Regional Truck Study
In the Summer of 1999, the City of Cambridge enacted a zoning ordinance that banned through trucks from Cambridge during the hours of 11PM to 7AM. This Ordinance was met with strong opposition from surrounding communities and trucking organizations and the Massachusetts Attorney General stepped in to prevent litigation. An agreement was reached whereby in lieu of litigation, a regional truck study would be conducted.
The Committee on Regional Truck Issues submitted its final recommendations in the summer of 2001 after an 18-month regional truck study sponsored by the Massachusetts Highway Department and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. The State and municipal study participants are now responsible for implementing those recommendations. See the full text of the 2000 - 2001 Regional Truck Study here.
In January 2003, the City of Cambridge passed a new zoning ordinance, number 1261, which implemented that portion of the recommendations of the Regional Truck Study within Cambridge’s borders. The full text of the Truck Ordinance is available here. Enforcement of that ordinance began on March 31, 2003, but it was suspended in April 2003 when MassHighway stated that an alternate approach was required to avoid state and federal action.
MassHighway rescinded the existing truck restrictions on River Street and Western Avenue on February 20, 2003.