East Cambridge, 68 years old, recently retired, happily. I bike everywhere I can. I bike on Broadway. I get my bike maintained at Broadway Bicycle School. I'm asking you to vote no on these policy orders. They don't solve anything. We still have the same infrastructure problem. It's a very complicated problem, overly constrained. It's going to require some compromise on everyone's parts. But we need to keep people safe. We need to prioritize bicycles over cars. Why are the bikes the ones who have to go to the other streets? and adapt to cars. And if parking is so important, maybe we should make the street one way. We could save all the parking. We could have two bike lanes. But no, it would be too inconvenient.

Thank you, Dan. Our next speaker is Anna Knower, followed by Joe Ronane, Dave Dixon, then Connor Ewald. Anna or Anna, please go ahead.

Yes, hello. I'm Anna. I live on 84 Lyon Street, so just bordering on Cambridge. I'm a new resident. I moved here in fall last year, and it was just a striking contrast to hear on the one hand lots of stories from people I met during the first weeks, you know, having accidents, near misses, et cetera, on certain streets like Broadway, contrasted with the area, Inman Square, Cambridge Street, that are right around the corner from where I live, which I've just found absolutely fantastic. The, you know, the life that goes on there is, you know, just makes me so happy. And I heard from people that, you know, this was due to good management of the project. You know, people also had concerns about parking businesses, but it was well managed. And now I think it's a wonderful area and I hope Broadway will be similar. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Joe Ronan. Joe, one minute. Joe has not joined us. We will go to Dave Dixon, followed by Connor Ewald, then John White. Dave? Hi, my name... Dave, did you maybe turn the mic off? Yes, light should be green.

It's green now. Can you hear me?

Okay, good. Please go ahead.

I'm weird because I moved to Cambridge with six children. We moved here a year ago because Cambridge is charming as heck. We drove around. We saw the bike lanes. We were charmed to pieces. We're like all the access of a big city. Everything's amazing. And then we moved just off of Broadway. And if you've seen any of those old videos of New York or San Francisco in 1905, and it's just a free-for-all on the streets, we didn't realize that's what Broadway is. And we have kids who are going to high school, twins going to high school next year, another set of kids that go to Cambridge Port, and another set that right now go to Putnam Avenue. Every single one of those can only connect on Broadway. All the other streets are so charming and amazing. I know change is hard. I get it. This is why incumbents almost always win, because change is scary. We all like how we have it, but please put in the bike lanes. We're here because we love it, but we happen to move next to a crazy street. Thank you.

Connor Ewald, followed by John White.

Hey, my name is Connor. I live on Charles Street. I'm urging you to vote no on POs 1 and 2 and yes to POs 5 and 6. I moved to Cambridge last year from a city that was extremely car-focused. Cambridge's focus on safe bike infrastructure has allowed me to get away without having a car, and it allows me to feel safe on the majority of routes that I take on my daily commute. But I have to take Broadway when I'm visiting friends, going to the library or just going further in town. And it is by far the road I feel least safe on in Cambridge. The lack of safety is something that obviously so many other speakers have highlighted and that many others can attest to personally by accidents they've had. And so the improvements for Broadway in the CSO are absolutely critical to our community member safeties, not just cyclists, even pedestrians. But I also want to echo a statement that's been made several times now. The CSO has been approved several times in the past several years. In that time, the plan has been publicly available and hearings have been held on it. It would be just wasteful and inappropriate at this point to delay the project objections that were already considered and addressed at appropriate times. So vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. Thank you.

Our next speaker is John White, followed by Benjamin Fox, then Darren Buck. John? John has left. We will go to Benjamin Fox. Ben, one minute. Please go ahead.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

Thank you. My name is Ben Fox and I used to live in Cambridge for 10 years. I now live in Somerville. I'm attending tonight to encourage you to vote no on POs 1 and 2, yes on 5 and 6. I find myself commuting through the Broadway area of Cambridge, sometimes by bike, sometimes in a car, but no matter the mode of transportation, I always feel more nervous when traveling on streets that do not have separated bike lanes. It makes it so much easier for cyclists and drivers to know where each should be. Delaying the construction and implementation of bike lanes makes crashes more likely. and undermines the city's climate and vision zero goals. Please do not delay the construction of the Cambridge biking safety warnings any further. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Darren Buck, followed by Sheila Headley, Ruby Vailed, and Miles Johnston. Darren, one minute.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Great. I'm here to speak against policy orders one and two that would delay or kill Broadway all ages bike facilities. Please don't break the promise of the CSO to constituents and remove Broadway from the CSO. I worry this is going to set a precedent for what would come to Mass Ave next, just as Cambridge Street previewed and you will very directly endanger my daughter and I. Please instead empower your DOT to mitigate without trading away safety in the short term. I empathize with concerns about removing street parking, but suspending all work until some high targeted number of spaces can be provided is simply a backdoor attempt to end any possibility of ever making this street safe for kids like mine to ride on. I'd suggest instead you instruct the DOT to identify ways they can immediately mitigate the parking reduction AND SET A PROCESS AND GOAL FOR LONG-TERM MITIGATION IN THE FUTURE THAT LEVERAGES BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE AND APPROPRIATELY RESOURCE THE DOT WITH A SPECIALIST IN CURBSIDE PARKING DATA AND PLANNING TO ADDRESS CITYWIDE ISSUES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE'LL HEAR FROM SHEILA HIDLEY FOLLOWED BY RUBY VALE, MILES ROBINSON, MATTIAS REMILLARD AND JOAN MARGRETA. SHEILA, I BELIEVE YOU NEED TO PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE YOUR PHONE. Can you hear me? Yes, please go ahead. Hello? We can hear you.

Good evening. I'm voting yes on one and two. And the reasons are because tonight I hear a lot of implementation. We continue to want to implement bicycle lanes on streets. Today is Broadway. Tomorrow it's going to be the highway. Okay. I don't know how many bike lanes, even the MBTA doesn't operate on every single street. So we're going to have to give some consideration somewhere and at some point in time. And I also feel like if we're going to share the roads so gracefully with bicycles, then we should be sharing the excise taxes as well. And accidents we have with everybody, pedestrians, bicycles, and cars. So we can sit and have the statistics on accidents and deaths, you know, sincerely, we don't want those. They happen. They happen for everyone, bicycles, pedestrians, and cars. So we need to take all that into consideration, not just the fact that we want to save lives.

Sheila, apologies, your time has expired. Please email the remainder. Our next speaker is Ruby Vale, followed by Miles Robinson. Ruby, one minute.

Hi, can you hear me? Yes. I am urging the council to vote no on delaying the Broadway bike lanes. I commute all over Cambridge on all different modes, but even as a driver, I feel safer on streets where there are bike lanes because I know that I won't harm anyone with my vehicle. So I urge you to continue the plan as already established to implement bike lanes on Broadway. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Miles Robinson, followed by Matthias Remillard, Joan Magretta, Joel Nodrick, then Aparna Paul. Miles, one minute.

Hello. I just want to say I'm speaking in my capacity as a resident and not representing my role on the Transit Advisory Committee. Vote no on one and two and yes on five and six. I am a commuter in Cambridge. I ride a bicycle. I'm also a pedestrian and a driver on occasion as well. And I do want to thank the city for the work that it's done on the Brattle protected bike lane, which gives my commute the same peace of mind that I have when I drive on well-designed streets. Furthermore, I often see residents using mobility aids and making use of these lanes instead of the rough brick sidewalks that can mess with their commutes. And I agree with an earlier speaker that responsibility is the order of the day. A half-finished plan is not representative of the system that was promised to the residents of Cambridge those years ago. So let's finish the plan. Thank you.

Matthias Remillard, one minute. And for those waiting, we're at speaker 220. Go ahead, Matthias.

All right. Good evening. My name is Matthias Remillard. I live at 16 Winter Street in Somerville, but I work in Cambridge in Central Square, and I frequently bike all throughout Cambridge and walk through Cambridge as well. And I am urging the council to vote no on policy orders one and two and to not delay the implementation of bike lanes on Broadway. and instead to support policy orders five and six, which are common sense measures that address the concerns of people who are fearing about parking being taken away. This is not the time to compromise. The fact that we're doing the project at all on Broadway with paint and plastic is the compromise. Broadway is part of the cycling safety ordinance, and it's a little bit ridiculous that we have to relitigate this every few months when it's common sense as to why the Broadway is on the CSO. There's so many parks and schools and libraries that people want to get to. So please make it safe. Thank you.

Thank you. We're going to go back to earlier skipped speaker, Joe Ronan. Joe, please go ahead.

Hello?

Yes, Joe.

Yes.

Please go ahead.

I can barely hear you.

We can hear you. You have one minute.

You have to litigate this every few months when it's common sense as to why the Broadway is on the CS.

Hello.

Yes, please go ahead. You have the floor.

Okay, thank you so much. My name is Joe Ronane here on Avenue. My family and I are inveterate bikers to the point we have two tandem bikes and historic weekly commutes as long as 130 miles. I've been struck by cars twice. Both times a bike lane would not have prevented the accident. The accident so many of us suffer speak to how inherently dangerous biking is. That said, as a biker, I want to speak for those less fortunate and unable to bike, the elderly, the mobility challenge, the non-remote workers of those with long commutes. This majority of our residents are underrepresented tonight, perhaps less able to take advantage of this process or of a pack akin to the biking-based pack so active in Cambridge. We can take note that many people over 50 or with long commutes are not as disposed to bike lanes. By themselves, bike lanes will not zero out accidents. We need a bolder plan contributing to greater bike safety while supporting alternatives for all of our residents. As an aside, we have 240 speakers tonight. I fear this indicates a broken city planning and decision-making process. I know we can all do better.

Our next speaker is Joan Magretta. Joan has not joined us. We will go to Joel Nodgik followed by Aparna Paul. Joel, if you can unmute yourself, you have one minute.

Thank you. My name is Joel Nodgik. I live at 94 Clifton Street in North Cambridge next to Russell Field. I've been at that location for 33 years and in Cambridge for 45. I'm a founding member of the Elway Study Group and I'm speaking on two items as on behalf of the Elway Study Group. I'm speaking in support of Charter Right at Number 4, which is a policy order last week, encouraging the state and the MBTA to include planning for CSO mitigation reductions in the RFP for the Elwife Garage reconstruction. And I know there were some concerns last week, but we think with some slight amendments, this policy order would be very useful. And they also, speaking in favor of the policy order for eliminating the use of second generation anticoagulant rodent site in city properties. Thank you.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Aparna Paul, followed by David Hattis, George Leight, Joseph Poirier, then Brandon Leahy. Aparna, one minute.

I urge the City Council to vote no on Policy Orders 1 and 2 and yes on Policy Orders 5 and 6. I am a Cambridge resident. I live in the Port neighborhood and I work in Union Square in Somerville, so I bike on Broadway twice a day as part of my daily commute. Beyond using Broadway to get to work, I'm also a writer and I bike to the Cambridge Public Library main branch for my writing group. It's already hard enough as it is to live as an artist in this city and I don't need to add worried about potential injury or fatality while merely moving through the city to the list. I rent and I and none of my roommates have cars and I believe that providing more transportation options like these protected bike lanes on Broadway allows people to choose the mode of transit that works best for them on a trip. Moreover, it moves towards centering the needs of people rather than the needs of cars. I learned how to bike in urban environments on the streets of Cambridge, and I couldn't do that without feeling a baseline level of safety and security as I was getting up to speed. As more and more residents and folks in Cambridge take up biking, it's imperative that we keep that barrier to access low.

Our next speaker is David Hattis. David, one minute, please go ahead.

David had us 393 Broadway. I'm in support of continuing to build the protected bike lanes on Broadway and elsewhere in Cambridge. I'm really appreciative of the existing protected bike lanes. They make a really big difference in terms of safety. And in terms of just comfort as well, when you're on a protected bike lane, you can relax. It doesn't feel like you're in imminent danger. And so it makes biking a lot more enjoyable. And I think that's why... Whenever you see a protected bike lane put in, you see an enormous increase in ridership of bikes, and that has benefits. It means fewer people are driving, less traffic, less carbon dioxide emissions, better air quality. And, you know, living on Broadway, I see the number of people that are already biking on Broadway, despite it not being so safe. And I just think that there's a huge demand, pent up demand to want to bike on Broadway. Thank you.

