05/09/2008- Please see attached notice about final paving, Tues, May 13 and Wed May 14 (overnight).

04/28/2008- The dates for preparatory street grinding (described below) have been set for Wed, April 30 and Thurs, May 1.

04/09/2008- MassHighway has informed the City that their contractor, Bridges LLC, is in the final months of construction on the South Mass Ave/ Lafayette Square Project.

• At Lafayette Square Park:
  Concrete sidewalks, pavers, and granite installation is schedule to continue through the end of May.

• Final paving of Mass Ave (from Main St to Mem Drive):
  From late April through early May, the contractor will prepare the road for final paving. Preparation includes raising castings along Mass ave and grinding sections of the road not done last year (including Mass Ave in front of Lafayette Square and approximately 25 ft of each of the intersecting streets).

  Final paving is scheduled for the week of May 12th, and will be done overnight.

• Over the next couple months you will also notice the planting of trees along this section of Mass Ave, the installation of new traffic mast arms, and installation of other furnishings.

After years of planning, work has begun to transform Lafayette Square (the intersection of Main Street, Columbia Street, and Mass Ave) into a redesigned intersection and pedestrian plaza. In addition, Mass Ave between Lafayette Square and Memorial Drive will get much-needed improvements, including full-depth reconstruction of the roadway and new sidewalks.

Click here to view plan for the entire South Mass Ave Project (Main Street to Memorial Drive). Please note: this is a large pdf.

These improvements were initiated by the City of Cambridge to improve the function and safety of the corridor for all modes— pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles— and provide new surfacing of the roadway and sidewalks, which are significantly deteriorated. The project has the following goals:

• Make the intersection easy for all users to navigate.
• Provide safe pedestrian crossings.
• Improve accessibility and safety for cyclists.
• Make the square more attractive and create a new community plaza.
• Create a design that acknowledges the square's historic street patterns.
• Minimize impacts on parking and loading.
  

The project involves many phases over the two-year construction period. The contractor has demolished the former gas station building at Lafayette Square, installed most new stormwater and electrical utilities, completely reconstructed the sub-base and first layer of asphalt of the roadway, and fully reconstructed the sidewalks.

Final items to be completed during spring 2008 include final paving and striping of the roadway, construction of the new plaza at Lafayette Square, and the planting of many new street trees.

Major funding for this project as well as primary construction management is being provided by the Massachusetts Highway Department. The City of Cambridge has provided partial funding for the project and will provide additional construction oversight. Mass Highway’s contractor for this project is the ROADS Corporation of North Billerica.

The City of Cambridge recognizes that during construction it is important to consider the needs of businesses, residents, pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers. We are committed to managing this construction in the most effective manner possible. PK Sen, Resident Engineer for Mass Highway, and Dan Vallee, Construction Project Manager for the Cambridge Department of Public Works, will be on site daily to ensure that the best construction practices are observed.

Major construction started in early 2005, and current expected end date is July 2008. General work hours for this construction will be Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM. Evening and weekend construction will be minimized to the greatest extent possible, and will be limited to certain types of utility work or emergency situations.

As work progresses through the project area, “No Parking” signs will be posted in affected areas at least 24 hours in advance of construction. Please avoid parking in work zones during posted work hours. All businesses and facilities in the project area will remain open and accessible at all times.

If you need assistance, or have any questions or concerns during this construction, please contact Rebecca Fuentes at (617) 349-6948/ rfuentes@cambridgema.gov; please also contact Rebecca if you have a special need or disability that requires an accommodation or continuation of special services during construction.

If an emergency arises after hours or on weekends, please call the 24-Hour line at (617) 349-4860.

Please also contact Rebecca if you would like to be added to the Lafayette Square/ South Mass Ave e-mail distribution list (which is used to distribute construction updates and meeting announcements).

Thank you in advance for your patience during construction. We hope you enjoy these improvements once they are completed.

• To learn more about the Lafayette Square/ South Mass Ave planning and design process, please visit the Community Development Department website at http://www.cambridgema.gov/~CDD/et/infra/lsq/lsq.html, or contact Bill Deignan at (617) 349-4632/ wdeignan@cambridgema.gov.