South Massachusetts Avenue Corridor Safety Improvements Project
Massachusetts Avenue, from Sidney Street at the edge of Central Square to Memorial Drive at the Charles River, is a busy transportation corridor with a variety of uses. Anchored at one end by Central Square and University Park, and at the other end by MIT, the street is heavily used by pedestrians, bicyclists, vehicles and transit users. The corridor has a growing variety of restaurants, shops and commercial uses. The street was redesigned and reconstructed (2008) with new elements including on street bicycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and a plaza at Lafayette Square. Mass. Avenue is one of the busiest bus routes in the city and based on a study by the City, buses experience significant delay and unreliability. It also has a higher than average rate of bicycle crashes compared to other streets in the city.
In spring 2016 the City Council adopted a Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Aligned with this commitment, the City of Cambridge has undertaken this effort to improve safety and reliability for users of the street, particularly cyclists, pedestrians and buses. The work was accomplished mostly through quick-build methods such as re-striping, signal re-timing, signage and installation of materials like flex-posts.
The City invites you to share feedback about your experiences traveling on Massachusetts Avenue between Sidney Street and Memorial Drive through our online survey and Wikimapping tool. The deadline for input is May 27th, 2019. The input you provide on the survey and Wikimap will be used to help inform how the project has performed and if adjustments should be looked at.