Category Archives: News

Park&Pedal Expands to Central and Western Massachusetts

September 19, 2018Announcement, Newscentral mass, dcr, expansion, holyoke, press release, western mass, worcesterPark&Pedal

Press Release Contacts: Ryan Walas, Park&Pedal, 800-736-5348 or rwalas@parkandpedal.org / Olivia Dorrance, DCR Press Secretary, 617-626-4967 or olivia.k.dorrance@state.ma.us

DCR, Montague Bikes Expand Park&Pedal Multimodal Commuting Network

Boston, MA – Monday, September 17, 2018 – In an effort to promote outdoor recreational opportunities, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), along with Montague Bikes, today announced the addition of eight new Park&Pedal locations. The program, which was launched in 2015, encourages bike commuting by providing a network of parking hubs conveniently located within cycling distance from centers of employment. Commuters can park their cars for free and ride their bikes the remaining distance to work, thereby avoiding traffic on the most congested portion of their commute – the so called “last mile”. The 2018 expansion includes a number of new locations in the Boston area, and for the first time, central and western Massachusetts.

“The Baker-Polito Administration continues to foster strong partnerships with a variety of entities and stakeholders to meet shared environmental and recreational goals that truly benefit the public,” said Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy. “The Park&Pedal Program serves as an example of an excellent partnership that not only alleviates traffic congestion from area roadways, but also enables the public with another great opportunity to get outside and incorporate a healthy, active lifestyle.”

“Other people have been taking note of our success with this initiative born right here in Massachusetts,” said David Montague, President of Montague Corporation. “We look forward to continuing our expansion across the country and around the world with a program that reduces emissions and increases commuter health.”

The Park&Pedal Program was originally conceived by David Montague, who formulated the program after personally parking and pedaling into work for years. The program designates spaces within parking hubs for commuters to utilize, which provide several benefits the Commonwealth, including:

The reduction of traffic congestion the during rush hour commutes;
The increase in available parking spots within urban areas;
The decrease of environmentally harmful vehicle emissions; and
The contribution to a healthier citizenship.

Park&Pedal launched in summer 2015 with 7 locations and has since grown to service thousands of Massachusetts commuters with 28 parking hubs. The new locations in the 2018 expansion include Martini Playground in Boston; Jim Roche Ice Arena in West Roxbury; Alewife Reservation in Arlington; Ryan Skating Rink in Watertown; Regatta Point Park, the Charles J. Buffone Rink, and the Daniel S. Horgan Rink in Worcester, and the Henry J. Fitzpatrick Rink in Holyoke.

For more information, please visit www.parkandpedal.org or call 800-736-5348 to learn more.

About Montague Corporation
Montague Corporation is based in Cambridge, MA and is dedicated to advancing cycling through the development of inventive technologies. Montague has been manufacturing bikes and bike components for over 25 years. Visit www.montaguebikes.com or call (800) 736-5348 for more info.

About the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), an agency of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, oversees 450,000 acres of parks and forests, beaches, bike trails, watersheds, dams, and parkways. Led by Commissioner Carol Sanchez, the agency’s mission is to protect, promote, and enhance our common wealth of natural, cultural, and recreational resources. To learn more about DCR, our facilities, and our programs, please visit www.mass.gov/dcr. Contact us at mass.parks@state.ma.us.

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Park&Pedal Takes Off – 200+ People Pedal from Herter Each Day

July 28, 2017Newsherter park, milestones, Park&PedalPark&Pedal

Look at all those cars that are not driving into Boston!

So it has finally happened. I guess it was inevitable that the word would get out. The Park&Pedal hub at Herter Park where I park each day is now, and has been for the last 4 weeks, totally full with more than 200 people parking and pedaling from there to their jobs. It is wonderful to see so many people that have changed their commuting habits due to this program. We have always said it is all about changing habits, and the evidence that that is happening is there to greet me every morning.

Even today, despite it being 66 degrees and rainy, more than 200 people chose not to pollute the air, not to add to traffic gridlock in Boston, not to pay exorbitant prices for parking near their jobs, and not to forego the opportunity to get some exercise on the way to work. It’s all very exciting, and it shows how a simple program can go a long way toward reducing our carbon footprint. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part!

Park&Pedal Marches Into Spring (Early)

March 9, 2017NewsPark&Pedal

Today is March 9, and this is New England. When I went out the door this morning, it was in the mid 30’s, but sunny. Mid March is not a time when most people are thinking about riding their bikes to work. Yet today at the Herter Park&Pedal hub, I was very pleased to see well over 60 park and pedal commuters defying the calendar and riding to work. If there are that many this time of year, how many will there be when it starts to get warm and sunny out? Exciting times!

All the 60+ Park&Pedal users parked here are not driving their car into Boston!

