Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 21A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 11 the following section:-

Section 11A. There is hereby established within the department of environmental management an advisory board to be designated as the bicycle advisory board. Said board shall consist of the commissioner of environmental management or his designee, the commissioner of the department of public works or his designee, the commissioner of the metropolitan district commission or his designee, the commissioner of the department of public safety or his designee, the registrar of motor vehicles or his designee, one representative of the metropolitan area planning council and five members to be appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a representative of the commercial bicycle industry, three of whom shall be experienced in bicycle safety and transportation. Each such member appointed by the governor shall serve without compensation for a term of two years and may be reappointed.

The secretary of environmental affairs or his designee and the commissioner of the department of public works shall serve as co-chairmen of the board. Said bicycle advisory board shall meet at the call of its chairmen. It shall advise the departments on matters relative to bicycle transportation, on the preparation of a bikeways program and may make recommendations relative to the use of tax incentives for bicycle parking equipment and to the use of zoning to promote bicycle transportation, and may propose legislation relative to bicycle transportation.

SECTION 2. Section 2 of chapter 90E of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1984 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the fourth paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

The commissioner shall establish, with the advise and assistance of the bicycle advisory board, established by section eleven A of chapter twenty-one A, a bikeways program which shall include, but not be limited to: surveys, safety measures, demonstration projects, research, education, utilization of existing streets and walkways, provisions of bikeways to and from schools affording a minimum of hazard from automobiles, provision of comfort stations and weather shelters, provision of facilities in connection with commuter railroads to facilitate the use of bicycles by commuters in traveling to and from the railroad stations, the use of abandoned rights of way for bicycle paths; the development of commuter and recreational trails; provision of bicycle transportation facilities roadways, bridges and airports; the development of a coordinated program for bicycles and motor vehicles; the development of bicycle amenities such as assigned parking facilities; bicycle routes, paths and trails; bicycle sensitive traffic light actuation; and bicycle transportation as a commuter activity and promulgation of standards, security measures and regulations for the registration and use of bicycles.

SECTION 3. The bicycle advisory board, established by section eleven A of chapter twenty-one A of the General Laws, shall file an initial report with the general court together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry its recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the house of representatives on or before July first, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight.