"Bikeway Joint moves forward"

[Joel S. Berson]

In the Arlington (Mass.) Advocate this week, under the subject 
heading "Transportation", the article headline is "Bikeway Joint 
moves forward".  Puzzling.  Bikers have joints, which are crucial to 
them, but do bikeways?  Is it to be a low-class "bike up bar"?

It becomes clearer in the first paragraph of the story:

"Plans to make a smoother connection of the Minuteman Bikeway through 
Arlington Center moved forward Monday, as selectmen voted in favor of 
securing easements on pieces of land."

The Bikeway's crossing of both Massachusetts Ave and Mystic St.. in 
Arlington Center is nervous for car-drivers and awkward, confusing, 
and a bit dangerous for bikers.  There will be "new bike-oriented 
traffic signals" (I think these will be operable by bikers, as 
pedestrian signals are) and signs to direct both cars and bikes.

The article itself doesn't use the word "Joint" anywhere.  But when 
the project is completed I fully expect to hear Arlington  bikers 
making appointments to "Meet you at the Joint".  (There's a Starbucks 
less than a tenth of a mile away.)

Joel

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