Biking from Wellington Station Medford to Kendall Square Cambridge (Somerville: school, live)

[athyna]

Would it be possible to commute from Wellington Station Medford to Kendall Square Cambridge by bike? Anyone familiar with that area - could you let me know? Appreciate your inputs!

[lrfox]

Never tried it personally, but Google Maps has a bike routing option. It says the commute will be around 30 minutes. Here's a link to google's suggested route.

You'd have to bike the Fellsway for a stretch which is pretty busy. It seems the most direct routes don't have too much in the way of bike lanes either. Still, it's doable.

[athyna]

Thanks for your response, Irfox! It's really helpful! Before I came here to ask the question I searched on google and did not see the bike option, I guess I may need check the option or something.

[igknighted]

Not impossible, but the direct roads are some of the worst roads in the greater boston area for bikes... multiple lanes of traffic both ways, little to no shoulder, and traffic moving 40+ mph. I lived between there for a few years with a bike as my primary means of transportation and that was one of the few areas I avoided.

If you want to do it, forget what google says. Cross the river on the MUP (the dark green line on google's bike map), then cross Mystic at Temple St. and follow it to the end. Turn right on Broadway, then a quick left on School St. When you get to Somerville Ave, turn right and then make a quick left on Dane St. This will T into Washington St, turn right there. Then make a left on Beacon St., which will go through Inman Sq. and turn into Hampshire St., which takes you into Kendall Sq. On the way back School St. is a one way so you need to re-route a bit... turn right onto Columbia off of Hampshire (before Inman Sq.), then left onto Webster (as Columbia crosses Cambridge St.). Turn right on Prospect (Webster turns into a one way), then left on Somerville Ave and right on Walnut St. (steep hill, be ready). Then turn left onto Medford St just over the crest of the hill and right on School St. and follow the rest in reverse from there.

This route is about as bike-friendly as it gets for that area... while there are some busy intersections to get through (especially closer to the wellington side), the further into Somerville and Cambridge you get the better the bike infrastructure (lots of bike lanes). There are some serious hills between those two points as well, so be aware of that as well.

[athyna]

Thanks so much for the detailed information, igknighted! That's really very helpful!