The next speaker, George Leight, is not here. We will go to Joseph Poirier, followed by Brandon Leahy, Tavor Baharav, then Jonas Chee. Joseph? Joseph Poirier, if you can unmute yourself.

Hi, Joe Poirier, 87 and Half Sherman Street. I'm calling to ask you to vote no on POs 1 and 2 and yes on 5 and 6. I'm a long-time Cambridge resident, grew up here, bike to CRLS almost every day with my friends from Cambridgeport. I still bike almost every day, often on Broadway on my commute to downtown Boston. It's the fastest and most direct route. And I have two kids that are growing up here now, and they already love biking, although we're very careful about where we let them bike and where we go biking with them. But I think this Broadway project is a great one because the whole street is basically a gigantic tour zone. All the bike lanes are in. door zone. And you may recall that during is exactly how, uh, Dana Laird was killed in central and Amanda Phillips was killed and then square. So putting protected bike lanes on the street will make it better for me, for my family and so many other families in Cambridge.

Thank you.

Brandon Leahy followed by Tavor Baharov, then Jonas G Brandon.

Hi. My name is Brandon Leahy. I live on Bowdoin Street in Boston, and I am speaking in support of the Broadway bike lane. Before returning to Massachusetts, I had the privilege of living in the Netherlands for three years. I learned there firsthand how people and businesses alike thrive in car-light and car-free urban environments. A good city and indeed the best cities promote walking, public transit, and cycling over car usage. Although we have much work to do even in Cambridge, the Broadway bike lane is an opportunity to move further in this direction. Let us continue to correct the transportation policy mistakes of the 20th century. Let us replace parked cars with cyclists. And let us make Cambridge a more vibrant and more livable urban community. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Tavor Baharov. Tavor, one minute.

Hi, so my name is Tavor Baharov. I live on Mass Ave in Cambridge, and I'm asking you to vote no on policy orders one and two. I'm a postdoc at the Broad Institute in Kendall, and every morning I'd bike to work. This morning I had to detour from my normal bike route due to construction on Main Street and ended up, surprisingly, taking Broadway in. This was an unnerving commute, biking with zero separation from any cars. Improved bike lanes that the city council has already voted for and approved seem like an obvious step towards making this safer and easier. I have never before attended these meetings, but would like to be able to bike safely in Cambridge. I've been to several ghost bike dedication ceremonies in my two years living here, commemorating cyclists killed in crashes. I would like not to attend anymore. Please move forward with approved and planned bike lanes. Thank you for your time.

Our next speaker is Jonas G. Jonas, one minute.

Hi, mic check.

Yes, Jonas, please go ahead.

Great. Hi, I'm Jonas. I'm speaking on PO 1 and 2, urging to vote no. Obviously, I live off of Cambridge Street. I've been around since 2013, back when biking to Harvard or Boston via Mass Ave was just an absolute nail-biter. But now, with the CSO improvements rolling out, I can bike anywhere the green paint touches, Union, Harvard, Back Bay, MIT. Great. No sweat. Coincidentally, the only time I've been hit was on Broadway. Someone bumped my rear tire with their two-ton SUV. It was fun and that was all right, but needless to say, a separated bike lane would have avoided that accident and perhaps also the other stories that have ended less well. I think of you know, John Corcoran, I'm in drive of mean tea nearby. And I wonder if, you know, there's just a certain blood price that has to be paid. You know, do I or someone else have to keep taking hits before we stop delaying things that are already decided? Anyway, voting on PO one and two is the right thing to do for any city that values life and any city that expects growth from an urban planning perspective. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Megan Finnegan, followed by Mark Van Middlesworth, then Avery Louie. Megan.

Good evening, counselors. Thank you for staying late and listening to our public comments. My name is Megan Finnegan, and I live on Albany Street. I'm a graduate student at MIT, and I bike everywhere. I'm about to move to a house just off Broadway, and I'm really excited but also apprehensive knowing that I'll be biking on Broadway all the time, a place where I feel unsafe. This is a public health and safety issue. When someone is injured biking on Broadway, we shouldn't respond by saying they should have taken Cambridge or Hampshire Street instead. Our kids, neighbors, and community members aren't going to stop taking Broadway, and nor should they have to. It's our collective responsibility to ensure that our streets are safe for everybody. For the past almost four hours, your constituents have made it clear, we want protected bike lanes on Broadway. As our elected representatives, we are counting on you to act in the interest of public safety. I urge you to vote no on policy orders one and two, and yes on five and six. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Our next speaker is Mark Van Middlesworth, followed by Avery Louie. I believe we heard from Douglas Baker. Mark? Mark, if you can unmute yourself.

Hi, my name is Mark Van Middlesworth. I've lived in Cambridge 19 years and I decided to buy a home here in large part because of Cambridge's excellent cycling infrastructure. Broadway is scary and I think we've all discussed this a lot by this point and it's sad to see the council backpedaling, no pun intended, on stuff that's been endlessly planned and discussed. So yeah, vote no on one and two. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Avery Louie, followed by Ian McGoldrick, then Lois Jo Simovich. Avery?

Hello. I'm here to ask you to vote no on 1 and 2, yes on 5 and 6, as many people have. I've been a street parker in Somerville for many years, and I can tell you that with 18 people in that building that I live in, we require an entire city block to park our cars. There's just no way to solve that problem. There's too many people. Not everyone is going to be able to park their car in the street here. If you think about it, if you're essentially renting your car spot, it's a great deal if you have a car. 30, 25 bucks or something. That space that belongs to the people of Cambridge, not to people who own houses. And I think that we've heard what they want tonight. And what they want is to feel as safe in their bikes as they do in their cars. Thanks.

Our next speaker is Ian McGoldrick, followed by Lois Josimovic.

Hi. I'm Ian McGoldrick. I live at 100 Memorial Drive. I'm actually moving over to Fayette in September, all going well. My wife and I had our first child in January. We're very excited. He's six months old. He's already taken his first bike rides. We have a safe bicycle to do that, and it's not like he's sitting on the back hanging off our shoulders. She couldn't be here tonight and my son couldn't be here tonight because they are home sleeping. He's a newborn. But I'm here to speak, I think, for the folks that can't be here to speak tonight. I often hear that used as justification for ignoring the 1600 petitioners and the supporters of bike infrastructure that usually do come to these meetings. My son Luke is unable to represent himself here tonight even though his future depends on our choices. Many of our kids are not here able to ask you for safe routes to school, though they deserve the freedom to move about the city without having to worry about their lives. The cyclists who have lost their lives are also not here to represent themselves. So I just ask you to remember that, and please vote no on one and two, and yes on five and six. Thank you.

Thanks, and our next speaker, Lois Drasimovich, is not in the Zoom. We will go to Phyllis Brethold, followed by Heather Hoffman. Phyllis, if you can unmute yourself, you have the floor.

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Okay. I'm 86 years old. I ride my bike, and I also drive. I live on Antrim Street, and I have taken photographs of the street where there is not a parked car, both in the early morning and in the evening, and the only places where there's not a parked car is where there's a driveway, and there are very few of those. The negative impact on residents who live on Broadway and on the narrow streets that intersect with Broadway is all too obvious and current residents often have to drive around a few adjacent blocks looking for places to park. With a large housing project planned for the corner of Broadway and Windsor and no parking available for those residents, it's an extremely difficult problem that is just increasing. Given the bicycle lanes on Cambridge and Hampshire Street, there are now very safe, accessible bike lanes. I have a major problem with the fact that there is no master plan for the development of bike lanes in the city. Thank you, Phyllis.

Please email us the remainder. Our final speaker is Heather Hoffman. Heather, you have one minute. Please go ahead.

Thank you.

Hello, Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street. I thank all of the people who talked about the CSO outing Alewife so that I don't have to say anything about why this is a good idea. But I would point out that at the planning board meeting utility discussion this last week, Kathy Watkins left a strong misimpression about why there's sewage in people's basements. With respect to dwelling unit size, really guys, think about what you are condemning people to if they actually want to live here. And finally, the parking study. Why don't we leave out the AHOs? If we're looking at parking and cars, Then count the parking in the cars, please. Thank you. Madam Mayor, high five.

That was our final speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Stuckley. This concludes public comment on a motion by Councilor Wilson to close public comment. Any discussion? We can adjourn, too. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? The ayes have it. I want everyone to stand just for a moment. Just stand up. You've been sitting for a very long time. Mr. City Manager, you haven't been sitting. Sit on down. Okay, great. Just stretch for a moment. But very seriously, I do want us to just pause for a moment For a moment of silence, I want us to remember our colleagues in service in Minnesota that were recently shot and killed. And it's a very interesting and serious time that we live in. And so I say for us to stand and remember them. But also let's remember to give each other a little bit of grace. Regardless of what we talk about or what we do, remember to give ourselves just a little bit of grace. So we can just pause for a moment of silence. We're gonna pass over the submission of the records and reconsideration. We're gonna move right to the city manager's agenda. Of course, we're gonna pull number one, which is the city manager's federal update. What's the pleasure, Vice Mayor?

Number six.

Number six.

Madam Mayor. Two and four.

Madam Mayor.

Give me a moment. Two and four, yes.

Number one and five.

I pulled number one, so you want number five? Five, thank you.

Madam Mayor, number four.

Number four has been pulled by Council Turner. So right now, I've pulled the number one to get the federal update from the city manager. Council Turner pulled number two. Council Turner pulled number four. Council Sobrinho-Wheeler pulled number five, and the Vice Mayor pulled number six. So there's only, I think, one item remaining. It's a roll call on the appropriation, and I'll just read it. It says, transmitting communication from Yan Wang, city manager relative to the authorization for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Revolving Fund.

Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll? Councilor Azeem. Yes, Vice Mayor McGovern.

Thank you.

Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

And the authorization for the Renewable Energy and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Revolving Fund passes on the affirmative vote of nine members. It's also placed on file. We'll go back to number one. This is a communication from City Manager Yan Wang. relative to a federal update. Mr. City Manager, the floor is yours.

Thank you, through you, Mayor Simmons. Thank you for opening us with a moment of silence, and we continue to live through a uniquely challenging time. As we saw over the weekend, an important part of our democracy is freedom of speech, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances. As we have seen tonight, we certainly are a local community and a local government that exercises that right vigorously, and that's a good thing. I KNOW THAT THIS BODY HAS BEEN SPEAKING UP ON A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, AND I ALSO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW LAST WEEK THAT AS PART OF THE METRO MAYOR'S COALITION, WE AS THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SIGNED ONTO A JOINT STATEMENT WITH 14 CITIES AND TOWNS TO SPEAK AGAINST ICE ACTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. INCREASINGLY, WE ARE SEEING ICE TAKE ACTIONS NOT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO POSE A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY, but arresting bystanders with no criminal records. This includes detaining people without identifying them correctly, raising questions about whether ICE is engaging in racial profiling. This includes entrapping people who are coming into immigration court to be part of a legal process. And this includes violently breaking into vehicles and dragging people out. It's important that we are speaking with a collective voice, and so I'm excited that Cambridge is standing with Boston, Brookline, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Newton, Revere, Salem, Somerville, and Worcester together. As one of the co-chairs of the Metro Mayor's Coalition, I believe that it isn't just what we are seeing in our community. What is happening in Lynn and Chelsea matters to us because they could arrive here tomorrow or the day after. And as we have seen with our local universities, it isn't just about those who are being targeted standing up, but also about giving a voice to all those who see what is happening and believe that it's wrong. And so as we have so many of these discussions focused on Cambridge, I also want to welcome continued discussions with the council and the city about how we can act regionally and coordinate together on how we address the challenges that we are seeing coming from the federal government. I've also been discussing with the law department how significant the courts are in this moment. The boundaries of the Constitution are being tested and also the ability of the courts to enforce their decisions. As I shared last week, there's been real harm and real hope. Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador by mistake by the federal administration, and two weeks ago when we were discussing this, he was still in El Salvador, and top federal officials declared that he was never returning. Today, he is back in the United States, though still not free. There's real harm in this case and so many others, but also hope that our justice system is working. In light of how we are all trying to keep track of these important court cases, we are looking to put together a summary of the major court cases that are affecting Cambridge. For tonight, I'll turn it over to City Solicitor Beyer and Assistant City Solicitor uh let bianca to provide a summary of the key cases the city has been involved in and for our next meeting on june 30th we will provide a write-up of cases that we are tracking which are of particular interest to the city including sanctuary jurisdictions federal funding to municipalities and federal funding decisions that impact the city international students and high-profile cases harvard university and other cases the council requests updates about But we'll get something in writing submitted for the 30th and continue to keep that updated. And for tonight, I will turn it over to the city solicitor.

