Cycling advocate raises concerns with MBTA in first week of Orange Line shutdown

BOSTON — Patrick Snyder didn’t like what he saw on his Monday morning commute.

“Getting downtown was surprisingly easy,” Snyder said. “It started to get dicey around Tremont Street.”

Snyder, a self-proclaimed cycling enthusiast and volunteer with the Boston Cyclists Union, routinely rides from his West Roxbury home to Beacon Hill. Monday morning, during the first rush hour commute of the MBTA’s 30-day Orange Line shutdown, he noticed several trucks blocking dedicated bike lanes.

One of the trucks belonged to the MBTA. Snyder said he confronted the driver.

“He was just like, yeah, yeah, it’ll be two seconds. Blah, blah, blah, blah,” Snyder said. “I mean, drivers do that all the time, double-parking, parking in the bike lanes.”

Snyder took a picture and posted it in a tweet, tagging Boston Police, the MBTA and Mayor Michelle Wu.

“After this photo was posted, the MBTA told its employee who was working in Park Station that the vehicle had to be moved immediately. The employee was also told that parking in a bike lane is unacceptable and it can’t happen again,” MBTA Spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in an email to Boston 25.

Snyder’s concern over obstructed bike lanes comes as an influx of cyclists hit Boston streets. Bluebikes reported a record number of rides over the weekend, with 36,664 trips in Boston Saturday and Sunday.

“The Bluebikes are less available, so I think that’s a sign that people are biking more,” Tina Lam said

Lam has been biking to work for about two months. She said she avoids roads that don’t have dedicated bike lanes.

“There’s a lot of streets that don’t have a bike lane, where you have to share the lane with a car. That makes [riding] a little bit scarier,” Lam said.

Snyder is asking drivers and cyclists to take it slow while the MBTA completes its work along the Orange and Green lines. Repairs will be completed Sept. 19.

“If you’re new to cycling, be visible and just play it safe,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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