Bicyclist Hit By Car, Injured In Brookline

BROOKLINE (CBS) – A bicyclist was struck by a car and injured Tuesday morning in Brookline.

It happened in the area of Allandale Farm. Newton Street was temporarily closed around 8 a.m. and there was no access to Lee Street. The area has since reopened.

The bicyclist, a man in his 30s, was rushed to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in critical but stable condition. Police believe he was not wearing a helmet.

Brookline police officers who were on their way to work stopped to help.

The driver stayed on scene and was cooperating with police. No charges have been filed.

"Newton Street in that stretch of town is a very busy road at that time of day with all the school buses going to and from there, as well as the T has a bus route there. It's a two-lane road and it's very congested at that time of day, it's not so much a speed concern," said Brookline Police Lt. Philip Harrington.

Cycling activists are calling for more protected bike lanes in busy areas like where accident happened.

"Ideally its a physical curb protection or sometimes they move the parked cars out into the lane so they can be between the parked cars and the curb," said David Read, Boston Cyclist Union Board Member.

David Read is with the Boston Cyclist Union, which advocates for safer conditions. He said everyone on the roads can help make them safer.

"We're all drivers and we're all pedestrians and sometimes were cyclists. I think just be heads up, be on the lookout for cyclists, be a little bit more forgiving, be in less of a rush, and please don't text and drive," said Read.

Brookline resident Patrick Coan said, "You know the roads are very narrow and traffic moves pretty quickly...You take your chances at anything just crossing the street you can get run over.