Solicitor Behr. Thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. Attorney LaPianca and I will talk about just a few cases that are of significant interest or that we're involved in. So starting, I believe the city manager mentioned in a past update that the city is involved in a case called King County versus Turner that has to do with grant conditions that have been imposed on HUD continuum of care grants, as well as a number of Department of Transportation and its sub-agency grants. So the update on that case, we joined a case that was already in progress. to challenge grant conditions that were imposed on HUD Continuum of Care grants. The city receives about $6 million in HUD Continuum of Care grants. And the recent conditions would require that the city certify such things as certify that it does not operate any programs that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, or certify that the The programs will require recipients of funds to verify their immigration status, and these conditions are unlawful and were not conditions we could agree to. The court has now issued a second preliminary injunction that applies to the city of Cambridge as a party. and says that the HUD and the other agencies named in the case cannot enforce those grant conditions. And so the city can move forward with our grant agreements with HUD striking out the offending conditions and HUD is ordered to provide the funds. The latest development was that the federal government has appealed from that preliminary injunction decision, so it remains in place at this time, and there will be a briefing schedule and an argument schedule before the Ninth Circuit. But at this time, we are working on entering into those grant agreements without the problematic conditions and drawing down the funds that the city is entitled to. Two other cases that the city is involved in are two cases where we're filing amicus briefs to support, along with other municipalities, to support the plaintiffs in the case. One is the case known as Newsom v. Trump, which is the California case filed challenging the order to take the National Guard and have the National Guard respond in Los Angeles in response to the protests. That case was brought by the governor in the state of California, challenging that action for a number of reasons and requesting a declaration that that action was unlawful. The uh on june 12th the u.s district court ruled that the national guard deployment was illegal and violated the 10th amendment the federal government then moved for a stay of that order so the court had said it was illegal and violated the 10th amendment and the national guard um That authority was revoked. The National Guard could not be responding at the request of the federal administration. But then the federal government essentially wanted to temporarily stay that order. And the court did grant a stay on that same day. So now tomorrow there's a hearing scheduled at the Ninth Circuit to further consider whether there should be a stay of that order. And we have joined in a brief with other municipalities in support of the plaintiffs and expressing that the interest of municipalities in that case is that we've developed policies and practices that balance the individual rights of residents with public safety needs. And the deployment of military to local protests inflames protests and interferes with the local government's ability to safely and effectively respond to those protests. So the information in that brief we are hoping will assist the court in acting on that motion in denying the stay so that the order that the lower court entered remains in place. Another case where we are working on an amicus brief along with other local governments is several consolidated cases, but including the case filed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts against the NIH challenging the 15% cap on incidental costs or That's not the correct terminology. What is it? Indirect costs. 15% cap on the indirect costs. That case, the amicus brief brought by municipalities, is because of the direct economic impact that that has on many municipalities, including Cambridge, where So many industries, businesses in Cambridge receive and rely on that funding for very important research, but also are a very important part of the city's economy. So we are partnering with other municipalities to file a brief in support of that case as well. I'm going to turn it over to Attorney LaBianca for one additional case update. Attorney LaBianca?

Thank you, Madam Mayor, through you. The president and fellows of Harvard College versus Department of Homeland Security. This is a case that we are monitoring at the moment, the one where on May 22nd, 2025, the federal government revoked Harvard certification to enroll international students. This revocation violated the Constitution's Due Process Clause and the Administrative Procedures Act and was in direct retaliation against Harvard's exercise of its First Amendment rights when it disagreed with the federal government's attempt to force conformity with its viewpoint. On May 23rd, 2025, the US District Court from Massachusetts, Judge Burroughs, entered a temporary restraining order that stopped the revocation because Harvard made a sufficient showing that it would sustain immediate and irreparable injury before there is an opportunity to hear all parties. On May 29th, 2025, in acknowledgement of its violation process, the federal government filed a notice of intent to withdraw Harvard certification to enroll international students. That would be the mandatory first step it previously ignored in its attempt to bring Harvard around to its point of view. Later that same day, Harvard and the federal, that is May 29th, Harvard and the federal government appeared again in the federal court where Judge Burroughs continued the temporary restraining order pending entry of an agreed upon preliminary injunction that will allow Harvard to enroll international students for now. The government has since tried to get around the temporary restraining order by invoking a 70-year-old law to block foreigners from entering the country. Harvard argued it has been singled out for such adverse treatment because it refuses to bow to the government's unreasonable efforts to force conformity with its viewpoint. Harvard and the federal government have not been able to agree on the terms of a preliminary injunction, and accordingly, Judge Burroughs stated that she will rule by next week on whether to continue the stay of the government's proclamation barring foreign students from Harvard and attempts to revoke Harvard's certification to enroll foreign students. Pending entry of any such orders, the court's temporary restraining order will remain in effect, and we will continue to observe that case as it develops.

Thank you. Mr. City Manager, do you want to continue? Are you finished? And the solicitors, both complete. Pleasure of the City Council. Any follow-ups? Any follow-ups? Councilman Mellon.

Thank you. Just a very quick through you, Mayor Simmons. Are there any other, we know that of the six million HUD grants, there are a number of other grants that we thought might be in jeopardy of being pulled. Is there any other financially relevant information we should know or any legal cases that we see upcoming or at the state level that you might want to advise us of or apprise us of?

Mr. City Manager?

THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIMMONS, COUNSELOR NOLAN, NOT AT THIS TIME. I THINK THE SORT OF LANDSCAPE HASN'T SHIFTED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE WE FINISHED THE BUDGET PROCESS.

I DON'T HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS. WE'LL KEEP OURSELVES IN PRICE. THANK YOU, MAYOR SIMMONS.

Councilor Nolan yields the floor on a motion by Councilor Nolan to place CMA number 2025-159 on file. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Ayes have it. And the matter is placed on file. We'll now move to number two. This is pulled by Councilor Toner. Reads as follows. A communication transmitted from Yanhuang City Manager relative to the fifth annual cycling safety ordinance report and awaiting report item number 2503 regarding update on the status and timeline for the completion of the Grand Junction multi-use path.

Councilor Tone, the floor is yours. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through you to Ms. McKenna, sorry to keep you here any one minute later than necessary. And I had a very simple question. As you know, the East Cambridge Business Association has been very interested in the progress of Grand Junction. And just from what's in the report and What's the likelihood that this is going to happen? I know it's delayed, but I've also heard rumors that the state might have other plans going forward. Do you have any sense of where the state's at in terms of allowing the city of Cambridge to move forward with Grand Junction and any insight you can give us?

Commissioner McKenna. Madam Mayor, you know, I can say 100% that the city is still moving forward with our plans and are seeking every way possible to move forward. So there is the known delay from the Eversource work. And we have, you know, as we included in the response, we have had we've We've been collaborating with the MBTA and MassDOT through the entire process of the design of the corridor. And in the recent year or so, they have changed some of their positions on, they've really slowed down in reviewing our designs. They've changed their positions on how much distance is needed between the path and the the existing rail lines. They've made some suggestions that we look at something like grade separation at crossings of major roads, which is just absolutely not a credible solution in the Cambridge context. You know, to either bury the rail lines or somehow fly over the road is not possible. SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM AND I CAN HAND IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR APPROACHES.

I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF TECHNICAL DISAGREEMENT WITH THE MBTA AROUND SOME OF THESE DETAILS. I DO HAVE CONCERN THAT IT'S A DEEPER CHANGE IN EXPECTATIONS OR PRIORITIES WITHIN THE MBTA THAT IS LEADING THEM TO BE PRETTY SLOW AND AVOID US ON THIS TOPIC. have had multiple outreaches to leadership. And I think it's been a challenging situation to feel like this has not been their priority. So I think we will continue to seek ways to try to push this important priority. I don't have fantastic ideas. I think ultimately, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE MBTA HAS A LOT ON ITS PLATE. CERTAINLY THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL PLANNING WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. A BIG CHUNK OF THAT WILL TREMENDOUSLY BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. BUT THIS GRAND JUNCTION PROJECT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. WE'VE PUT IN REAL MONEY AND EFFORT. to ensure that there's the appropriate investments and easements to have that path become a reality in the future. And so we'll keep raising it with MBTA. Maybe we'll follow up and see if a sternly worded letter with the council can get some attention. Thank you, Madam Mayor, I yield.

Councilor Toney yields the floor. Councilor Zusy, the floor is yours.

yeah thank you through you madam mayor so is is the delay because of the like the cra's effort to reactivate the grand junction to have it move from west station or is it something different commissioner mckinnon

You know, I think that, you know, we can only speculate on their motivations. I think that anything like the reactivation of the line would be, you know, for passenger service would happen, you know, quite a long time from now. AND WOULD NOT PROCLUDE US MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT NOW EITHER IN A WAY THAT WOULD JUST ACCOMMODATE PASSENGER RAIL ALONGSIDE THE TRAIL OR JUST A COMMITMENT TO ADJUST THE TRAIL AS NEEDED IF WE GOT TO THE POINT WHICH I THINK WE WOULD ALL LOVE IF WE COULD GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD HAVE PASSENGER SERVICE. that is you know the the grand junction trail is a project that could be done in the next few you know as soon as the next as soon as the eversource work is done um so that is a that is a now project and i think that we don't want to see that delayed or really you know not able to move forward with that because of some uh a future project that we also support but one that is is is very a very long way off if it is and it's still very speculative at this point

Council Zusy.

Thank you.

Council Zusy yields the floor. Vice Mayor, Council Wilson, Council Siddiqui. Turner, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Council Nolan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Simmons. Thanks for asking the question about the Grand Junction. Just a quick update on the report on the new flexible parking corridor rules. What's the status of the commercial parking committee in the permit review? Because I know it was in process. Is it actually in place now so that it can happen if people want to do it?

Commissioner McKenna?

Madam Mayor, the application period for the members for the five-person commercial parking control committee was extended to next week. So I would really encourage anyone watching tonight out there who's interested in this topic to submit their application to be on that board. And we're going to get it up and running as soon as we can do the interviews once the application period closes.

Okay, thanks for that update. I hope it happens quickly and you get lots of applicants. Thank you, I yield, Mayor.

Councilor Nolan yields the floor for the discussion. Hearing none, on a motion by Councilor Toner to place on file, all those in favor say aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. And the matter, city manager's agenda item number two is placed on file. We move now to the fourth communication. The city manager's agenda was pulled by Councilor Toner. Reads as follows. Communication transmitted from Yanwang City Manager relative to the submission of the parking impact report. Councilor Toner, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I threw you to Ms. Peters. First of all, I want to thank you. I probably would have been a better thing to thank you just by not pulling it, and then you could have gone home quicker. But I want to thank you for the report. This was something that when Councilor Ziem and others brought it in that I asked to have it included just so we could keep track of what reasons people weren't putting parking in or why they were putting parking in. I have to say the thing I was most surprised by that in the last three years has only been 10 projects put forward that this even impacts and seems to be still too early. It's inconclusive at this point about what the general impact might be. Do you foresee, I know we've passed the new zoning, but are you foreseeing a huge amount of new applications for projects coming in the door at this point that it might be better to get another look back in another year or two?

Assistant City Manager Peters? Thank you, Mayor. So we've certainly seen more interest in inquiries into CDD, ISD, and the Historical Commission about development of the new multifamily zoning. We've yet to see real projects move forward, and so I think that's a I think additional time will tell. So I think, you know, we certainly could do another look back in a year from now to see how this particular one has affected projects moving forward. But as we know, it's residential development in the city is difficult for multiple reasons. And so there hasn't been a lot of activity. But we do think that will increase.

Thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. And the other interesting thing, if I read it correctly, is THE SMALLER THE PROJECT, THE MORE INTERESTED THEY WERE IN STILL HAVING PARKING AND THE LARGER PROJECTS WERE THE ONES THAT WERE SAYING THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD NEED PARKING. IS THAT JUST BECAUSE I THINK MOST OF THE LARGER PROJECTS ARE LOCATED CLOSE TO A BUS OR TRAIN LINE? AM I CORRECT IN WHERE THOSE WERE LOCATED?

