In the aftermath of the auto-pedestrian accident on July 31 at the intersection of the Minuteman Bikeway and Woburn Street, it’s high time Lexington makes its dangerous Minuteman Commuter Bikeway crossings safer.
Many people drive too fast and carelessly in Lexington, without slowing to cede the right of way to Bikeway traffic—walkers, cyclists, students, older adults and those with children or pushing baby strollers. Drivers need an additional warning to slow down! Let me explain.
Lexington has five potentially dangerous street crossings where the Bikeway right of way priority—slanted white lines—is often ignored. As a senior who has cycled the Minuteman Bikeway for over 25 years, I’ve always tried to be alert of the dangers at these street crossings. I slow, look both ways for cars, and get a foot off a pedal to be ready to stop for the driver who ignores my right of way. Most drivers (and trail users) are watchful and acknowledge the traffic situations, but—in my opinion—we need to raise awareness for those who do not. I rank the five crossings by 1 = most dangerous (Woburn, Hancock, Fletcher), 3/4 = less dangerous (Meriam), to 5 = least dangerous (Revere), with respect to the speed of auto traffic, as well as the visibility of the bike trail to oncoming traffic.
1: Woburn St
1: Hancock St.
1: Fletcher Av
3/4 Meriam St
5: Revere St
Now on Woburn Street, July 31, we had a life-threatening accident in which a speeding car struck a pedestrian. Fortunately, and although five police cars responded, the walker was not injured. The Bikeway on weekends is almost as busy as Mass Ave. with cyclists, walkers, strollers and families. Think about that.
The best solution I can come up with is to mount blinking yellow lights atop the pylons in the middle of our busiest three streets (1s, above) with Bikeway crossings. Our town is likely to have these lights and plastic pylons available already or atop the existing barrels. These lights are quite inexpensive and many are solar-powered. Perhaps they only need to be switched on during times of heaviest trail use.
Please act on this. I believe taking this step will warn auto traffic to slow down and pay attention before someone gets killed!
I don’t know what happened in this accident, I walk the bike path several days a week and regularly see bicyclists ignore the stop signs at various intersections and just go full speed across intersections. Many often ignore the signs to announce when they are passing a pedestrian, bike on the wrong side and more. Children leaving schools ride on the sidewalks, which is allowed, but also ignore the law that gives pedestrians on the sidewalk right of way. I have almost been hit numerous times when walking near a school as the children are let out. If the bicyclists would obey the rules and law and the town would enforcing the rules of the road, perhpas this situation would improve.
Driving toward the center on Hancock St there is a large evergreen bush on the right that obscures a driver’s view of the path. This bush should be removed.
Aren’t there stop signs for cyclists at each of these intersections? Bikes are supposed to come to a complete stop at these intersections.
Guidelines for Using the Path (https://minutemanbikeway.org/services/)
EVERYONE: KEEP TO THE RIGHT except to pass.
Look carefully before entering or crossing the bikeway.
Pass on the left, only when safe. Give an audible warning before passing another bikeway user.
Make a complete stop at all intersections.
When stopping for a while, move off the pavement to allow other bikeway users to pass.
Yield to emergency and maintenance vehicles.
I support this reader’s call for safer crossings. Please work to add improved signage, flashing lights (perhaps sensor driven) and brush clearing.
When Mr. Sokolov states “please work to add improved signage” it’s unclear who he is addressing this to. One way Mr. Sokolov could bring about the change he desires is to put in the time and effort to write a citizens petition, collect signatures, and present the petition at town meeting.
I couldn’t agree more. The Woburn Street crossing in particular is extremely hazardous. It is one of the most routinely ignored crosswalks I’ve ever seen, and it’s only mere feet away from Lexington PD’s favorite food establishment. I can’t count the number of cars that have blown by me at one of our many crosswalks where I sit in plain view with my son in his stroller. This is a huge safety issue that Lexington PD could address- and it doesn’t even infringe on any constitutional rights!
Thank you for sharing your concern about bikeway safety. The Town is in the process of installing the button activated flashing signals (Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons – RRFBs) at important bikeway crossings. This was an outcome of the participatory budgeting process for ARPA (American Recovery Plan Act) funding.
The bikeway crossing RRFB contract has been bid and awarded, and the contractor is waiting for the equipment to arrive for installation. The equipment for crossings and traffic signals is always a multi-month backlog, but from our recent conversations with the contractor we are expecting the work to begin in August and anticipate approximately a month of construction.
From the Town’s web site:
https://www.lexingtonma.gov/2008/Current-Engineering-Construction-Project
Bikeway Crossing Beacon Installation Project
(Updated July 25, 2025) Rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFB) will be installed at the following crossings on the Minuteman Bikeway:
Westview Street
Revere Street
Meriam Street
Fletcher Ave
Woburn Street
Crews from Pine Ridge Technologies will be in Town the week of July 28th kicking off the project. The bikeway is not expected to be closed, but there may be obstruction and a lane closure at these crossings. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be directed around the work zones on the path if necessary.
Is this correct? These will be “button activated” by the cyclist or pedestrian who wants to cross, like the crossings at Bedford Road and Hartwell Avenue, but instead of a red light, the drivers will get a flashing signal “heads up”?
I hope cyclists won’t abuse these pedestrian signals, producing a cry wolf and desensitization response by drivers. Cyclists have stop signs and as vehicular traffic, must yield to vehicles on the road. Sadly, over the past 50 years, traffic signals have replaced yield and stop signs and drivers on autopilot become less observant of surroundings and only respond to red and green traffic lights. Cyclists too need more awareness of stop signs – I suggest larger sign sizes with flashing LED lights around them as seen in Medford.