Car commuters the world over have experienced the dreaded “last mile”. After a relatively hassle free drive for the majority of your commute, entering the city means sudden gridlock traffic. That last leg of the journey can often take the longest while you sit bumper to bumper with fellow commuters at light after light.

A new multi-modal commuting option aimed at car commuters has been introduced in Boston, Massachusetts, with the aim of getting drivers out of their vehicles for the last few miles. The program 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 Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), along with Montague Bikes, recently announced the addition of eight new Park&Pedal locations. The 2018 expansion includes a number of new locations in the Boston area, and for the first time, central and western Massachusetts, bringing the total number of lots to 28.

“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 Ryan Walas, Marketing Manager 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 the team at Montague Bikes, who formulated the program after 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.

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