THANK YOU. I THINK THERE'S TWO THINGS. THE LARGER PROJECTS WERE IN MORE TRANSIT-RICH AREAS AND THE SMALLER PROJECTS TEND TO BE CONDO PROJECTS. tenancy, whether it was condos or rental, was a big determination in the marketability of the units, where the condo units wanted to have parking available to the future owners.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I yield.

Council Tony yields the floor. Council Nolan?

Thank you. Through you, Mayor Simmons, those were my questions related to getting an update because it was disappointing in some ways. We don't have enough experience yet to know about this impact. The question is, I believe the ordinance itself names July 2025, so would we need an ordinance change or is this enough of this meeting to say we would like a report a year from now and then two years from now in 2026 or even 2027? If the development is very slow, we may need another two years in order to have it. So I don't I don't know if that needs an actual change or we just put it on record that that's what we might expect in order to ensure that we have actually the parking impact.

Assistant City Manager Peters or City Manager Wong, do you want to speak to this?

Yeah, I think we can commit to doing an update. I might suggest in two years, given the slowness of development. But we're happy to commit to that without doing a formal ordinance change.

Councilor Nolan? Great, thank you. I appreciate the work on it. I think it's really useful for us to see the actual projects in and to have them in groups of, okay, this was in progress, this has its permit, but this is under construction. So I appreciate the format and look forward to the report in two years. Thank you, Mayor Simmons, I yield.

Councilor Nolan yields the floor. Councilor Azeem, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. So I just wanted to go over these numbers. I thought they were actually very, very enlightening in that between these numbers are for October 2022 to May 2025, right? So about now three years since the passage of the elimination of parking minimums. Councilor Toner mentioned 10 projects, but as we know, projects like 745 Concord Ave and 2400 Mass Ave aren't necessarily even penciling right now. So we're not sure if it's gonna happen. Only three projects have actually begun construction. And one is eight units with six units of parking. The other one is six with four units, and the last one is nine with 12 units of parking. And so I thought that was very interesting. In the last three years, only three projects have begun construction under this, you know, since this change.

Assistant City Manager Peters.

Yeah, I think that's, you know, kind of the bigger theme that comes from this report is that there's been really a low number of housing development in the city. And so obviously the multi-family zoning was one way to remove a significant barrier to development. But there are other factors that are outside city control. And so we'll continue to monitor and obviously happy to provide an update on this in two years. Councilor Zink.

So I just thought that was really helpful that in like three years we've seen maybe, you know, 15, 23 units of which, you know, all of them have parking. And so just like the concern that, you know, if we eliminated parking minimums that no one would build any parking anymore. The projects that have started construction, you know, no evidence of that. And we're really, you know, only saw like two dozen units being built in the last three years. So I thought that was very interesting. And then just the second question I had is like, you know, this is, slightly just looking forward you know for the projects that have zero parking we've had some discussion at different times about doing what like somerville does and like not allowing them to get off street parking permits because like if they're not building parking maybe you know uh we don't want to use that i forgot where we landed on that is that something that still we think about or is that like did we reach a conclusion on that piece assistant city manager peters

Thank you. I'm not up to speed on what the latest discussion has been, and I'd want to talk to Commissioner McKenna about and certainly we're open to conversations about that and studying what the impacts would be.

Do you want to respond, Councilor Turner?

I just wanted to ask if maybe the solicitor could comment on it, because I know we've had legal opinions in the past that say we can't not allow permits if somebody's a resident of Cambridge. So I don't know if that has changed.

That might be good to hear, because that might be the case. If the solicitor, I'm throwing pens around here. Madam Solicitor, if you'd come forward just to, do you understand the question we're being asked? If you could respond.

Yes, thank you. Through you, Madam Mayor. And I would have to look into that further. Yeah, I don't know off the top of my head.

Thank you. I would just say, like, you know, in general, I hope that the situation is concerns. We limited park minimums and we're still seeing parking being built. Only three projects have actually started construction in the last three years. And in total, it's like 25 units. So it's like pretty small so far. And then just to that point, you know, it doesn't have to be a formal request or something, but if we start seeing projects with, you know, zero parking and there is concern about the impact that has on street parking, I would be interested in reopening that conversation and seeing is there a way that we can say, like, if you're not building parking, maybe you don't get access to that parking permit, maybe they're more expensive, something along those lines I think would be interesting to talk about if that ends up being a topic that emerges. Thank you.

Councilor Zinn, to our solicitor and assistant city manager, that would be interesting to have some updated information about those impacts, particularly around, can we, because I want to say that we had a conversation a thousand years ago around denying, it had to do with Harvard. Harvard was building, and we wanted to encourage Harvard to make parking available for their students. So we said, well, we won't give them parking permits. And we were told, I want to say, but you might correct me, that we could not do that. So it'll be interesting to know if that is indeed the case. for the discussion on the side of the room. Council Zusy.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. It would also be good in the next update to include information about the AHO numbers and how those residents, whether they have vehicles and Yeah, and how that's impacting parking. I know at Frost Terrace I was hearing the developers say that half of the residents there have cars. So as we're trying to understand our whole transportation system and parking needs, I think the AHO, whether people are getting permits at AHO buildings will be really important to include. Thank you, I yield.

Council Susie is the floor, Council Wilson.

thank you madam mayor and through you um thank you for the report i think it's you know helpful to be able to see numbers and understand um data with the numbers um i too just i think the this is very interesting to kind of see it but also to recognize that i think to counselor Azeem's point that out of all that's listed the three projects that have been off the ground that have parking that are broken ground or what have you all have parking to them and then the ones that don't or yet have broken ground or what have you there's still a lot that's in play as to why they haven't gotten to that point so I am curious through you madam mayor to assistant city manager Peter, do you have any understanding as to where kind of these projects are in the pipeline for their work? Like just kind of where they are right now, given that a lot of these things are quite old, right? Like three years or two years old in terms of when folks have like pulled permits? Assistant City Manager Peters.

Thank you, and I can start answering that, and also Jeff Roberts, I believe, was on Zoom and might have more details about the specific projects, but I will say, you know, some projects were kind of waiting for the multifamily zoning to see what the outcome of that would be, and so I think are reevaluating where they are, so I think that might have been why some haven't moved forward, but then certainly a lot of them aren't penciling out, and that's just what we know is it's really expensive to build housing in this market, and interest rates, labor costs, construction costs, it's making it difficult to build. I don't know if Mr. Roberts wants to add anything.

Mr. Roberts, are you available?

I am. Thank you to the Mayor and through the Mayor to Councilor Wilson. That That's basically the gist of it, that some projects have received special permits and are still waiting for building permits. Maybe they're, I think that, again, the financial conditions right now have been really challenging for some housing developments. But at the same time, we've seen some some developments that have have already gone through the permitting process, just before the multifamily zoning change, that change has affected what could be built on that site on particular sites. So they might be looking at other alternatives for for what to do going forward. You know, similarly, we've seen, you know, since multifamily zoning, it's it's a, it's sort of a new world that developers are still getting acclimated to.

Councillor Wilson? Thank you, Madam Mayor, and through you, just a follow-up question on, we are hearing about the Ellery Street, 60 Ellery Street project, and I'm not sure when they kind of submitted paperwork, but we're recognizing that this goes through May of this year, so I'm curious as to why the Ellery Street is not listed on this. Mr. Roberts?

Through the mayor, to answer that question, the Eller Street case, as I understand it, it may be at the Historical Commission or the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Conservation District Commission for review. These parking reports are required at the time of building permit. Or in the case, a special permit in the case that it needs a project review special permit. I'm not sure if the, I haven't looked at the Ellery Street case yet to review for zoning to see if it needs a project review special permit. But if it doesn't, then the building permit phase is when it would need to submit that parking report.

Council Wilson. Great. Thank you so much. I appreciate that and hope to get more of an update on that as soon as that's available to us. And then I think my last question has to do with just following up. I think it was Council Zusy that mentioned just an update on the AHL projects that are... That might be in the pipeline, and just getting an update on those, because there are a few of them that don't have parking, and so just kind of want to see where they are in the pipeline. Thank you. I'll yield.

Council Wilson yields the floor for further discussion. Hearing none, on a motion by Councilor Turner to place City Manager's Agenda Item No. 156 on file. All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? Ayes have it, and the matter is placed on file. We move now to number five. This is pulled by Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler. It reads as follows. Communication transmitted from Yanhuang City Manager relative to the policy order number 2025, number 25, regarding a zoning petition on maximum unit size. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler, floor is yours.

Thanks, Madam Mayor, through you and thanks to city staff for this report back on the policy order, which was really thoughtful and sort of laying out the different policy options. I was connected with Assistant City Manager Peters about council providing more input, which is what the end of the communication asked for. And so I was going to refer this to the Neighborhood and Long Term Planning Committee for further discussion.

So you're saying you want to refer this? Any further discussion from the council? Hearing none, the first item would be on referral. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. You can also place this on file because you can take it up. And I'm placing this matter on file. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. Mr. O'Brien, were you voting with us? Thought you were saying aye as well. He's tired. We move now to number six. This is pulled by the Vice Mayor. Reads as follows. Transmitting communication from Yanhuang City Manager relative to the appropriation of $1 million from the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund to the Grant Fund Housing Department Other Ordinary Maintenance account to support a municipal housing voucher program which will fund rental vouchers, housing vouchers to be offered by the Cambridge Housing Authority. This appropriation will allow for city staff to work with CHA, the Cambridge Health Alliance, in fiscal 26 to transition these households to a city-funded voucher as soon as possible. The program is anticipated to cost approximately $1 million annually. This was pulled by the Vice Mayor.

The Vice Mayor, the floor is yours. Thank you, Madam Mayor, through you. I'm sorry the whole crew had to come up. I think this is maybe a simple question. I was just a little confused. So when we were doing the budget, there were a couple things we talked about. We talked about the $5 million that was going to be in the federal fund. And although we hadn't appropriated it yet, it was really what we talked about was this was going to be in case Vouchers were lost by CHA. And then we had the million dollars that we put in towards the end that was specifically for unhoused folks. So I was just a little confused. Maybe it's because it's a million dollars and it's the same amount of money. But I was like, wait a minute. I thought the million dollars we appropriated was for unhoused folks. And now I'm seeing it's this mixed status family. So I just wanted to clarify. Is this a different million dollars?

seeing heads nodding so a couple people asked me that too and I was like yeah actually I don't know so I just want to make sure that we are still appropriate we still have appropriated a million dollars for the vouchers for unhoused folks and this is something different correct through you madam mayor yes that's correct this is a separate allocation of a million dollars for a separate program that would create city funded vouchers to the CHA for a different population of folks

Perfect. So thank you, Madam. Nice meeting you. So is this, you know, we put that other $5 million in, so is this, so now we're up to six? No? No, okay.

THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIMMONS. THE $1 MILLION FOR MUNICIPAL VOUCHERS FOR UNHOUSED WAS THROUGH THE BUDGET. AS PART OF THE FY26 BUDGET WE PASSED TWO WEEKS AGO, THERE WERE AMENDMENTS TO INCREASE THE OVERALL BUDGET BY A MILLION DOLLARS. This is last week then on June 9th, we appropriated the $5 million into the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund and then this is an appropriation out of that $5 million. Got it, got it. Perfect, thank you.

The Vice Mayor yields the floor. Councilor Siddiqui, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Through you, I was just going to add that some of this we had discussed in, I mean, not anticipating kind of the loss of funding, but we had talked about in our housing committee meeting kind of variations of working with the CHA and helping those with different statuses was contemplated. Yeah, I just wanted to add that, that this is, it's not like a huge brand new thing, but we are responding to a real need that a year and a half ago, we didn't exactly have. So thank you.

Councilor Sudeikis, Floor Council, Wilson-Floor-Jones. Thank you, Madam Mayor, and through you, I'll be very brief, but I just wanted to clarify, because I know a couple weeks ago when we did talk about this, we were more talking about a timeline as well, and so just wanted to know if there was any update, kind of... where we are with this but i also know there was like a second fold where we were going to be proactive and actually just issuing uh the vouchers through uh through these dollars through this allotment so that we're not kind of waiting on something to happen with the federal government so if you just talk us through kind of where we are with that and when do we anticipate for those vouchers to kind of transition through these funds so that maybe that allows an opportunity for other vouchers to be issued through the funds that are kind of being saved through these dollars, if that all makes sense.

