WORCESTER, Mass. - The City of Worcester recently altered traffic patterns on Mill Street to include parking-protected bike lanes in an effort to make the road more safe.

Mill Street had previously included four lanes of traffic, which was believed to be a factor in the unusually high rate of crashes in the area. There have been a total of 269 crashes in the past five years, 43% higher than the statewide average for this type of urban street. 

Stephen Rolle, commissioner of the Department of Transportation and Mobility, said the highway-style layout had drivers traveling an average of 12 miles per hour over the posted speed limit of 30. 

"About 15% of drivers were actually traveling higher than 45 miles per hour, with pretty regular occurrences of people driving 50 or 55 miles per hour," Rolle said. "It's just very unsafe in an environment like this where you have schools, homes and businesses all along the corridor."

The city has decided to alter the layout in an effort to make Mill Street safer, and more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. The parking-protected bike lanes allow for one lane of traffic, space for vehicles to park, and a lane for bicycles next to the sidewalk. 

While the parking-protected bike lanes are a first for Worcester, Rolle said it's become a common traffic layout in cities across the country. He feels the prior layout created "wide open" roadways similar to a highway, and even cautious drivers weren't realizing they were speeding. 

The city is still putting the finishing touches on some sections of the road, but Rolle said traffic seems to be slowing down in areas where the new lines have been clearly painted.

"I've been through here pacing traffic and really seeing closer adherence to the speed limit in general than we were seeing in the four lane section," Rolle said. 

Rolle also acknowledges the change has been confusing for frequent travelers. 

"It's a big change from what the corridor looked like before," he said. "I know there's some concern from folks in the community about that change, but we're confident it's going to improve safety out here. We want to hear feedback from folks as they grow accustomed to using it, and we will monitor it closely and look forward to expanding multi-modal facilities throughout the city."

There are detailed instructions on the city's website on how to navigate the new traffic layout for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. People who park improperly along Mill Street will receive a flyer on their vehicle informing them of the changes and how to properly use the new parking system.