Divisions & Programs

Brookline Street Reconstruction

What's Happening Now
About the Project
Project Background
Parking Study
Public Process
For More Information

What's Happening Now

Construction of the Brookline Street Reconstruction began in May 2009. As of July 2010 the contractor is working on markings and grade changes. Completion is expected this fall. For more information on the construction process and to sign up for email updates, please click here.

View the project design brochure (PDF, 1.1 MB) for a printable summary of the design .This file is in PDF format and requires use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

View the current proposal, cross section.

View the current proposal, rendering.

View the current plan, engineering drawings (PDF, 2MB)

About the Project

The project includes sidewalk replacement, repaving, and replacement of the water and sewer lines. Design improvements include traffic calming, safer pedestrian crossings, bicycle lanes and the addition of many more street trees. The Cambridge Arts Council has commissioned artist Mike Mandel to create a series of mosaics that will be imbedded within the sidewalk at various locations. The City will be piloting several innovative techniques for reducing the negative impacts of stormwater runoff on the Charles River’s water quality.

Primary traffic calming elements include: addition of many new curb extensions at crosswalks, a widened sidewalk on the east side, a bicycle lane along the entire stretch, narrower vehicle lanes, a raised intersection at Erie Street, the installation of an all-way stop at Putnam instead of the existing traffic signal, and the addition of 70 new street trees. In addition, all of the wheelchair ramps will be reconstructed, and a sidewalk will be added next to Hastings Square where one does not exist today.

This project includes two pilot “low impact design” environmental components that aim to improve the quality of the stormwater that runs off the street and into the Charles River. When it rains, oil, antifreeze, detergents, pesticides and other pollutants get washed from driveways, parking lots, construction sites and streets into storm drains and then directly to the Charles River. A new sidewalk in front of Hastings Square will be constructed of “pervious concrete” material which will allow rainwater runoff to seep into the ground rather than run into the Charles. The second feature is a “rain garden” bioretention installation at one location. A bioretention system is a tank placed underground that collects the rain runoff from the street. The system contains natural biomaterial that removes pollutants and bacteria. On the sidewalk surface above the system, planted trees, grasses, and shrubs enhance pollutant removal, and add value to the urban landscape.

View an animated explanation as to how this system functions.

The final design resulted from a community process that began in early 2006, with over 150 Cambridge residents participating in one or more of several events. The project is anticipated to be completed by late fall 2009.

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Project Background

Five community meetings have been held to date. At the fourth meeting (October 2007) participants expressed their preference for one of the three concept designs presented. There were requests to continue the bicycle lane as far up Brookline Street as possible.

At the fifth meeting (February 2008), participants saw the proposed design from Henry to Pacific Street and expressed a preference for one of the three options from Pacific St. to Mass. Ave. that had the bicycle lane continue all the way to Green St. Some participants asked if any additional residential parking could be added on side streets. Ten new residential parking spaces are now planned for Tudor Street.

Go to DPW information about Brookline Street Improvements.

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Parking Study

A parking study was conducted March 14, 2007, which noted the number of parking spaces in each block occupied at two hour intervals during the day, beginning from 10 am - 10 pm. The results are shown during three periods, 10 am - noon, 2pm - 4pm, and 8pm - 10 pm. Please note that parking on the west side of the street is allowed at night time only, and not allowed from 7am - 6pm. The study generally shows little use of night time parking on the west side of the street, south of Auburn Street. This gives more flexibility in the future to accommodate cars and bikes in the roadway. Additional data was collected from January – March 2008 which confirmed these results.

This file is in PDF format and requires use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

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Public Process

Six community meetings have been held to date. These files are in PDF format and require use of the free Adobe Acrobat viewer.

Community meeting #1 (February 9, 2006)

Meeting notes from community meeting #1

Community meeting #2 (May 24, 2006)

Presentation from community meeting #2 (PDF, 8.3 MB)

Community meeting #3 (April 25, 2007). A parking study was conducted March 14, 2007, which noted the number of parking spaces in each block occupied at two hour intervals during the day, beginning from 10 am - 10 pm. The results are shown during three periods, 10 am - noon, 2 pm - 4 pm, and 8 pm - 10 pm. Please note that parking on the west side of the street is allowed at night time only, and not allowed form 7am - 6pm. The study generally shows little use of night time parking on the west side of the street, south of Auburn Street. This gives more flexibility in the future to accommodate cars in the roadway. Additional data was collected from January - March 2008 which confirmed these results.

View the Brookline Street Parking Utilization Study presented at community meeting #3 (PDF, 1.0 MB)

Community meeting #4. At the fourth meeting (October, 2007) participants expressed their preferences for one of the three concept designs presented. There were requests to continue the bicycle lane as far up Brookline Street as possible.

Conceptual designs presented at community meeting #4: Concept #1 (PDF, 1.4 MB) , Concept #2 (PDF, 1.5 MB), Concept #3 (PDF, 1.4 MB)

Community meeting #5 (February 27, 2008). Participants saw the proposed design from Henry to Pacific Street and expressed a preference for one of the three options from Pacific Street to Mass. Ave. that had the bicycle lane continue all the way to Green St. Some participants asked if any additional residential parking could be added on side streets. Ten new residential parking spaces are now planned for Tudor Street.

Final proposed consensus plan presented at community meeting #5 (PDF, 696 KB) . Note that this plan covers from from Henry Street to Pacific Street. Three options for “upper Brookline” between Pacific Street and Green Street were presented at this meeting (PDF, 500 KB). View the brochure for this meeting (PDF, 1.1 MB).

Community meeting #6 (June 17, 2008). This meeting was an "open house" for the project. Participants had an opportunity to view the final plans, meet the artist, get updates since the last community meeting, and to talk with project staff.

View the meeting #6 open house brochure (PDF, 1.1 MB)

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For More Information

For more information about the Brookline Street Reconstruction project call Jeff Rosenblum, jrosenblum@cambridgema.gov, at 617/349-4615. The Community Development Department TTY line is 617/349-4621.

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