38% Of Survey Respondents Report Having Seen Or Been Involved In An Accident Along Charles River Pathway

Newton MA, November 25, 2003—Data from a study of the Charles River Parklands pathway undertaken by the Charles River Conservancy suggests that as many as 38% of pathway users have either been in or observed at least one accident along this often narrow and congested pathway. Concerns about pathway safety led the Charles River Conservancy (CRC), a non-profit organization dedicated to the stewardship and renewal of the Charles River Parklands, to begin studying the Dr. Paul Dudley White Pathway last spring.

The 18-mile, largely paved path, which stretches along both sides of the Charles River from the Watertown Dam to the Museum of Science, is used by as many as 20,000 people a day in good weather. The CRC is gathering data in an effort to develop recommendations on how best to improve the pathway. Data is being collected on access, congestion, safety, maintenance, improvements, and other factors.

With help from over thirty volunteers, the Conservancy spent three afternoons on June 25th, June 28th, and October 1st, observing the often perilous interaction between pathway users and cars on the Cambridge and Boston sides of the River Street Bridge. Observation teams also worked on the Watertown side of the North Beacon Street Bridge. The teams were formed with the invaluable help of many local individuals and community organizations, including WalkBoston, Watertown Bicycle Committee, and Community Running. The support and assistance of the Metropolitan District Commission also was critical to the project's success.

In each of the observation posts, the Dr. Paul Dudley White Pathway crosses major roadways-but only one spot, the intersection of River Street and Memorial Drive in Cambridge, has adequate cross walks and crossing signals. The intersection is one of the busiest in the state and the subject of a proposed traffic study funded by Harvard University.

Volunteer observation teams recorded the number of cyclists, runners, in-line skaters and pedestrians crossing the intersections and also timed and counted the breaks in traffic when it was safe to cross. Pathway users were often left with less than 10 seconds to cross the street, and such free times were observed to occur only once every few minutes. Some intersections saw as many as 150 pathway users crossing the main road in one hour. (See also results of the user traffic counts (PDF format).)

These results point to the need to adjust light timings, install traffic signals and in some cases completely redesign the intersections to provide safer crossings for pathway users. The Conservancy is suggesting long-term redesign of many sections of the pathway, including the construction of pathway bypasses under river bridges for purposes of safety and ease of use. One example of such work is the reconstruction and widening of the pathway on Memorial Drive in front of MIT as part of the Historic Parkways Initiative.

As part of the survey, intersections were videotaped, documenting the danger pathway users face from both poor intersection design and illegal turns by motorists. Videotaping showed that drivers commonly make illegal right turns while stopped at red lights, often charging directly into the path of pedestrians and cyclists. In other cases, it was the pathway users who erred, crossing the intersection against the light and endangering both themselves and the drivers.

In addition to recording and observing traffic, the volunteers also handed out stickers directing pathway users to take the CRC's online survey. 148 people responded to the survey, helping to provide us with a better understanding of how the pathway is used. (See overall results of the online survey (PDF format).)

The survey queried users who visit the CRC website regarding their use of the pathway, including typical times and routes. The CRC found that 29% of respondents commute to work via the pathway, and over 80% of respondents visit the pathway at least once a week.

The survey also asked users to specify their top concerns regarding the pathway. Results show that people are most concerned about maintenance of the pathway surface, followed by safer crossing of intersections. The survey also revealed that 38% of respondents have either been in or seen an accident along the pathway and many respondents have been in multiple accidents. These results confirm the need for better maintenance and redesign of the Paul Dudley White Pathway.

For more information, call Fritz Nelson at the CRC office or email fn@thecharles.org.

Photos courtesy of John Allen, www.bikexprt.com