October 2020
The City will be hosting a three-week virtual open house for the public to learn more about the River Street Reconstruction project. The City has created a project website for you to learn about draft concepts and provide feedback for the River Street corridor and Carl Barron Plaza elements. We will also host a Question and Answer Public Information Session with remote participation on Zoom on Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Click here to learn more about the virtual open house and question and answer public information session.
August 2020
"Roll plan" design documents now available
The project team has uploaded and posted the following documents from Working Group meeting #10.
The project team is developing a conceptual design for River Street and we welcome the public's feedback and comments. The concepts presented at working group meetings are further refined and evaluated as the project team develops a preferred street design concept. Our online feedback form, linked above, is the easiest way to provide comments about the street design.
Previous updates
The City held the Tenth River Street Reconstruction Working Group Meeting with remote participation on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. At this meeting, the project team provided an overview of the River Street design concepts east of Auburn Street, associated transportation analysis, bus operations, and Carl Barron Plaza urban design.
June 2020
Eversource began gas main replacement on June 22, 2020. Please click here to see the latest construction notice with more information.
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View previous updates in the "previous updates" tab.
Working Group
In December, 2018, the City of Cambridge appointed a working group to represent a cross-section of resident and business interests in the corridor, as well as representatives from relevant citizen advisory committees. Working Group members will participate in meetings and discussions, review written material, and advise the City on design issues associated with the reconstruction of the River Street corridor and Carl Barron Plaza.
Members of the Working Group: Patrick Barrett III; Daniel Beaulieu; Seanna Berry; Valerie Bonds; Matthew Ciborowski; Gabriel Cira; Abby Duker; Samuel Gebru; Melissa Greene; Kai Long; Randy Stern; Saul Tannenbaum; Andrew Tarsy; Christopher Tassone; Annie Tuan; Olivia Turner
As part of the River Street Reconstruction Project, the City is creating a new design for Carl Barron Plaza. Carl Barron Plaza is the public plaza space in front of Cambridge Savings Bank, Amazon, and the Holmes Building entrance. This new plaza design will consider the diversity of people and uses of the Plaza. The project will create a new public plaza design integrating public art, street furniture, access, and landscaping. The public plaza design must also meet the complex transportation needs for bus riders and people passing through the plaza.
The project team is doing ongoing community outreach and design into spring 2020. Construction is anticipated to begin in fall 2020.
The first engagement activities for Carl Barron Plaza were on Wednesday, June 5 and Saturday, June 8. These events focused on the existing conditions in the plaza and the MBTA bus terminal area.
August 2020
August 18 Tenth working group meeting held with remote participation
July 2020
July 22 Ninth Working Group meeting held with remote participation
June 2020
June 22 Eversource Gas began construction on the River Street corridor.
Ongoing The project team is still working on the conceptual design for River Street and Carl Barron Plaza.
March 2020
March 13 The City of Cambridge cancelled or postponed all non-regulatory public meetings through May 31, 2020. This included all public engagement activities for the River Street project.
Ongoing The project team is still working on the conceptual design for River Street and Carl Barron Plaza.
February 2020
Mid-February Project team sent a winter update e-mail. Click here to see the project update e-mail.
December 2019
December 17 Eighth Working Group meeting at Manning Apartments
Ongoing The project team is still working on the conceptual design for River Street.
November 2019
November 19 Second public meeting at the Putnam Upper School
October 2019
October 22 Seventh Working Group meeting at Manning Apartments
September 2019
September 24 Sixth Working Group meeting at the Manning Apartments
August 2019
Carl Barron Plaza engagement postponed.
July 2019
July 17 Fifth Working Group meeting at the Manning Apartments
Other public engagement events rescheduled for September
June 2019
June 11 Public site walk - Urban design and local businesses
June 8 Outdoor public event - Existing conditions at Carl Barron Plaza
June 5 Open house event - Existing conditions at Carl Barron Plaza
May 2019
May 28 Fourth Working Group meeting at the Manning Apartments
May 14 Public site walk - Mobility and safety
April 2019
April 23 Third Working Group meeting at Manning Apartments. Toolbox of design elements
March 2019
March 26 First community meeting at Cambridge Community Center
Public input map launched.
February 2019
February 26 Second working group meeting at Manning Apartments
January 2019
January 29 First working group meeting at Manning Apartments
December 2018
City appointed a working group to represent a cross-section of resident and business interests in the corridor, as well as representatives from relevant advisory committees.
November 2018
The City entered into a contract with a design team led by HDR Engineering, Inc. of Boston, MA for the planning and design of the project. The project team includes the following companies:
- HDR Engineering, Inc. manages the Project and provide surface and subsurface engineering, and Green Infrastructure design
- Halvorson Design Partnership lead for urban design, landscape architecture, and public art coordination
- McMahon Associates Inc. lead for transportation engineering and analysis, and community outreach
- Project for Public Spaces support the community outreach process, and lead community design charrettes for Carl Barron Plaza and related elements of Central Square
October 2018
City staff conducted interviews with applicants to the River Street Working Group.
September/October 2018
City staff reviewed proposals and conducted interviews with prospective design consultant teams.