Removing parking on MASS Ave from Harvard Sq to Arlington would FORCE VIOLETTE BAKERS OUT OF BUSINESS. (We cannot move a 4th time!) And wipe out most of the small businesses, as there are no public parking facilities in this area. (The city proposes putting meters, loading zones and directing traffic onto the residential side streets!) The city has made no impact statement whatsoever of the affect of this proposal on small businesses or the surrounding communities. The effect will be to create a bike freeway on Mass ave and an economic desert. It is basically a POWER GRAB FOR PROPERTY, as it would facilitate low rise and older buildings being sold and turned into high rise housing, with box store tenants on the ground floor. As they say, follow the money of some of the so-called bike advocate CANDIDATES and you will see where they get their money.

The City claims this is an environmental and safety measure. However, the city has not taken even the barest safety measures, such as requiring helmuts or basic training on rules of the road for bikers. In the past 30+ years, there have been 5 bike deaths in Cambridge — not necessarily the fault of drivers. AND Somerville already has such a bike lane just 2 blocks over that bikers can ride down.

Take Action:

1. Sign this online petition (anyone can sign):

2. Vote Nov 2.    Consider voting ONLY for the following  5 Candidates who have decided to keep the conversation open and have not signed a pledge to prioritize Bicyclists over all other Cambridge residents: 

1. Paul Toner, 2. Joe McGuirk , 3 Denise Simmons, 4. Ilan Levy and 5. Frantz Pierre .

I don’t know about you, but i’m being bombarded by calls, texts, visits from candidates. If you live in Cambridge, let candidates know you won’t vote for any candidate who, without thought, is destroying Cambridge’s vibrant small business community for a bike lane, that has no climate change value and is not a true safety measure — but rather is a power grab for developers.