Living Without a Car

Cambridge is one of the easiest places to live or work without driving. With over 40,000 households, 100,000 jobs, and hundreds of thousands of services in just over 6 square miles of land, just about all of what people need is close at hand. With so many things close by, this affords people in Cambridge an array of transportation options. The Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department is working to improve the quality of all sustainable modes of transportation, which include transit, bicycling, and walking.

In 1992 Cambridge City Council passed the Vehicle Trip Reduction Ordinance, an act that aimed to lower the amount of traffic and air pollution in the city. Since then, the combined efforts of both City staff, employers, and residents has resulted in the rise of sustainable forms of transportation. Today, less than 31% of Cambridge residents drive alone to work. TPTD, in partnership with the Community Development Department, the Public Works Department, and several others, strives to raise the quality of sustainable transportation for everyone who lives, works, or visits the City of Cambridge.

The Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department strongly supports sustainability:
•From shifting automobile use to more sustainable modes, such as walking, bicycling, and transit,
• limiting automobile parking to no more than what is needed,
•installing bicycle lanes and bicycle parking,
•timing traffic signals to minimize pedestrian delay, to,
• working with other city and state agencies, developers, businesses and residents to ensure projects are as sustainable as possible.

Sustainable transportation reduces traffic congestion and air pollution, while improving, public health, and economic development. Please join us in taking advantage of all the sustainable transportation options available to residents, businesses and visitors in Cambridge. And our sincere thank you to those already using healthy and clean forms of transportation.