Councilor, you're asking that of Mr. Carter or the city manager? Whoever feels like they are appropriate to answer the question. And which one of you feels appropriate to answer? Mr. Carter?

Through you, Mayor Simmons, I'll take a shot. Thank you for the question. We don't have a precise date on when the vouchers would begin to flow. Once the funding is approved, we'll then look at next steps with CHA. We've been talking with them all along about moving the uh funding from uh uh from a certain uh set of vouchers over to the city funds and so expect that it will be a quicker rollout than say for example the vouchers that uh we discussed a few weeks ago whether it'll be establishing a program in this case what we're doing is changing funding so we expect that that process will be a little bit more quick and are getting into the specifics now with CHA and are hoping that the vouchers will begin to be funded with the city funds sometime in the next couple months.

Council Wilson?

Thank you. Just my final question on this is that, and then once these dollars are then appropriated and then allocated to these families specifically, this will be an ongoing annual dollar amount, correct? Mr. Carter?

Through you, Mayor Simmons. Yes, this is something that we are aware of and we'll be looking at as we put together the next year city budget as an ongoing commitment.

Okay. Thank you, IEL.

Council Wilson, does the floor for the discussion? Hearing none on the appropriate. Oh, sorry? Council. Councilor Zeman, my apologies.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'll be brief. I just wanted to say the huge thank yous to city staff. I know that- One minute.

You said you'll be brief. I said one minute.

Okay. I just wanted to say, you know, Councillor Siddiqui and I had numerous amounts of housing committee meetings last year that really talked about housing vouchers and starting it. And I know there's so many details we had to figure out. And I remember Councillor Wilson being like, you know, well, this and the zoning, I wish we could move them in parallel. And I know we couldn't quite get in parallel, but, you know, a few months off isn't too bad. And so it's been pretty exciting. This is a huge amount, like a million dollars a year in permanent new funding for housing. I think it's very, very exciting. And I just could not be more ecstatic that we got here. So I was very proud of this moment. Thank you.

Councilor Zimules, the floor for the discussion. Hearing none, roll call on the appropriations.

Councillor Azeem? Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councillor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councillor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councillor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councillor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councillor Zusy? Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative. Thank you.

And the City Manager's Agenda Item, Appropriation, is approved on the affirmative vote of nine members. Thank you. This concludes the city manager's agenda. We now have six policy orders. What is the pleasure of- Madam Mayor. Councilor Toner.

I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rules to take number two out of order so we can discuss that policy order first.

So there's a motion by, we'll take that up first, a motion by Councilor Toner to suspend the rules. It's a two votes, one on suspension and one on bringing number two forward. So on suspension, roll call.

Councillor Azeem. Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern. Yes. Yes. Councillor Nolan. Yes. Councillor Siddiqui. Yes. Yes. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler. Yes. Yes. Councillor Toner.

Yes.

Yes. Councillor Wilson. Yes. Yes. Councillor Zusy. Yes. Yes. Mayor Simmons. Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative. So the rules are suspended. I'm bringing number two forward. Roll call. Councillor Azeem. Yes, Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes, Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes, Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Yes, Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes, Councilor Zusy? Yes. Yes, Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes, and you have nine members recorded in the affirmative.

Thank you, so the order is now changed, two becomes one and one becomes two. Before we discuss that, which will be the first one, what other items does the council want to remove? Councilor Siddiqui?

I'll pull five and six.

I'd like to- I think your mic is off. I'd like to pull one. Number one.

Pleasure, the City Council. Anything on the balance, three and four?

I dropped it.

Are you serious? Yeah. Okay. Okay, so let me repeat. So on number one, which is two on your agenda, was pulled by Councilor Toner. One was pulled by Councilor Zusy, but it's two. Councilor Zinn pulled three and four. Councilor Siddiqui pulled five and six. Is that correct? At least they are. So, you know, but I hope you brought your pajamas. All right, so we're going to go back to the, what we call the non-content agenda on the policy order and resolution list. The first item was pulled by Councilor Toner. Reads as follows. That the city managers requested to suspend the implementation of the Broadway bike lanes. This was pulled by Councilor Toner. Councilor Toner is the main sponsor. The floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. First of all, I want to thank you and Council Wilson for co-sponsoring. And I know we sat through four hours of testimony and I appreciate all the folks who came out and testified. I really want to thank people for the very civil testimony tonight as well. I think we can all agree to disagree without being disagreeable. And I know people have strong feelings on this. A PARTICULAR ISSUE. THE REASON I BROUGHT FORWARD THIS POLICY ORDER WAS BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE IT, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED A PETITION FROM OVER 1,000 BROADWAY AREA RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE AROUND THE CITY AND SEVERAL HUNDRED EMAILS FROM FOLKS. SO IT'S NOT THAT THERE'S JUST A SMALL, VOCAL MINORITY THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT, BUT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE. in Cambridge, especially in the Broadway area, that have real concerns about the quality of life for them in terms of being able to park their cars and have access for visitors and medical care, et cetera. The reason I brought this forward is I wasn't saying don't do anything to Broadway. The policy order suggests that there are other ways we could slow down the traffic, which we heard a lot about speed on Broadway. make other modifications to make Broadway safer for cyclists, while also adding in terms of mileage, and I know Commissioner McKenna had some comments about that, about the ability to do separate bike lanes, but add some mileage on north-south routes, because we do have a number of east-west routes. So that was my intention, that is why I brought it forward. I think most people already have their decision on this. So I know people might want to speak to it, but hopefully we can just move quickly to a vote on it as well. I yield, Madam Mayor.

Councilor Toney yields the floor. Is there any discussion from the floor? Then I will just add my comments. There's no one that wants to speak. Well, thank you for pointing that out, Councilor Zusy. Did you want the floor?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to say the reason that I proposed an alternative policy order that we'll discuss next is because I'm convinced that we need the Broadway by claims. To complete the network, but we need to identify Parking relief for those along the Broadway corridor. I think there is a real need again. We've had over a thousand people sign a petition and hundreds of people have written us as counselor toner said so I feel like unfortunately most of the speakers tonight are um had been told by an email to come out and speak against one and two and four four and five which are things that already are in the works but they didn't really acknowledge the larger issue that lawrence atkins pointed out that i mean there is a real issue here we have a lot of people that can't find parking. There's a scarcity of parking along the Broadway corridor. It's gonna get worse as all the port construction is done and as we have more developments developed that don't have any parking requirements. So we know at 60 Ellery, we know the new Just to Start development on Broadway, they will not have parking. They'll be eliminating more parking. So there really is an issue to solve here. So I won't be parking, I won't be voting for this policy order, but I'm hoping you'll all vote from the alternative policy order, which really focuses on coming up with some solutions for those that are challenged with parking along the Broadway corridor. Thank you, I yield.

Council Sousa yields the floor for the discussion. Let me just say briefly, I wanna thank the co-sponsors for bringing this forward. And I'll be brief, maybe two minutes. I often say we must avoid doing the right thing the wrong way. And I've said that so many times over the years that I imagine some folks are a little weary of hearing me and may have tuned me out, but I will risk the repetition because it really applies here. Building out our bicycle infrastructure is the right thing to do. The city has a duty to make our streets safer for cyclists and I fully support that mandate. But the city also has a duty to serve everyone who lives here. The residents who need to park near their homes, the seniors with limited mobility. And I will say that again, the seniors with limited mobility. And some seniors don't have limited mobility, but they do have a concern about the proliferation of bike lanes. The homebound individuals who rely on caregivers to reach them. And when we move more than half the parking along Broadway, Without a meaningful alternative in place, we're not solving one problem so much as shifting the burden onto someone else, and that's not balanced. That's not fair, and that's not how a city council or a city should govern. This policy order doesn't walk us away from our cycling safety goals. I think that's important to say because a few people have intimated that we're trying to roll back the cycling safety ordinance and that could not be further from the truth, or stall it, or stop it. It asks us to pause and consider smarter alternatives like traffic calming, clear and marked bike lanes, and while we finish the rest of the network, so while we're continuing on the rest of the network that we study Broadway Street so that we make the right decision for as many people as possible, particularly those that live on Broadway Street. And so we wanna finish the rest of the network outside of Broadway Street and identify better north-south connections. We can meet our bike safety goals without doing disproportionate harm to those who rely on that stretch of road for their daily lives. So in short, we can do the right thing

the right way that's why this order is that's what the order is asking us to do and i hope my colleagues will support it with that i'm going to yield the floor council wilson thank you madam mayor and i'll try to be even more brief than you um thank you so much uh again to all of um those who spoke in public comment those who have written public testimony um the hours on hours that we uh listen to everyone. We have a real matter that's before us and a real challenge, especially when issues like bicycle safety becomes a political issue, which I don't think has ever been a positive thing or even It's not a pretty thing, right? It's not a sexy thing or a sexy conversation. It is a real conversation and one that we should not take lightly. And we have individuals across our city who have varieties of needs. And that too is also something that we should not be taking lightly. But I think our duty here at the council is to make sure that we are continuing to hear the voices of residents across our city. and to make sure that we are doing our due diligence in trying to provide safe streets that are appropriate, meaningful, and efficient for all who use. And I don't feel like we've been having that kind of conversation in the best way possible. I feel like this conversation has often been a black or white issue with very little gray or room for gray. And I really just want to push back on how 60% loss of parking is ever a compromise. I think that that is going to cause a great deal of burden and undue stress to many of our neighbors. many of our businesses, and so much more. I mean, I think Madam Mayor, you said it around just individuals for home health aides. I'm thinking about even Meals on Wheels that needs to do drop offs of food to members of our community. I do think about those who need to get to school and to make sure that they're getting to school safely, but that's both by walking, by bike, and by car. those buses that need to pull over, those emergency vehicles that need to get down the street. There's no coincidence as to why Broadway is being used more frequently than any of the other streets for emergency vehicles. It's because of the opportunity for them to get through in matters of emergencies. I really despise the fact that we have this conversation in a matter of life or death. This is a matter of how do we consider what safe roads look like for all. And I think that's the part that we just constantly overlook. And when we talk about what does it look like to have a fair process around conversations and how this body kind of gathers and has this fair community engagement process, it's not fair. It really isn't. And shame on those who say that because it really is not. But we do need to do a better job. And I think that we need to do a better job of also looking at what the network, what the full-blown network actually looks like. We want to make sure that individuals get to and from all of their recreational, school, educational, various activities, fun, play, all that stuff safely. And we want to make sure that there is a clear network. That has yet to be discussed. We don't have a network. We just have bike lanes on all sorts of streets that are just not making enough sense. And then we have other issues that we know are about to take place in the Port neighborhood that is going to even cause even more stress. And I'm sorry, I did say I was going to be shorter than you, Madam Mayor. But more thoughts will come into my mind as I continue to speak. It's all good. So thank you. So with that being said, I think the question that I have through you Madam Mayor to Commissioner McKenna is just around the removal of 60% of parking. And what can we be doing as a city to really look at that number from a realistic standpoint, understanding that we have such unendured stress that members of our community are going to be impacted with. Members in the community testified to Cambridge Street having a loss of maybe 10%. Main Street, I'm not sure exactly what the final number is for Main. But we have other streets that have lost way less than this significant number of parking. Why are we at this number, and what could we do better as a city to ensure that that number is not going to cause the amount of stress that we know it will? Commissioner McKenna.

The 60% parking loss is typical when we look at a street the width of Broadway. Similar to many of our other streets that are around the same width. To add the separation, you typically have to take parking off of one side of the street. So you have the bike lanes on either side, and then in a typical width street like Broadway, you can retain parking on one side. So that kind of brings the number down to 50%. And then it goes a little lower than that. or higher than that if you're looking at 60 or keeping 40 for things like clearances at corners and at driveways. And so we use 60% parking loss as the typical because and it's just the nature of the space that you need to install separated bike lanes in a dense city like Cambridge. So if, you know, we follow the mandate that we currently have to have separated bike lanes on Broadway, there is no way to lower that 60% number along the corridor. So we do things like looking at side streets and other ways of trying to kind of mitigate what we can of that parking loss. Council Wilson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. And through you, just one additional conversation in regards to the side streets. When doing this project and looking at those streets, you've identified that there was a notice that went out that said that there's a significant amount of side street parking. Can you just speak to where that is and when this study actually took place? Commissioner?

