No one venturing onto the part of State Street closed to cars, known as the Promenade, could miss the surge in pedestrians and bicycles (especially e-bikes), skateboards, and even unicycles — weaving around and through each other, evoking fear, fury, nonchalance, amusement, or joy.
While perceived risk can’t be ignored, data shows that, despite the surge in electric bikes, the Promenade space is much safer than before it was created, so safe that it probably can’t get much safer. In contrast, severe injuries and deaths of bicyclists and pedestrians continue to occur elsewhere in the city.