The Select Board recently approved $79,000 in funding to develop a town-wide bicycle and pedestrian plan, a move that local officials and advocates say will help guide future investments and improvements for non-motorized transportation.
The plan, which will be developed by an outside consultant, aims to identify and prioritize bicycle infrastructure projects based on the needs of cyclists. It will also look at ways to improve the overall environment for bicyclists in Marblehead, where narrow, winding streets and centuries-old architecture pose challenges.
“This is going to be a holistic plan that really reaches into every form that might be used in a public way,” said Amy McHugh, superintendent of the Marblehead Department of Public Works. “Do I think we’re going to be completely overwhelmed with how much work we have to do to get to that? Yes.”
She added, “And the other issue is: Can we get it done? I mean, we’re an old town with a lot of constraints.”
Despite the challenges, McHugh said the plan will enable important conversations with residents about the future of biking and walking in Marblehead. She noted that currently, the only dedicated bicycle infrastructure in town is the rail trail.
“The rail trail is a shared-use area and this includes bicycles,” McHugh said. “But these are suggestions and enable us to start talking and reaching out to residents. My hope is that we can get to all the people and that… I appreciate that guy that stands up and says he doesn’t want to see, you know, painted white [bike lanes] everywhere.”
Rick Smyers, a member of the Marblehead Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, has been an advocate for bicycle infrastructure and says a plan will be beneficial.
“Different issues come up. And they’re usually very local; it’s a single block or an intersection, where there’s an issue or a problem that local residents want addressed,” Smyers said. “And it’s hard to address them one at a time without understanding how they all fit together.”
In February, Smyers presented a proposal to the committee for a number of bike rack locations around town, seeing an opportunity to encourage more cycling by providing secure parking options. The committee voted to apply for Complete Streets funding to acquire the racks.
But the following month, Smyers learned that the Rotary Club was willing to fund some of the bike racks through donations, reducing the need for town funding. He has since been working with Logan Casey, Marblehead’s sustainability coordinator, to leverage additional funding through the state’s Transportation Improvement Program.
“The latest I have is that Rotary will fund the acquisition of two bike racks. And then the Transportation Improvement Program, it’s a state program, will match that,” Smyers said. “They have an 80/20 matching program, so this could really multiply the impact of the Rotary donation.”
Casey said the bicycle plan is one of the final pieces needed to define Marblehead’s multimodal transportation priorities, along with a recently completed sidewalk plan. Having these plans in place will better position the town to apply for state and federal grants aimed at improving walkability and bikeability.
The goal is for the bicycle plan to provide clear guidance on where infrastructure like bike lanes would be most appropriate and feasible in Marblehead, given the town’s physical constraints and historic character.
Local advocates see the plan as a crucial step towards making Marblehead a safer and more accessible place for cyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities. They hope it will lead to a more connected network of bike routes that link key destinations around town, from the historic downtown to the scenic harbor and beaches.
Dan Shuman, owner of Marblehead Cycles, welcomed the news of the comprehensive plan.
“We should of done it a long time ago,” he told the Current. Shuman served on a bicycle planning committee in Salem, and said he could see bike lanes painted on Marblehead’s entrance corridors like Humphrey Street and Tedesco Street.
“There might be a few spots downtown that we do things, like shared markings on the road,” he said.
But officials also acknowledge that building support for bike infrastructure can be challenging in a community, especially when it comes to the town’s traditional character and aesthetics.
With the funding now in place, the town plans to select a consultant. Officials say there will be multiple opportunities for public input and engagement as the plan takes shape over the next year.
“This is really about starting a community dialogue and charting a path forward,” Casey said. “It’s an exciting opportunity to reimagine how we get around in Marblehead and create a transportation system that works better for everyone.”
The funding for the bicycle and pedestrian plan is coming from Marblehead’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The town has received a total of $6.1 million in ARPA funds, of which about $500,000 remains available for additional projects after the approval of the bike plan funding.
