It was decades in the making. But Newton has developed a draft bicycle and pedestrian mobility plan that will likely go before the City Council in 2026. 

The story starts on November 21, 1994, when Newton’s Board of Aldermen approved a “City Policy on Bicycles and Pedestrians.” Two years later, the State Legislature adopted an amendment requiring cities and towns to provide accommodation for bicycles and pedestrians in all roadway projects funded by the Massachusetts Highway Department. 

Subsequently, the Newton Planning Department commissioned the Greenman-Pedersen firm to prepare a Bicycle Accommodation Master Plan. The plan was prepared in 2000 and updated by the Newton Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force in 2005. Newton’s Comprehensive Plan, approved in 2007, recommended that the city “adopt and implement a bicycle plan that reflects Newton’s special circumstances,” especially those found in village centers where space is constrained.

The organization Bike Newton, founded by Newton residents Lois Levin and Helen Rittenberg in 2009, worked alongside transportation advisory committees appointed by then-Mayor Setti Warren and developed a proposed map indicating preferred bicycle routes in the city. Various versions of these maps were published starting in 2012 but none were officially accepted by the city’s planning or public works departments.

There was some forward movement, however. A bicycle coordinator was appointed for the city. Bike lanes started appearing on some city streets and new bicycle racks were installed. Bike safety workshops took place in the schools. A new bicycle sharing program took hold, now branded Blue Bikes. Yet until now, there has not been a guiding document that articulates an overall vision and plan to continue to expand and improve bicycle safety and accommodations in Newton. 

Progress has been slow in recent years. In 2023, using ARPA funds, Newton hired consultants from the firm Environmental Partners Group and Howard Stein to help develop a plan that aims to create safe, accessible cycling and walking networks in Newton. Staff in the Planning department then held meetings and obtained community feedback prior to developing a final draft that was intended for approval by the City Council. However, the legislative requirements for having this plan approved as an amendment to Newton’s Comprehensive Plan were not followed and the plan was not adopted during the 2025 City Council term. 

What’s next? Pending required city legislative procedures and with additional public feedback, the City Council should adopt Newton’s “Walk, Roll, and Bike Network Plan” as an integral part of Newton’s Comprehensive Plan. The proposed plan takes a step in the right direction for Newton to continue to improve safety for its pedestrian, roadway and bicycle infrastructure to improve mobility for all its residents. However, important modifications are needed to improve the current plan. 

Executive Summary: The proposed plan is a large document with extensive information, some of it highly relevant and some of it primarily informational and educational. It needs an executive summary, ideally 2 to 3 pages long.

Design Classification of Roadways: The plan lacks a design classification of roadways in Newton and instead uses only a functional classification system focused mainly on automobile throughput. That system doesn’t distinguish between segments of roadways such as those inside village centers, where they would have a “Main Streets” design classification. The desired roadway configurations for bicycle accommodations should differ based on the context of the roadway.

Roadway Width and Bicycle Accommodation: The plan defines standards for including bicycle accommodations on roadways based on existing roadway widths. It should include a set of maps that indicates the location of various roadway widths in the city. This improved level of transparency will help people understand how individual streets may be reconfigured to accommodate bicycle routes and where elimination of on-street parking may be considered.

 Clarity and Focus: Supporting documentation of the proposed plan includes a map from 2012 that is titled “Desired Bicycle Route-Bicycling Network Plan.” This map is clearer and more focused than the newer maps that have been developed during the current planning process. It is important that the final plan includes a clear and simple map of intended bicycle routes in Newton.

With these changes and  additional public input, the new “Walk, Roll, and Bike Network Plan” should be approved as an amendment to Newton’s Comprehensive Plan. After decades of thought and deliberation, the time has come for Newton to clearly articulate its intentions to improve bicycle safety and accommodations throughout the city. 

Srdjan S. Nedeljkovic, a resident of Newton Highlands, serves on the Newton Transportation Advisory Group. He can be reached at snedeljkovic21@gmail.com.