(a) Definitions:

(1) Bicycle means a two-wheel nonmotor-powered vehicle.

(2) Bike path means a route for the exclusive use of bicycles separated by grade or other physical barrier from motor traffic.

(3) Bike lane means a street lane restricted to bicycles and so designated by means of painted lanes, pavement coloring or other appropriate markings. A peak hour bike lane means a bike lane effective only during times of heaviest auto commuter traffic.

(4) Bike route means a route in which bicycles share road space with motorized vehicles.

(5) Bikeway means bike paths, bike lanes and bike routes.

(6) Bicycle parking facility means any facility for the temporary storage of bicycles which allows the frame and both wheels of the bicycle to be locked so as to minimize the risk of theft and vandalism.

(7) Parking facility means a lot, garage, building, or portion thereof in or of which motor vehicles are temporarily parked.

(8) Parking space means the area allocated by a parking facility for the temporary storage of one automobile.

(9) MBTA means the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.

(b) Application. This section shall be applicable in the Boston Intrastate Region.

(c) Study. The Commonwealth, according to the schedule set forth in paragraph (d) of this section, shall conduct a comprehensive study of, and in that study recommend, the establishment of permanent bikeways and related facilities within the area described in paragraph (b) of this section. The study shall consider or include at least the following elements:

(1) The physical design for bikeways, intersections involving bikeways, and means of bicycle link-ups with other modes of transportation;

(2) The location of bikeways, including ascertaining high accident or pollution areas and developing means of avoiding or ameliorating those situations as well as means of providing intersection safety generally;

(3) The location of bicycle parking facilities, including bus stops;

(4) The rules of the road for bicyclists, and to the extent that present rules must be modified because of bikeways, new rules of the road for motorists. Also the feasibility of mandatory adult bicycle registration to minimize theft and increase recovery of stolen bicycles;

(5) Bicycle safety education for bicyclists, motorists, children, students, street maintenance personnel and policemen, including requiring bicycle safety principles and safe street riding skills to be taught in high school automobile driver(s) education programs;

(6) Methods for publicizing bicycles or bicycles plus mass transit as alternatives to automobile transportation, including the preparation, perhaps in conjunction with bicentennial efforts, of a master Boston area transit map, indicating the kind, extent and location of bicycle facilities, public baths, showers, toilet facilities, water fountains, as well as routes and stops for MBTA, common carriers and private bus lines, such map to be distributed by the Registry of Motor Vehicles with each automobile new registration and automobile registration renewal;

(7) Requiring or providing incentives for common carriers and mass transit carriers, especially the Blue Line of the MBTA, to provide bicycle parking facilities at their respective terminals and stations and bicycle carrying facilities on their respective vehicles;

(8) The creation of roadway zones in which all vehicles, except mass transit, emergency and service vehicles, and bicycles, would be excluded;

(9) Requiring or providing incentives for office buildings and employers to install and to provide free shower and locker facilities for cyclists;

(10) A bicycle user and potential user survey, which shall at a minimum determine:

(i) For present bicycle riders, the origin, destination, frequency, travel time, distance and purpose of bicycle trips;

(ii) In high density employment areas, the present modes of transportation of employees and the potential modes of transportation, including the numbers of employees who would use a bicycle for a significant portion of their commuting transportation were suitable facilities available to them. This section of the study shall seek to ascertain the size of the working population that would move from automobiles to mass transit and bicycles or bicycles alone as a significant form of transportation. It shall also seek to ascertain what bicycle facilities or mix thereof would produce the greatest conversion from auto use;

(11) The special problems related to the design and incorporation in the bikeway facilities described in paragraph (f) of this section of feeder bikeways to bridges, on-bridge bikeways, feeder bikeways to MBTA and railroad stations, feeder bikeways to fringe parking areas, and bicycle passage through rotaries and squares;

(12) The conversion of railroad beds, power lines, flood control channels or similar corridors to bikepaths;

(13) Removing barriers to employees bringing their bicycles into their offices;

(14) Removal or alteration of drain grates with bars so placed as to catch bicycle wheels;

(15) Bicycle rentals at appropriate locations; and

(16) The feasibility of constructing bikeways along at least each of the corridors set forth in paragraph (g) of this section.