So kind of addressing two different issues. In terms of adding side street parking, what we'll do is in commercial areas, we'll add some parking meters just around the corner. So in the first few spaces off of the main corridor. But I think you're talking about the parking study, the occupancy study that we did, and we kind of looked at a similar distance down the side streets that we would typically look to. We consider them like spur parking off of the main corridor. So that's what we looked at when we did the occupancy study, where we went out and documented how many spaces were open at the various times that we went out during the day and on different days of the week.

council wilson thank you um so i mean the support of this uh policy order is to really you know hear from the the members of our community the over a thousand who our neighbors um direct the butters to broadway actually live on broadway or off a side street that uh goes on to broadway and really try to hear their plea, recognizing that an elimination of Broadway doesn't mean that it's an elimination of safety. It means that we want to look into what other measures we could put into play. We want to make sure that streets remain safe and that we're able to reduce negative impacts. recognizing also that sadly and you know we also know that sadly accidents happen and we could say that based on two of the fatalities that we've had on our streets so I mean I say all this to say I will be supporting obviously this order and I really want to hope that my colleagues do as well just recognizing there are there is a need for us to think about the east-west that we have enough roads, safe roads going east-west, and how could we do some work on the north-south. With that, I yield. Thank you. Council Wilson yields the floor for the discussion.

Council Nolan? Thank you. I'll just address this one and then have some more to say with it. These are two separate policy orders, I realize. I do want to call out that what Council Wilson said and what's in this policy order is something that we've talked about and I completely agree with, which is we desperately need an updated map and really look at the north-south connections. We really need to have this complete network across the city. We did pass a policy order here that has led to a commitment from the Department of Transportation to work on that updated plan. And that, in my hope, would be, again, as I said then, quicker than I hoped. Taking a couple years, we really need it in the next six months to a year. Protected bike lanes connecting Union Square right through Central Square to the BU Bridge is one of the glaring lacks on it. And there's also a couple other east-west, so I hope that happens. I want to make a note that some of this question was, well, this vote, it's just like Garden Street or Wesley Avenue, as though the council reversed our votes there. But neither of those votes were a reversal of a council vote. For Garden Street, the council never voted for one way. It was a staff decision based on our parameters. The council did vote on Garden two different times, asking the city to look into restoring two-way traffic. The city staff chose not to do that and then provided the council with options if we were going to choose to do that. And that was the one and only time the council actually voted on configuration for Garden Street, which we did earlier this year. And importantly, Garden, even with that vote, will still have bike lanes in both directions. And that decision is made. I sincerely hope no one tries to change it in the future. That causes concern. And for Wesley, the vote last week was the one and only time the council actually voted on the question of opening up the public way into linear park. Again, that vote happened and hopefully is settled. On Broadway, this is a reversal because while good governance should consider including whether new information related to a passed vote makes it appropriate to consider a change, for this specific issue, there doesn't seem to be new information. Our Vision Zero plan passed in 2018, the CSO in 2020 with the timeline added based on specific streets. And starting with 2015, it was clear, as we heard from the commissioner, that in Cambridge, almost every place, when you put in a separated bike lane, either parking or travel lane has to go. We just don't have wide streets across the city the way, for instance, Washington, D.C. has. I live on one of them. I think here on Ave is one of those rare, rare circumstances where when separated bike lanes come, we don't have to take away parking along all of it. But I just want to be clear, that's part of why it's hard for me to support this is because it does represent a change from a vote that this council took just eight months ago or six months ago to affirm a timeline and come up with a compromised timeline. So I will be voting no on this particular policy order, but I appreciate particularly the mention of the north-south connection.

Councilman Nolan yields the floor. Vice Mayor, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Through you, I... I'm sorry? Sorry. Through you. I just got to get the mic a little closer. I, too, want to thank the folks who spoke and sent emails. And as Councilman Nolan just pointed out, I mean, this is really complicated. I mean, I don't think any of us... I think we all wish that our streets were wide enough to do all the things that we want to do. Nobody enjoys this. Nobody enjoys making these difficult choices and having half the people feel like they're getting the shaft and the other half of the people feeling like, for folks that feel like it is life and death for them. I'll just say on a personal level on Broadway specifically, About a week or two weeks maybe after Amanda Phillips was doored on Cambridge Street and fell into the street and was hit by a truck. And that was not the truck driver's fault. It was a horrible situation that all came together. But a couple weeks after that, my son was doored on Broadway and fell into the middle of the street. And he was just lucky that there wasn't a truck coming. So it could have been life or death. My son could not be here. might not be here under different circumstances. It's very emotional for folks. I wish we could do it all. I understand, but I do understand and respect the folks who are concerned about the loss of parking. I don't have off-street parking. I used to. I don't anymore. I know what it's like to not be able to park close to your house. You know, I'm not in the best of shape, but I'm pretty able-bodied. You know, just Friday, I had to drive several blocks away for street cleaning and park in a part of the town that wasn't having street cleaning on that day. But for me to walk several blocks is not the end of the world, but certainly if I were older or... you know, had more physical issues, it would be a big deal. So I don't belittle that. I do respect that concern. You know, but that's why I like to try to figure out a way where we can try and, you know, I don't know what the proper word is. I can think of a phrase, but it's not appropriate. You know, to kind of... split the apple let's say um yeah i know thank you i caught myself i caught myself i caught myself i know well now you've said it three times i have Um, you know, because there's no way that we're going to be able to do it, to, to do it all. Um, you know, I will point out that, and again, to follow up on what, uh, Councilor Nolan said that we did just vote, I think unanimously, it might've been 820, I think it was unanimously, unanimously to break the Broadway bike lanes implementation into a couple of phases and over a couple of years, right? Phase A, which is the rather short section, is what's being done now. Phase B, which is the longest section, and the one that really goes, I think, through most of the residential parts of Broadway, isn't scheduled until 2026, and the public process for that isn't even scheduled to begin until the fall of 2025. So we're talking about potentially delaying something that we haven't even started the process of having the real conversations yet. So there's a long way to go with this. And so I don't want to support or vote for something that's going to lead to further delay. I think that we have time. That's why I co-sponsored the Consular Siddiqui's policy orders five and six to offer alternatives and ways to figure out how we can mitigate parking loss. I am not anti-parking. I want to figure out ways to mitigate parking loss. But I do think that Broadway is an important part of the network for the reasons we heard today. I do think that bike lanes, separated bike lanes are safer. It doesn't solve everything, we know that. We know that intersections are still an issue and we're working on that too. But our own data shows that when we install dedicated bike lanes, accidents go down by as much as 50%. And ridership goes up. So we know that they work. So, you know, I am all for the traffic department and the community and us, you know, as this process continues to go on and talk about things we can do to help mitigate that loss. But it's not getting down to zero. We have to take some away if we're going to do this. The question is how much and how much can we mitigate? And so I'm all for having that conversation, but anything that talks about delaying or, you know, not moving forward, I can't get behind that. So I appreciate the... the willingness to think creatively and look at other ways to mitigate that parking loss. You know, I'll say also tonight we certainly, you know, we did get a petition signed by a thousand people or so who had concerns. You know, we heard from a lot of people tonight. I want to sort of dispel the myth that Somehow this is only for people who live outside of Cambridge. We had 200 people or so speak in favor of the bike lane. I counted eight that live outside of Cambridge. Maybe there were a few more that I missed. And all those people either went to go to school at MIT or work in Cambridge. We certainly don't limit our streets to people who only live in Cambridge. And a lot of the people who spoke tonight were people who live on Broadway or in and around Broadway. No side can claim that they have full support. There's a lot of people who are concerned, and there's a lot of people who support it, which is one of the reasons it makes it so hard. So I'm going to stay with the vote that I took several months ago to keep Broadway in these two phases. And I hope as we move forward, we can all really really try to put our heads together to say, you know, how can we come together to think of some good ideas on how to mitigate this loss rather than saying do it or don't do it? Because then that's not going to lead us to a good place. And then Madam Mayor, just a quick question I want to clarify from Ms. McKenna. Just on Cambridge Street, because we heard, I was just a little confused. So it was said tonight that Cambridge Street only lost 10% of the parking. That's not true, right? I mean, I thought they lost like 50% of the parking.

Ms. McKenna? Through you, Madam Mayor, I don't have the number offhand, but if you go down that first section of Cambridge Street that we did, you know, pre-CSO between Inman Square and down to Quincy Street, it's one side of parking, just like the corridors that came later. So it probably ended up being around 60, but I don't know the numbers offhand.

Okay. I just want to make, because I think that's important, because emails go out and people put things out, and sometimes the information can get a little mixed up, and then people are getting upset about something that isn't actually accurate. So I just wanted to make sure that that was clarified for the record. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'll yield for now.

Vice Mayor, yours is the floor. Councilor Sabina Wheeler, the floor is yours. Thanks, Madam Mayor. Just briefly on this one.

I think what's confusing to me about this policy order in particular is that there would be a way to save all the parking on Broadway, and that would be to have it be one way. But that wasn't proposed for obvious reasons in that you wouldn't tell drivers, all right, you've got to go up to Cambridge Street or down to Mass Ave if you want to go one way, if you're trying to get to the library or the high school or preschool. it wouldn't make sense to go down to Mass Ave or up to Cambridge Street and have to go all the way around. And that, to me, points to the reason we need the separated bike lanes here, right? We wouldn't ask car drivers, okay, we're going to make the street one way and tell you you've got to go up to Cambridge Street or down to Mass Ave We shouldn't be telling folks who have to go by bike that way. When they live on Broadway and they're trying to get to their house, they're trying to get to their kids' daycare, to school, they should have a way to get there just as much as any other folks, which sort of highlights the need for me for this year. So that's it. I'll be letting you know on this one.

I'll be back.

Thank you, through you. I was reflecting on one of the first votes I took in 2018, my first term, which was on the Inman Square redesign, and it was pretty contentious. since then there's been a lot of similar votes and I think what I'm what's very clear is any decision we make any policy decision we've made it creates a real on the ground impact. And we have to be responsive to those impacts even after a decision is made. And when I think about this conversation, it does become zero sum and it's challenging. And I've certainly sat down with the commissioner and others and It is, there are very real, and many voices who aren't in the room tonight, right, who are concerned, and I think the way I've come to this decision is really saying, I think our role as a council is to think about Mitigation push the city to do as much as that as possible We don't always get it, right? We don't always Aren't always proactive I'd say I think that's just how policymaking sometimes Happens, but I do think in this situation and as is the first vote I took in 2018 It was about safety, and it was about the compelling facts around this big, big, big thoroughway. You know, that's kind of what I keep coming down to and to Councillor Nolan's point of we did discuss this in April and we did adapt and we did respond. And I think we have to keep responding. We have to keep thinking about what else we can do for this first segment, but then the rest of it. Yeah, I think. it's a really, it's, it is hard because we, there are so many differing, there are a lot of, there's definitely different choices here and I can see where my colleagues are coming from who've sponsored this and really thinking about how They feel that there are many, many residents who there's going to be a big trade-off. And so, you know, I think where I keep coming back to, as I said, has been around safety, around thinking about the mitigation and doing everything we can. So, you know, I'm happy to discuss those later, but that's where I'm falling. Thank you.

Councilor Siddiqui yields the floor. Councilor Susie, your floor is yours. You didn't want the floor, you changed your mind. Okay, very good. I'm sorry? Councilor Azeem, I think. Councilor Azeem, yes.

Madam Mayor, are we only commenting on the one that says suspend implementation of Broadway bike lanes, or can we also comment on the- That's the only one that's before us. Okay, then I'll save my comment for later, thank you. Okay, thank you.

Further discussion? The only thing I want to say is in closing, I often say, how do we get to the unhappy medium? It's been said a couple of times, no one's going to be happy. For me, and part of the reason why I support this policy order is I don't want to revisit Garden Street where we made a decision. We saw how it worked. It didn't work well, and we had many, many contentious, difficult conversations, and it cost us money to fix it after we made the change. After we did the work, and then we changed it, and that cost us money. Did we get all the parking spaces back? No, but we made the street two, or we will make the street two-way again. And so for me, it's about being thoughtful at the beginning so we don't have to go at the city's expense to correct it because the angst from the community is so great. that the council is compelled to do it. So I'm hoping that this passes because I want us to be thoughtful. It doesn't say no bike lanes and one thing I do enjoy about this council is we've all said and no one once has said we want to stop the bike lanes or we don't support it. What I've heard from both camps, different times and different meetings, We just want to be thoughtful. We want to do it right because when we have to fix it, it costs money. So with that, I will yield the floor. Is there any more discussion? Hearing none, on the motion, all those in favor say aye. Aye. No. Roll call, Madam Mayor. I don't know what you said. Okay. The chair is not sure of the outcome, so Madam Chair, would you please call the roll?