Today’s Forecast: Cold and Dark – Yet Many Still Park&Pedal

December 2, 2016Newsco2 savings, herter park, off season, Park&Pedal, winterPark&Pedal

It is December in Boston Massachusetts. Temperatures are dipping below freezing making commuting by bicycle a cold proposition. Tonight the sun will set at 4:12pm and it will be dark before many people get out of work. So riding a bike home from work requires riding in the dark, not something many people are willing to do. And as of yesterday (December 1^st of each year) the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Park&Pedal locations are no longer “in season”. DCR has found it may need its parking areas to deposit snow from local roads and can’t guarantee their availability.

Yet, despite all these reasons not to ride, today there were 62 people parking and pedaling to work from DCR’s Herter Park&Pedal hub, one of 20 Park&Pedal hubs in the greater Boston area. These 62 people are extending the season past what was once considered a date when no one would be willing to ride and use the program.

By parking and pedaling today, those 62 people saved 887 pounds of emissions of carbon dioxide that they would have burned driving all the way to work. That is a whopping 7,750 cubic feet of greenhouse gases! In one day! At one location!

Great job park and pedalers! As time goes on, I am sure that more and more commuters will join you in realizing the health, financial, environmental, and time savings benefits that Park&Pedal offers.

Thanks you!

David Montague
Founder

Notice: Temporary Closure of Herter / Artesani

October 19, 2016Newsadvisory, artesani, herterPark&Pedal

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Traffic Advisory: Artesani Parking Lot on Soldiers Field Road in Boston

WHAT: Beginning on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 10:00 pm and continuing through Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 8:00pm, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will be closing the parking lot between Artesani and Herter Parks on Soldiers Field Road in Boston to accommodate the Head of the Charles Regatta. The parking lot will be off-limits to the public for parking during this time.

WHERE: The parking lot located at Artesani Park on Soldiers Field Road in Boston

WHEN: Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at 10:00pm – Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 8:00pm

We apologize for any inconvenience, and encourage you to find another location for your Park&Pedal commute. See all the locations at http://www.parkandpedalmap.org/

Recap – Park&Pedal Newton Launch!

October 18, 2016Events, Newsevent, massachusetts, newton, newTVPark&Pedal

Park&Pedal has expanded once again! The City of Newton joined the network with 6 Park&Pedal locations added this year. On the morning of October 18th, we gathered at the newest site at Albemarle Park to celebrate with a kickoff event, commuter breakfast, and ribbon cutting with Mayor Setti Warren.

From left to right: Newton Director of Transportation Nicole Freedman; David Montague, Founder of the Park&Pedal program; Newton Mayor Setti Warren; Newton City Councilor Alison Leary; Councilor-at-Large Ruthanne Fuller; Newton DPW Commissioner James McGonagle; and Richard Fries, Executive Director of MassBike.

We would like to thank everyone who came to celebrate with us and to everyone who helped to make this event and Park&Pedal in Newton possible. Every additional Park&Pedal space makes a difference in reducing traffic congestion, decreasing vehicle emissions, and making healthy active transportation a possibility for everyone.

The event was a great opportunity for the cycling community of Newton and Boston to come together. The event featured free breakfast, bike giveaways, bike tune-ups, and support from many of the area transportation and cycling groups. Thank you to Belmont Wheelworks, Hubway, MassRIDES, Rejjee, Mass Sierra Club, Masschusetts Nature Conservancy, The Green Streets Initiative, MassBike, Landry’s Bicycles Newton, Rosenfelds Bagels, Newton Village Cafe, Anna’s Taqueria, Honest Tea, Russo’s, Shaw’s Supermarket Waltham, and Wegmans Chestnut Hill!

Belmont Wheelworks making sure everyone’s bikes are in tip top shape!

Bagels from Rosenfelds!

Newton’s own NewTV was on hand to get cover the event.

Landry’s Bicycles was tuning up bikes free of charge as well.

The Sierra Club promotes Park&Pedal as a great way to help the environment.

Breakfast burritos from Anna’s!

Thanks again to everyone who came to the Newton launch! You can see all the current Park&Pedal locations at http://www.parkandpedalmap.org/

NECN TV Talks Park&Pedal

October 11, 2016Newsbenefits, business, necn, newton, press, setti warren, televisionPark&Pedal

New England Cable News sat down with Park&Pedal and Montague Bikes founder David Montague and Newton Massachusetts Mayor Setti Warren to talk about the impact of Park&Pedal on local business and the upcoming expansion into Newton.

Watch the interview below or head over to NECN.com >>

The segment appeared as part of NECN’s This Week in Business. With Park&Pedal aimed at commuters, the benefits are great for both employees and employers. When commuters Park&Pedal the last leg of their journey is by bike. Less cars are making their way to the workplace, parking costs and congestion are reduced, and the added physical activity makes for a healthier, happier, and more productive work force.