In conducting the study, opportunity shall be given for public comments and suggestions. Input shall also be solicited from state, regional and local planning staffs, state, regional and local agencies, bicycle organizations and other interested groups and be related to comprehensive transportation planning for the area designated in paragraph (b) of this section. The study shall, using as a goal a minimum of 180 miles of bikeways, examine as large a network of facilities as is practicable within the area described in paragraph (b) of this section and shall recommend physical designs for said facilities. The study shall also propose a compliance schedule for establishing any recommended permanent bicycle facilities.

(d) The Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall submit to the Regional Administrator no later than October 1, 1975, a detailed compliance schedule showing the steps that will be taken to carry out the study required by paragraph (c) of this section. The compliance schedule shall at a minimum include:

(1) Designation of the agency responsible for conducting the study;

(2) A date for initiation of the study, which date shall be no later than October 1, 1975; and

(3) A date for completion of the study, and submittal thereof to the Administrator, which date shall be no later than June 30, 1976.

(e) On or before September 1, 1976, the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register his response to the study required by paragraph (c) of this section, and shall, in that response, either approve the facility location and designs and other requirements as well as the proposed compliance schedule for permanent facilities recommended in the study, or shall designate alternative and/or additional facility locations and designs and other requirements as well as modify the proposed compliance schedule for permanent facilities. The Administrator may provide, if he deems it necessary, for a public comment period prior to the effective date of his response.

(f) Permanent bicycle facilities. At the conclusion of the study required by paragraph (c) of this section and the Administrator's response thereto, the Commonwealth shall, together with the municipalities and other authorities having jurisdiction over affected roadways and areas establish permanent bicycle facilities as required by the Administrator's response to the study.

(g) The potential bikeway corridors to be studied pursuant to paragraph (c)(16) are as follows:

(1) Central Square, Cambridge to Boston University;

(2) Harvard Square, Cambridge to Union Square, Allston;

(3) Union Square, Somerville to Central Square, Cambridge;

(4) Union Square, Allston to Government Center;

(5) Harvard Square, Cambridge to Government Center;

(6) Brookline Village to Government Center;

(7) Boston University to Longwood Avenue Hospital Zone;

(8) Egleston Square to Government Center;

(9) Columbus Park to Boston Common;

(10) L Street Beach to Government Center;

(11) Powder House Circle, Somerville to Harvard Square;

(12) Everett to Government Center;

(13) Porter Square, Cambridge to Columbus Park, Boston;

(14) Cleveland Circle to Government Center;

(15) Porter Square, Cambridge to Government Center;

(16) Harvard Square, Cambridge to Boston City Hospital; and

(17) Charlestown, Longfellow, Harvard, Boston University, River Street, Western Avenue, Anderson, Summer Street, and Broadway Bridges.

(h) The MBTA shall provide bicycle parking facilities at each major MBTA station adequate to meet the needs of MBTA riders within the area designated in paragraph (b) of this section. Said parking facilities shall at a minimum be located at:

(1) All stations of the Riverside portion of the Green Line;

(2) Reasonably spaced stops on other portions of the Green Line;

(3) All stations of the Red, Orange, and Blue Lines; and shall have spaces for at least six bicycles per station, except for facilities at terminal stations which shall have spaces for at least 24 bicycles.

(i) The Commonwealth shall provide for advertisement of bikeways and bicycle parking facilities in use within the area designated in paragraph (b) of this section to potential users by means of media advertisement, the distribution and posting of bikeway maps and bike safety information, as well as for a program of bicycle safety education including the motor vehicle operators license examination and public service advertisement.

[40 FR 25168, June 12, 1975]