Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang is seeking volunteers to serve on a new Working Group to help guide the Mass Ave Partial Construction Project on Mass Ave, from Waterhouse Street to Alewife Brook Parkway.
Project Goals
The project was initiated in response to the city’s Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO) and the goals include:
• Improving the safety and comfort for people walking, biking, and taking transit;
• Reducing travel times and improving the reliability of MBTA buses;
• Maintaining loading and short-term parking access to support local businesses;
• Implementing changes in line with the Cambridge Bicycle Plan, Vision Zero
Action Plan and the Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO), which requires separated bike lanes on Mass Ave.
Individuals who are excited about shaping the future of Mass Ave and want to work collaboratively with city staff to accomplish the goals above are encouraged to apply.
Membership and Meetings
The Working Group is anticipated to be made up of 15-20 members, representing a diverse set of interests along the Mass Ave corridor to ensure that each perspective is heard and that there is adequate representation reporting back to the larger community. The Working Group will include residents, business owners, institutional representatives, and a variety of people that use the corridor to live, work, walk, bike or take the bus.
It is anticipated that the group will meet eight to ten times between January 2023 and December 2023. Meetings of the Working Group will be open to the public.
Working Group members will have two overall responsibilities:
• Serve as a community representative to advise the City Manager and staff on key issues related to the design of improvements on Mass Ave;
• Help communicate the process and design of the project back to the larger community.
There are several key elements where the Working Group will be asked to help shape the design of the Mass Ave corridor:
• Design of separated bicycle lanes;
• Evaluation of existing crossing locations for pedestrians and recommendations for additional crossing opportunities;
• Curb use regulations (i.e., understand where parking/stopping/loading is possible and not possible, and advise on curb use regulations);
• Options for bus priority.
How to Apply
Individuals interested in being considered should apply by using the City’s online application system at
www.cambridgema.gov/apply and selecting “MassAve Partial Construction Working Group” in the list of Current Vacancies. A letter of interest can be submitted during the online application process. Paper applications are available in the City Manager’s Office at Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue. The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, December 12, 2022.
