BOSTON — City Councilor Sharon Durkan has made “accessible streets” a signature issue. She’s pushed for bike lanes, smoother sidewalks, and mobility upgrades across Boston. But when it comes to her own travel? She’d rather not ride a bike at all — and she’s got the Uber receipts to prove it.

Campaign finance records show Durkan has spent $3,075.81 on Uber rides this year alone. Many of the trips cost under $10 — the kind of short hop most commuters would walk, pedal, or take the T for. Instead, Durkan’s preferred method of transit is door-to-door, on someone else’s dime.

It’s a stark contrast to the messaging on her official website:

Accessibility is not optional. It is essential. We can’t talk about public safety or mobility without talking about the basics: bricks that are secure, streets that are maintained, and public space that welcomes everyone.

Except, apparently, the person promoting those policies doesn’t actually use them.

Durkan’s aversion to cycling isn’t just philosophical — it’s personal. In a 2025 City Council session that went viral, she explained that she was so shaken after a man allegedly shouted, “You better move, you fat b---h!” while she was biking, that she avoided riding for months afterward.

Since then, she’s opted for the backseat — literally.

Durkan currently chairs the City Council’s Planning, Development & Transportation Committee. In that role, she’s advocated for road diets, bike corridors, sidewalk rebuilds, and delivery drop zones. She frequently frames these efforts as essential for public safety and equity.

Boston remains one of the most congested cities in the U.S. Drivers lost an average of 79 hours—nearly four days—in traffic last year, according to INRIX, which still ranks Boston fourth-worst in the nation for congestion. Critics argue that the city’s aggressive rollout of bike lanes and road diets has worsened gridlock, leaving commuters stuck in endless backups.

But to critics, the gap between her agenda and her Uber app is hard to ignore.

She’s all about getting cars off the road — except for hers,” one commenter wrote on X.
"Bike lanes for thee, Uber for me.

While Boston drivers sit in traffic, fight for parking, and navigate orange barrels and narrowed roads, Durkan catches curbside pickups.

The message from City Hall? You can walk. She’ll ride.

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