Councillor Azeem. No. No. Vice Mayor McGovern. No. No. Councillor Nolan. No. No. Councillor Siddiqui. No. No. Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler. No. No. Councillor Toner. Yes. Yes. Councillor Wilson. Yes. Yes. Councillor Zusy.

No.

No. No. Mayor Simmons. Yes. Yes. And you have three members recorded in the affirmative with six recorded in the negative.

Policy order fails for the lack of the majority. Move now to number two. This was pulled by Councilor Susie. Reads as follows. That the city manager is requested to require the Department of Transportation to study parking utilization of the broader neighborhood and provide parking alternatives before building Broadway bike lanes. Councilor Susie. Yes.

Yeah, thank you so much, Madam Mayor. The intention of this policy order, which was written in partnership with the Broadway Corridor, was not to stop or delay the rollout of the bike lanes, but to provide relief for our Broadway Corridor residents, where there's a real scarcity of parking, the scarcity that we've talked about. And I wonder how many speakers tonight actually looked at the order. Because if they looked at the order, they would see that there has been incremental removal of parking in the mid-Cambridge neighborhood. So we lost 94 places on Cambridge Street, about 30 on Mid-Mass Ave, three on Ellery, 90 on Hampshire Street. and will soon lose 50 on Main Street. So this is like a very real thing. We're not making this up. And then there's the concern about the impact of the Port Infrastructure Improvement Project, which will go on for five years between 2025 and 2030, which will again eliminate many places over time. And then there'll be new developments coming soon at 60 Ellery and 240 Broadway. and so the parking load will be increased along the corridor um so a friend of mine asked so so as we know this is a real issue over a thousand people signed this petition and as a friend of mine said what are what do we expect these people on the broadway corridor to do jump up and down It seemed like we have to do something, right? We have to do something. So the goal of this policy order was to challenge the city to come up with creative solutions to a real problem. As we all know, there are many elderly and disabled people. that can't bicycle, there are residents that need cars to get to work, or parking places for people providing services, whether they be home healthcare, meal deliveries, or house repairs. This isn't an either or, we can certainly do both. This isn't rocket science, we should be able to figure this out in Cambridge. There are many, many different ideas. We came up with a number of finding places for 200 parkers just because we have lost so many parking places in the mid-Cambridge, mid-Broadway corridor area over the last years. So some of the ideas are reaching out to working together, CDD, Transportation Department and Communications, reaching out to garages and owners of lots along the Broadway corridor and encouraging them to join the flexible community. parking corridor program. I mean, I feel like we can be more assertive with that and really yield some places. We could also consider, this is my husband's great idea, open satellite lots in other parts of the city in Cambridgeport where I live because of sort of the setback in biotech. There are lots of open lots. There are open parking garages. People that are using cars on weekends or just using cars to shop could be leaving their cars in Cambridgeport or other places during the week and then pick them up on weekends when they need them. We could be installing Zipcar spaces. This is something Commissioner McKenna and I were speaking about, it just seems like that would help people with grocery shopping. Roy Russell had recommended creating a Broadway-only exclusive resident parking permit. I don't know if that's realistic or not, but the idea is that people that lived on Broadway would have the first rights to permit parking on Broadway. Another constituent wrote, paint parking places on Broadway and in the port area to encourage better parking. Anyway, these are just some ideas, but the goal of this policy order isn't, again, to delay or to stop the rollout of the bike claims. I think we can solve this problem if we really work with a full heart together. So that's the goal of this. The other point is As John Pitkin says, how can you know what needs to be done if we don't have an assessment of current conditions? And how can you know where pinch points are, what the needs are, when and where, and how best to engage people? This is a system problem. It's a transportation problem, and the biking is one piece of it. So we've really got to do some analysis of the larger problem to understand it and to solve it. And I just had a few questions for you, Madam Mayor, for our parking commissioner. And one is, do we have counts for... the parking places along the parking corridor including on the side streets i mean if you do a walk along the broadway corridor which i've done so many times over the last months almost all the places are taken on the side streets and the corridor during the day I realize the the greatest need is at night but do we have counts for the broader corridor versus how many parking permits have been issued do we have that information Mr

Through you, Madam Mayor. That's not an analysis that we've ever done. Because we don't place limits on how many resident parking stickers that we will issue, that's never been a focus to be looking at how many parking spaces there are versus how many resident stickers we give out.

Excuse me, Counsel, if I may. To you, Commissioner, a couple of years ago there was a complaint about one person taking out 10 parking permits to park cars on the street. And I thought that what we did was we instituted a practice where we would not, and Mr. O'Riordan is shaking his head, that we instituted a practice of saying households could only get so many. I don't know if that's exactly what Councilor Zusy is saying, but if it is, I think saying that we haven't implemented is not, Absolutely right. Mr. Overvin, deputy city manager, it's late, so whoever you are. Did we or did we not have this conversation several, Mr. Overvin, did we or did we not have this conversation and I thought we took some action, because I just wanted to make sure we all have the correct answer.

To you, Mayor Simmons, we did have the conversation. And in order to get an accurate answer, I'm going to send you back to the commissioner just for her.

Do you have an accurate answer? Because I sounded like you didn't know what you were saying for a minute. So I just want to make sure. Because I'd rather you say I'm not sure. I can clarify my. I'd rather you say you're not sure rather than give us an accurate answer.

I have a 100% answer for you. We did implement, after the series of complaints that you mentioned about certain individuals having a very large number of resident parking stickers, we did implement a limit on the number a single individual can get to four, and that's something we can lower in the future if that's what's decided to be best. What we don't have a limit on is the total number of resident parking stickers that we give out. So in any given year, as many people who come in- Let's just stop there, because I can only take so much information in at a time, particularly when it's almost midnight.

You're saying overall, we cannot give out that. So there's two things. One is what you give to a household, and one is what you give out overall.

YES, AND JUST TO AN EVEN FINER POINT, THE LIMIT IS TO AN INDIVIDUAL VERSUS A HOUSEHOLD. SO THE LIMIT PER PERSON IS FOR RESIDENT PARKING STICKERS.

QUITE CONVOLUTED.

BACK TO YOU, COUNCIL. So it seems to me that we really, it would be important to have that number so then you'd really be able to understand what the scarcity, I mean we're hearing it, it's anecdotal, but we're hearing it from a thousand residents. I believe it's true. But it seems like it would make sense. So that's one of the things that we ask for in this policy order is comparing parking permits issued versus on-street parking spots. And then another question is, do you have data on parking utilization along the Broadway corridor from midnight to 4 a.m.? Because according to the Cambridge Street study, that was the busiest period.

You're asking that of?

That's a question through you for Commissioner McKenna.

To you.

I believe that the last data collection point during this study was at 10 p.m. as a proxy for the overnight.

Okay, so that's another issue, especially, you know, the issue is, like, people can't find overnight parking. And then finally, in a transportation memo, I guess from 2018, it noted 85% of utilization represents an idea of balance of parking. um supply and demand and do you agree that 85 utilization is a good number to strive for through you madam mayor for commissioner mckenna

Commissioner.

Madam Mayor, I think that's the industry standard. If you're really trying to balance, especially in commercial areas where you might be looking at where you have more levers, like how much you charge for parking, how long you allow people to park at meters, that type of thing, I believe 85% is considered to be the best practice.

So again, through you, Madam Mayor, so Commissioner McKenna, shouldn't Broadway have a similar standard? I mean, shouldn't, yeah, that's my question.

I'm sorry. Commissioner.

Through you, Madam Mayor. You know, I think as an ideal, anywhere, I think it's a best practice. That's what is considered to be the ideal because it means you're using most of your parking, but generally speaking, everyone driving around can find a space when they need it. It's very difficult to achieve that when you don't have the levers that you have in a commercial area with WHERE YOU CAN CHANGE. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS IN BOSTON WHERE THEY DID A LOT OF STUDY. THEY BROUGHT UP THE CHARGING FOR PARKING TO ALMOST $4 AN HOUR AROUND NEWBERRY STREET. THEY DID THAT TO TRY TO GET TO THAT 85%. And in my anecdotal experience, it's now easier to park there. You're more likely to find an on-street space now since they've done that. But that said, when you don't have those levers in a residential area, it is much harder to achieve.

Council Susie?

Yeah. Again, so it just seems to me as if... There's a real issue with a lack of parking in the Broadway corridor that we really should understand better. And again, I trust in you and our broader city staff to come up with some solutions because again, I've talked to other people too that say, you need a parking lot. But we have all these parking lots. We have all these garages. I feel like we just have to figure out a way that to allow for people to park in those parking lots, if they must, if there's no other way and they must have cars. We've talked about how we, my husband and I, are lucky enough to have a driveway, but we rarely use our cars. We're almost always cycling during, we're fair weather, well, I'm a fair weather cyclist, my husband's tough. But I think that we need to discourage people. I understand that we want to discourage people from having cars, right? Because that's the whole idea. We want to encourage them to walk. We want to encourage them to bike. We want to encourage them to use mass transit. But sometimes they have to have a car. So I think we can't be delusional and ignore the need to relieve the parking... Misery as my friend said there's parking misery along the Broadway corridor, and I think we can figure out how to do that together We need to better understand the problem and then work better towards creating solutions, so that is what this policy order that Can I intervene just a little bit

I'm just looking at the time. It's 1110, and we still have, so.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that's what this policy order, it asks us for us to work towards solutions.

Hold on for a second. Just hear what I'm saying before you cut me off. I just want you to be cognizant that it's 1115. I'm going to say the same thing to my colleagues across the room, that we have a good deal of the agenda. We did the right thing. We had... uh community engagement and took a long time i just want to encourage us to be a little bit more to the point so that we can get through a very lengthy agenda without having to extend the meeting

Yes, I'm done, I hope you'll support this policy order because I think it would help to recognize, it would respect that there is a problem that we need to solve and it would help us to move towards solving the problem, assessing the problem and solving the problem without delaying the rollout of the lanes. Thank you, I yield.

Council Sousa yields the floor. Councilor Nolan, before you take the floor, I'm going to just kind of say to everyone, I don't want anyone to feel pecking on them, I just want to be mindful of the time. We do have people, city employees have to drive an hour to get home, and they're here, and we can just ride our bikes. So let's be cognizant of that. Councilor Nolan, the floor is yours. Yes.

Yes, thank you Mayor Simmons. I have a quick question for the commissioner and then just a couple of minutes or so. I do appreciate the effort put into this policy order. I did talk with Councillor Zusy about it and I deeply feel as all of us do the loss that people experience even if it's the public way, it's still a loss for people who are used to this. I ALSO DO BELIEVE THE CITY CAN AND SHOULD DO MORE TO WORK ON PARKING ALTERNATIVES AND TO ENCOURAGE CITY STAFF ALSO TO USE CARS LESS OFTEN. AND I CONSIDER PROPOSING A SUBSTITUTE, BUT GIVEN THE TIME, I DON'T THINK I'LL DO THAT. I DO HAVE A HOPEFULLY QUESTION THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIMMONS. IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THESE GREAT IDEAS THAT COUNCILOR ZUZI TALKED ABOUT AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, WE COULD SEND THOSE IDEAS TO THE BROADWAY WORKING GROUP, WHICH WILL BE WORKING ON THE ROLLOUT OF THIS. IS THAT CORRECT?

IF IT'S NOT COMING TO ME, YOU'D HAVE TO ASK THE COMMISSIONER.

Madam Mayor, certainly we're staff is willing to evaluate any suggestions and certainly also discuss them with the Broadway Working Group.

Councilor Nolan?

