Even More Bicycle Corrals Coming to City in Spring

The city plans to install seven more this spring through a grant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, according to Sarah Spicer, a representative from the city's department of transportation and infrastructure. 

The announcement elicited a collective "wow" from the members of the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee, who met Nov. 15 at City Hall and who regularly encourage city officials to expand bicycle infrastructure.  

The Department of Public Works recently installed two bicycle corrals, one of which takes up a parking space in front of Davis Square's and another in front of Union Square's . Each holds 14 bicycles. , in Ball Square, will receive a corral in the spring, Spicer said. 

Spicer has asked the committee and the public to suggest spots for the forthcoming corrals. E-mail suggestions to sspicer@somervillema.gov. 

Meanwhile, the city will put into storage the two existing corrals in December and reassemble them in late March. 

Committee wants better bicycling in neighboring cities 

• The committee has asked a representative of the city's department of transportation and infrastructure to discuss with Nicole Freedman, the head of Boston's bicycle program, installing new bicycle racks in Sullivan Square to replace the ones that sit on a traffic divider. 
• A guest at the meeting also suggested that those present urge officials in Boston and Cambridge to make the trip across the Longfellow Bridge safer for bicyclists. With the bridge under construction, and bicyclists and drivers must often share one lane. 

Upcoming events 

• The Bicycle Committee will lead a tour of the city's Christmas lights Saturday, Dec. 17, leaving from Somerville High School at 6:20 p.m. The Illuminations Tour by Bike will compliment the one that takes residents by trolley past the most festively decorated homes in Central and East Somerville. The route will include paths too narrow for the trolleys. Check the Somerville Arts Council's website as the date approches to find out where the stops on the tour will be. 
• The committee will meet next on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. in the basement of City Hall.