Salem Bike Lanes To Get Boost From $146K In State Grants

SALEM, MA — Salem's efforts to become an increasingly "car-light" community is getting another boost from $146,000 in state grants to help create protected bike lanes and reduce "unsafe vehicle speeds."

The city said it will use a $96,000 Shared Streets and Spaces Grant to implement the North Street Safety Enhancement Program and a separate $50,000 Shared Streets and Spaces Grant for equipment that will seasonally sweep and plow bicycle lanes in the city.

"As a result of our many shared and complete streets projects — like the work on North Street — residents, employees, and visitors can travel more safely through the corridor whether walking, biking, or driving," Mayor Kim Driscoll said.

The grants will fund the installation of new roadway striping, signage, and flex posts to better delineate travel lanes, parking areas, bus stops as well as introduce the protected bike lanes.

The goal is to reduce unsafe vehicular speeds, improve pedestrian crossings, enhance visibility at intersections and driveways, as well as consolidate and improve access to some of the bus stops serving the North Street corridor.

Officials said the project will be implemented later this month into early next month from Franklin Street to the Peabody city line. Bluebikes bike share stations will then be placed at the intersection with Liberty Hill Avenue and next to the MBTA commuter rail station.

"The goal is to reduce vehicular speeds and make it safer for all users while improving the quality of life for the neighborhoods surrounding this vital corridor," said David Kucharsky, the city's Director of Traffic and Parking.

Project plans can be found here while questions and comments can be sent to trafficcalming@salem.com.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)