Because I think that would be a great thing to make sure that those list of suggestions are there. And so I will say certainly the best and smartest thing for me to do in some ways would be to vote yes on this because it doesn't technically delay it. And of the many hundreds of emails, I personally know many of the people and know that it's very hard for them and they'll feel bereft and bewildered if I don't support this. But the city will not be able to conjure up 200 parking spots and we're not sure of it. And so included in this is a requirement that until that happens, nothing can be moved forward and the ordinance has to be changed to enable that and so that I cannot support because I pledge to vote always based on what's best for the city as a whole and I think what's best for the city as a whole having reviewed the data reviewed the arguments taking into account all residents not just one particular group or another I still come back to our streets are public property. They should be used for the use that we, the public, deem best, including car storage is one of those uses, but it's not the only use. And we, the council, is the body charged with determining the best use of public space. And it seems that sticking with the current timeline, remember that was something of a compromise, that right now this Broadway is scheduled to be due this year and also next year. And then finally, let's just remember, whatever happens tonight, regardless, we still have a lot of work to do. We should be thinking about mitigation for parking. And we need the intersection report and the plan to address the safety of intersection. That's another body of work that's critically important, especially given the deaths of the cyclists were really in intersections. And we still have far too many people driving. Cambridge residents and workers who regularly cycle as commuters and for errands are still a minority. It's 2x or 3x the number of people who actually drive. So we do need better public transit, but we also need to find ways to increase the number of cyclists, which is partly by completing the network. But there's also other things we need to do, too, in order to justify the investment we're making in bike lanes. And as mentioned before, we need a protected bike lane network. So I will say, I won't be supporting this. I do look forward though to finding ways to help mitigate parking and to work forward on all the ways that we as a city are providing a safe network across the city for cyclists. I yield Mayor Simmons.

Councilor Nolan yields the floor. Pleasure of the City Council. Councilor Zinn, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I just wanted to keep it brief, but to say that, you know, we've added bike lanes before. We've done studies on what the impact is. We can just look at one. So in 2018, we did a review of the bike lanes we added on Cambridge Street needing our CRLS. So from 2016 to 2018, what happened? A, if people are wondering, do crashes actually go down? We went from having three pedestrian crashes and five cyclist crashes to zero pedestrian crashes and two cyclist crashes. So that was six less incidents in that section of Cambridge Street where we added the protected bike lanes near CRLS. people have this suggestion of like, oh, there's going to be less parking because 90 parking spots were taken away, right? And there are negative impacts of that, which I will get to in a second. So people are like, oh, well, the occupancy must have gone up. More people were using those parking spots and there were less of them, right? In the study area, what they found is that even though the total number of parking spots went down, the occupancy of those parking spots also went down by 1%. You're asking why? Well, 20% of our city moves every year. If you now live in a spot where it's not easy to find a parking spot in front of your house, the person who's more likely to rent that apartment or buy a house there is someone who does not drive. We've seen a change as we've added bike lanes, like an increase in 4% or 5% of people who bike to work. That is... thousands of cars that are not on our road and it's hard to measure those because we did not like you know have those as like cars that were there and then taken away but slowly like people have moved to cambridge who do not own a car and it's hard to measure that but we do see it in our statistics and we do show it to like in our numbers and so we have people move here and that takes cars off the streets that's that parking kind of balances in And this will be my final point. In the study area, before construction, when we had 1,065, it was 74% occupancy. After construction, this is on 10 a.m. on weekdays, we had 971 parking spots. It was 74%. At midnight, it was 78% in the study area. Afterwards, it was 77% occupancy of the existing, even though the total number of spaces went down, the total number of used parking spaces also went down. Just to say that this is counterintuitive. There's not an easy answer of this is exactly what happens. People also respond to their environment and their act. People choose, since we have such a mobile community, of where they want to live based on what's available in front of them. And to say that it's just complicated is what I mean. I understand, right? If you live on Broadway and you drive everywhere and you're going to stay wherever and you see spots going away in front of your house, you're right to be anxious, right? I get it, there are trade-offs. But not everyone has that lifestyle. A lot of people choose to move and do other things. And also, I would say in general, it is a trade-off. There's no easy way to make an extra 150 parking spots come up. If we could do that, we would have done that with all the other bike lane installations. Sometimes they're just trade-offs, and you should just be honest about them. Otherwise, you end up just dilly-dallying and not reaching a decision, which just makes everyone more upset in the process. Thank you. Madam Mayor.

Councilor Zinn builds the floor, Vice Mayor.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just real quickly, I won't be supporting this. I do support and I'd be happy to work with Councilor Zusy or anyone to come up with a list of creative ideas that we can send to the Broadway Working Group. But I do want to point out, we heard a couple times tonight that this policy order was not about a delay. Unless I'm reading this wrong, number three in the ordered section, to come up with language to change the cycling safety ordinance allowing for a delay in rolling out Broadway bike lanes until these needs are satisfied. So what if they're not satisfied? What if it takes 10 years to satisfy it? It literally calls for a delay until these conditions are met, unless I'm reading that wrong. So again, as I said, I'm all open to creative ideas and being creative, but I am not open to further delaying this after we just took a vote a few months ago to delay it by a year. Yes, I yield.

Vice Mayor yields the floor. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler, the floor is yours. Thanks, Madam Mayor.

We heard from a lot of folks tonight, from parents who bike on Broadway to get their kids to preschool, to students from pre-K to grad school who bike to school on Broadway, heard from seniors and grandparents in support of infrastructure. I think sometimes, I just want to point out, sometimes we put seniors and grandparents in in opposition to safe infrastructure and the services they need. I was thinking about how I've done multiple events at senior housing with Somerville Cambridge Elder Services this term. Some of those same folks were at the meeting last week at the city hall. And one of the folks we do these meetings at senior housing with, she bikes to those meetings. And the folks providing the services are the same folks who depend on bike infrastructure. It's not all folks driving who are doing it. We really need safe infrastructure for them as well. Councilor Zusy had mentioned some of the new housing that's being created and the potential demand for new parking as a result. I actually think the new housing that's being created is one of the strongest arguments for putting in bike lanes quickly and having the infrastructure. The council voted recently eight to one in favor of new zoning that's gonna create thousands of new housing units. That's great, we desperately need it. But if we add thousands of new housing units, and expect each of those folks to add a car, we're gonna have thousands of new cars in Cambridge. And even if we got rid of every bike lane we have in the city tonight, that's not gonna create enough new parking spots for all of those folks. Our best option, unless we wanna spend millions and millions of dollars on new parking garages, is hoping that a lot of those folks don't bring cars to Cambridge or that they only bring one car for their household of two or three or four. And the way to do that is to provide alternatives. And this is the way we do that. The Cycling Safety Ordinance doesn't ask for protected bike lanes on every street in Cambridge. It only asks for them in a few key corridors, the ones that are most critical for folks to get to work and school and daycare and doctor's appointments. We have parking on nearly every street in Cambridge. I could name all the streets in the Cycling Safety Ordinance. It would take me about 15 seconds. There's only a handful. If I named all the streets we have parking on, we would be here another two hours. Another important reason for this is that other safety measures are done at the same time. Broadway is dangerous. I used to live in mid-Cambridge. It is dangerous right now for pedestrians and cyclists and drivers. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen cars absolutely flying down Broadway and another car comes out. from Fayette or Lee Street, and there are crashes or just narrow crashes, it is dangerous right now for everyone. And those safety improvements that we'd be delaying are not just safety improvements for cyclists, they are safety improvements we're making to create better streets for pedestrians and better streets for drivers. As others have pointed out, we already voted on this last year. We voted on delaying Broadway. A super majority of us on the council landed on a compromise that ended up delaying on Broadway. And we came to that process. So I think now let's focus on how we make these improvements the best they can be. Our city staff have done a lot of work on this already. We have two policy orders on that, all right. You know, I think we should vote no on this and focus on how do we make these changes work the best way they can, which we have two other policy orders on our agenda tonight. I yield back.

Council Sobrinho-Wheeler yields the floor. Pleasure. Oh, the Vice Mayor. Not the Vice Mayor. You've already spoken, Council Susie. I'm sorry, Council Susie. Council Siddiqui, did you want to be here? You have not spoken.

Mayor Simmons, everything that's been said, I concur with, and nothing new to add. Thank you.

Very good. Council Wilson, you've not been heard. Excuse me? Council Wilson calls the question. On the call, the question, you have to have two-thirds vote. So roll call on call and question.

Councilor Azeem? Yes. Yes. Vice Mayor McGovern? Yes. Yes. Councilor Nolan? Yes. Yes. Councilor Siddiqui? Yes. Yes. Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler? Yes. Yes. Councilor Toner? Yes. Yes. Councilor Wilson? Yes. Yes. Councilor Zusy?

Yes.

Yes. Mayor Simmons? Yes. Yes. And you have nine members recorded in the affirmative. So we will now go to the vote on the motion.

Would you like a roll call? Yes, please. Roll call.

Councilor Azeem. Yes. Yes, Vice-Mayor McGovern. No. No, Councilor Nolan. Aye. Councilor Azeem. No. Let's go back to Councilor Azeem. Let's not, because that's not. Councilor Azeem is a no. Vice-Mayor McGovern. No. No, Councilor Nolan.

No.

No, Councilor Siddiqui.

No.

No, Councilor Sobrinho-Wheeler.

No.

No, Councilor Toner. Yes. Yes, Councilor Wilson. Yes, Councillor Zusy.

Yes.

Yes, Mayor Simmons.

Yes.

Yes, and you have four members recorded in the affirmative and five recorded as absent.

And the motion fails on the not having enough votes. Sorry about that. It's late. I just want to remind people we are at 1128. The meeting expires at midnight. The next item, which was pulled by Councilor Zane, reads as follows, that the city managers requested to establish a city policy that prohibits the use of second-generation anticoagulant roticides on city-owned properties by city contractors except in circumstances where a written emergency waiver provided by the Public Health Department such is deemed to be required. Councilor Zane, the floor is yours.

Thank you. This sounds great, the policy order looks great. I just never heard about this before, so I was just like, I wanted to ask the city staff if this got the thumbs up.

I don't know if there's any city staff still here.

That's the original, that's the sponsor. Can I?

I'll allow Councilor Z to at least finish his point. Councilor Z, we have the city manager here. If you want to ask him, I don't know if we have any other city staff.

I would just be curious if they have a comment. If they don't, that's fine.

Sure.

So to Owen, this is your opportunity to shine. Tell us about anticoagulant rodenticides.

To you, Mayor Simmons.

Can you call my name? I'm sorry.

Never mind. Go ahead. So the way we operate at the moment, we do not use second generation rodenticides, and so we're supportive of this as a policy and happy to write a positive response to this. Madam Mayor.

Councilor Zima, you're on the floor. Vice Mayor.

Thank you. Yes, I actually want to thank Assistant City Manager O'Riordan. We had several meetings with folks from MSPCA and other advocates. And as Assistant City Manager O'Riordan said, The city doesn't use these poisons on city-owned property, but there is no actual policy. So at any point in time in the future, the city can decide to start using it. So we discussed this, and we decided that it was better to make this a formal policy, which is why we're moving forward with this. There are other conversations to have in this area. Other communities have filed home rule petitions to actually ban poisons on private property as well. That's a conversation that we will continue to have with the city and the MSPCA and other advocates, but this was the simplest one to deal with out of the gate. So thank you to the city for putting this together, and I'm glad you got in and under the wire. Vice Mayor, are you yielding the floor?

Yes. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, on policy order number three, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed? The ayes have it, and policy order three is adopted by the affirmative vote of nine members. We go now to number four, this is a poll by Councilor Azeem, reads as follows. That the city manager is requested to work with the relevant city departments to apply for UNICEF child friendly city certification on behalf of the city of Cambridge. This is a poll by Councilor Azeem. Councilor Azeem, the floor is yours.

Since the main sponsor, I don't know if they wanted to speak first, but then if they're okay.

Are you yielding to Councilor Siddiqui? Councilor Siddiqui, do you want to speak to this?

Sure, thank you. Through you, Mayor Simmons, thank you to you and my co-sponsors, Councilor Wilson and Vice Mayor McGovern. This is a youth-led policy order that came up based on a project that eighth graders worked on. This designation is relatively new. There's only three cities that have actually received this designation in the past. Houston, Minneapolis, Decatur, Decatur.

I said that wrong. It's all right.

and so the the goal really is given that Cambridge has been such a leader the last many years decades on youth forward policy work that we begin the process to apply for a city certification the policy order is does not speak to kind of what that process looks like. It's a multi-step process that begins first with engaging with UNICEF and obviously we want the young people, and many young people have talked about this particular issue, to engage on that. So that's all I have to add. If my other colleagues would want to say anything, feel free.

Thank you. Councilor Siddiqui yields the floor back to you. Councilor Zinn, before I go to co-sponsors, do you have any other questions?