Park&Pedal CO2 Display at Massachusetts Transportation Building

July 28, 2016Newsco2 savings, emissions, massachusetts, MassDOT, transportationPark&Pedal

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted by human activities. According the US Environmental Protection Agency, transportation alone accounts for 31% of the CO2 released into the environment by humans, a close second only to electricity production.

Every car on the road contributes to the amount of greenhouse gas in our atmosphere, and with the average round trip commute in the US at 24 miles and getting longer, shifting our mode of transportation is a serious matter.

At Park&Pedal Fest 2016, the celebration event for the expansion of the Park&Pedal program, we built a display to illustrate a rather shocking reality.

The average American car commuter produces 230 cubic feet of CO2 every day.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack liked the display so much when she saw it at the event, she asked that it be installed in the offices of MassDOT.

Inside the lobby of the Massachusetts Transportation Building is the rather conspicuous black box shown above. The sign reads, “Volume of this box = ONE Commuer’s CO2 Emissions from ONE DAY”. Visible to everyone who enters the offices of MassDOT or the MBTA, the 10 foot long 230 cubic foot box is a reminder of the impact on the environment of every car on the road.

We wish it is was possible for everyone to use alternative transportation as the sole means to get to work, but not everyone lives close enough or conveniently enough to cycle/walk the whole distance, or take advantage of public transportation. Park&Pedal allows those car commuters without a green alternative to cycle part way, reducing the number of miles driven and the amount of greenhouse gases released into our atmosphere.

Park&Pedal Picking Up Steam (and Saving CO2)

July 26, 2016Newsartesani, co2 savings, emissions, herter, herter park, Park&PedalPark&Pedal

Today, unlike almost every other day of the year, Boston area commuters had many reasons to drive to work. It is July 26th, the height of summer, when many are on vacation. The Massachusetts Turnpike going into the city of Boston, which is choked by gridlock traffic almost every other day of the year, had 60 mile an hour traffic sailing into the city. And today, gas prices are near a ten year low, making driving and commuting by car cheap. And finally today it is hot outside, really hot. Heat wave hot. And sticky. Perfect weather for air conditioned driving.

Yet today, at the Herter Park&Pedal hub, one of 20 Park&Pedal hubs around the city of Boston, there were approximately 50 people who had decided to Park&Pedal in to their jobs, rather than take advantage of cheap gas and smooth sailing on an open turnpike.

I sat and watched as car after car pulled up, and pulled out a bike, and started the better part of their commute. I marveled at the fact that there were more than a dozen pickup truck drivers who had opted to leave their vehicle and ride their bike to work. Think of the emissions that saved!

All in all, with one location, on one day, the Park&Pedal program reduced emissions in the Boston area by a huge amount. Just the carbon dioxide alone that those 50 cars and trucks did not produce today totals around 6,730 cubic feet. That is substantial savings in emissions. And the best part is, the price tag for setting up the program that made those savings possible was almost nothing. That’s right, Park&Pedal cost the taxpayers of Massachusetts virtually nothing. It uses existing, underutilized weekday parking areas, some signs, and a little awareness. And that’s it.

Park&Pedal is catching on quickly. It is getting people out of their cars, and onto their bikes for their commute. It reduces emissions. It also reduces gridlock traffic and parking issues near areas of employment, while providing commuters a healthy, less stressful way to get to work. Other cities, states, and countries would do well to note the success here in Massachusetts, and consider programs in their areas.

David Montague
Founder
Park&Pedal

Herter Park&Pedal Overflow Parking Available

July 22, 2016Newsartesani, Boston, Brighton, dcr, herter park, Park&PedalPark&Pedal

Every day, for three weeks since the Park&Pedal Fest 2016 celebration, I have arrived at the Herter Park&Pedal hub for my morning commute around 8:15am. And without exception, every day it has been full. Fortunately for me, at Herter, there is plenty of overflow parking. For the last three weeks I’ve noticed that the number of Park&Pedalers in the overflow parking has been growing, sometimes exceeding the number of Park&Pedalers in the sanctioned spaces.

Today I pulled up next to a woman who looked to be in her 60’s taking a bike off her car which she had parked in one of the overflow spaces. She did not look like a seasoned cyclist, but rather someone who might usually encourage her kids to ride their bikes, but stay in the comfort of her car for her own trips. Just like everyone else I have talked to on these great mornings of Park&Pedaling, she just loved the idea, and had, for the first time in many years, changed her routine of getting in her car and battling traffic all the way to work. She told me she was riding six miles in to work at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and was getting exercise and feeling a “mental health improvement” from not sitting in gridlock traffic. I nodded my head in agreement. What a great way to start off a beautiful Friday morning.