Flynn wants answers on O'Connor Way bike lane, built in August and now set to come out

A bike lane on O'Connor Way in South Boston went in this August. Now, according to City Councilor Ed Flynn, it is coming out, and he wants the council to examine both decisions.

Flynn filed an order for a hearing on "the decision-making and community process" for the construction and removal of the lane (docket 2048). It is on the agenda for the council's Wednesday, Oct. 28 meeting.

For residents, the case is a small one with a familiar shape: a street change goes in, neighbors object, and the city reverses course. Who gets consulted, and when, is the question the order puts on the table.

What happened on O'Connor Way

The Boston Transportation Department installed a two-way bike lane in front of 5 O'Connor Way in August, according to Flynn's order. The building is a 46-unit affordable senior housing development, completed in December 2020 and maintained by the South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation, the order says.

In late August, the Andrew Square Civic Association raised concerns about the lane, Caught in Southie reported. The group said the lane was roughly 100 feet long and did not connect to a larger bike network, that it removed on-street parking near the senior building, and that concrete barriers and a center median could affect emergency vehicle access on a narrow street. It also asked how the street would be plowed. The association said it supports the city's Complete Streets goals but considered this project misplaced.

Flynn's order adds more. It says neighbors immediately raised concerns about the loss of handicap resident parking and difficult crossings into the building; that in August an ambulance was unable to pull up to the building, and that days later an ambulance and fire truck had trouble reaching it while neighbors could not get onto the street for more than 45 minutes; and that the city held a meeting with residents without inviting South Boston's elected officials. These are the order's accounts; we could not find a city statement on those incidents.

The order says the city's Chief of Streets has notified elected officials that the lane will be removed. We could not find a public city announcement of the removal or its timing. The order calls for the hearing "on account of the waste of taxpayer money" and asks the Transportation Department and the Public Improvement Commission to attend.

What our records show

• Who filed it: Flynn is the only sponsor listed on docket 2048. It is one of three South Boston orders he filed for Wednesday's meeting; another asks how a City Point block party was permitted (our story).
• Bike votes this month: On Oct. 21, Flynn and City Councilor Erin Murphy were the two no votes when the council accepted a $3.25 million grant for 887 Bluebikes e-bikes, which passed 10-2 (our story).
• Other street-process items still waiting: City Councilor Enrique Pepén's ordinance requiring annual reports on street projects (docket 1415) has been in the Government Operations Committee since July 22. Murphy's order on unauthorized roadway changes at Tremont and Parker streets (docket 1797) has been in the Planning, Development and Transportation Committee since Sept. 23. Neither has had a hearing.
• The broader debate: At the Oct. 21 meeting, Flynn said part of the answer to traffic deaths has to be strict enforcement of existing traffic laws (watch at 2:44:19). The council that day adopted a resolution recognizing Ride for Your Life, the annual memorial ride for people killed in traffic (docket 1971). See what happened at Sunday's ride.

The city's Better Bike Lanes page describes its program for building and upgrading bike lanes; it does not list O'Connor Way.

What's next

The order is expected to be introduced and referred to a committee on Wednesday. Hearings on transportation matters usually go to the Planning, Development and Transportation Committee, chaired by City Councilor Sharon Durkan. A hearing date, when set, will be posted on the city's public notices page.