Bicycle Parking Zoning Modifications

Bicycle Racks at Harvard Law School

The City of Cambridge, through its Zoning Ordinance, has required bicycle parking as part of new development since 1981. These requirements, along with other improvements and investments made by the City, have helped to support bicycling as a preferred transportation option in Cambridge.

Bicycling in Cambridge has increased dramatically, approximately tripling in the past decade alone. While this has resulted in many environmental, economic and health benefits to the Cambridge community, it has also resulted in higher demand for bicycle parking. The bicycle requirements have not changed since they were established in 1981, and the application of those requirements over time has revealed issues where the regulations do not align with current standards in Cambridge or nationwide.

CDD, working with the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Bicycle Committee and the Planning Board, has been taking a fresh look at the zoning requirements for bicycle parking. The result of this work is a rezoning petition that is under consideration by the City Council.

The Cambridge Planning Board has submitted a rezoning petition to the City Council proposing changes to the zoning regulations for bicycle parking in the city. These proposed changes were developed through extensive work by CDD in collaboration with the volunteer Bicycle Committee and the Planning Board. Public hearings have been held by the Planning Board and the City Council's Ordinance Committee, and the City Council will consider whether to vote to adopt the amendment.

You can download and review the submitted petition and other materials below:

Revised Zoning Text (April, 2013)

Bicycle Parking Rezoning Petition (February, 2013)

Bicycle Parking Rezoning Presentation (April, 2013)

See the Zoning Amendments page for details.

The Bicycle Parking Rezoning Petition is under consideration by the Cambridge City Council. Public hearings have been held by the Planning Board and the City Council Ordinance Committee. Next, the petition will come to the City Council to consider adopting the changes into the Zoning Ordinance. You can download the petition and other background materials from the "Documents" tab.

See the Zoning Amendments page for details as the process moves forward.

Follow the “Contact” link to sign up to receive announcements about future meetings.

The City of Cambridge has formally committed, through policies and actions, to increasing the use of bicycles as a sustainable form of transportation. The 1992 Vehicle Trip Reduction Ordinance, 1993 and 2007 Growth Policy Documents, and 2002 Climate Protection Action Plan all include goals of encouraging additional bicycle use. City infrastructure has been built to support and enhance conditions for bicycling. Educational and encouragement programs foster the increased use of bicycles for all travel purposes.

The tangible success of Cambridge’s bicycle program can be measured in the form of the numbers of cyclists in Cambridge. Between 2002 and 2012, peak hour cycling numbers tripled. Bicycle commuting increased from 4% in 2000 to 7% in 2009. Although there are presently over 1,000 bicycle parking racks on the public right of way throughout the city, ongoing needs assessment surveys show that there is extensive demand for additional spaces. Based on a demand survey conducted in 2011, about 1,500 additional bicycle racks (or 3,000 spaces) are needed to meet the projected demand over the next few years in business districts, parks and public buildings alone.

Current zoning requirements for bicycle parking were adopted in 1981 and have not been substantially modified since that time. This early adoption of bicycle parking has benefitted Cambridge’s ability to support increased bicycling over time. However, in many key ways, the current requirements do not adequately meet today’s needs. The provision of inadequate or insufficient private bicycle parking is of concern because it increases the pressure to accommodate bicycles within the public realm, where space is already limited.

The proposed zoning changes intend to clarify the appropriate standards for bicycle parking design, layout and location, and to require quantities of bicycle parking that better meet today’s demand as well as the City’s future goals. By requiring appropriate types and quantities of bicycle parking, we will be able to more effectively, systematically and efficiently manage the needs of the bicycling population, as well as to support the goal of increasing and promoting sustainable transportation use.

  • Bicycle Racks at Harvard Law School
  • Bicycle Racks at Alewife Brook Pkwy/Linear Retail
  • Bicycle parking: post-and-rings on Dunster Street in Harvard Square

For more information contact Jeff Roberts at 617/349-4639 or jroberts@cambridgema.gov.