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O'Brien Highway (Route 28) Reconstruction Project

Divco West, the developer of Cambridge Crossing, is redesigning and reconstructing O'Brien Highway from Land Boulevard to Third Street and some nearby streets. This reconstruction is a requirement of the City of Cambridge Planning Board Permit PB-179. Divco West included the City and Massachusetts Department of Transportation staff in creating the plans.

On O'Brien Highway between Third Street and Land Boulevard, this reconstruction includes:

  • separated bicycle lanes
  • new sidewalks
  • enhanced pedestrian crossings
  • landscaping

On Cambridge Street between Second Street and O’Brien Highway, this reconstruction includes:

  • separated bicycle lanes
  • new sidewalks

Divco West will also construct a new section of First Street between O'Brien Highway and Cambridge Street. This new section of First Street will include separated bike lanes, new sidewalks, crosswalks, and landscaping.

Divco West began roadway reconstruction work in 2019. This reconstruction will be completed in phases.

Construction updates

This year, construction workers have completed the following: 

  • Opening the new section of North First Street between O'Brien Highway and Cambridge Street with new sidewalks, separated bike lanes, and roadway
  • Reconfigured lanes and traffic patterns on Cambridge Street, First Street, North First Street, O'Brien Highway and East Street
  • Installed new traffic signals and new signal timing plans

Upcoming construction in 2023 includes:

  • New paving on North First Street, O'Brien Highway, and East Street
  • New paving, separated bike lanes, and sidewalks on Cambridge Street between Second Street and O'Brien Highway

Click here to view Divco West construction updates

Construction website

Divco West and contractors will post weekly updates about temporary impacts from construction. This will include information on driving, walking, biking, and transit detours and information on hours of work. You may also sign-up for their e-mail distribution list at the link below.

Click here to view construction updates

Construction on O’Brien Highway, North First Street, and Cambridge Street will continue through 2023.

McGrath Highway Resurfacing project

MassDOT is doing maintenance construction on Route 28 in Cambridge and Somerville from Sunday, July 30 to end of October 2023. Route 28 is O'Brien Highway in East Cambridge and McGrath Highway in Somerville. This work includes:

  • rebuilding sidewalks and wheelchair ramps
  • building new bus boarding islands
  • repairing bridge and overpass structures (in Somerville)
  • repaving

Construction workers will be on-site day and night. Construction team will provide detours for sidewalk and lane closures. Some overnight closures may detour traffic to streets in Cambridge.

For more information, you can contact the Massachusetts Department of Transportation - Highway Division by calling (877) 623-6846 toll-free Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For those who use TTY, you may call (857) 368-0655.

For more information, send an e-mail to CDD@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4600.