Garden Street Safety Improvement Project

What we did

We made signal timing adjustments at the Concord Avenue at Huron Avenue traffic signal to give Concord Avenue more green time. This adjustment was made midday on Monday, November 7. As a result, fewer cars were stuck behind the red light and traffic flowed more efficiently. Before the project, peak-hour traffic queues usually went as far back as Madison Street or Buckingham Street. Peak-hour observations on November 7, 8, and 9 showed queues returning to this pre-project extent.

What we did

As part of our original project plan, we made signal timing adjustments at the Garden Street/Huron Avenue/Sherman Street traffic signal to give Huron Avenue more green time. This time was taken from the Garden Street phase, since westbound flows were eliminated with the change to one-way. Appropriate green time was retained for Garden Street to accommodate eastbound traffic as well as bi-directional bicycle traffic. This change was made midday Tuesday, November 8. We made green time adjustments at Walden Street and Sherman Street at the same time to help address a related issue.

We’re evaluating

Adjusting the traffic signal to add a leading or lagging protected left turn phase for eastbound Huron Avenue traffic can provide an opportunity for additional left turns without waiting for a suitable gap. This could help the signal process more left turns and clear the block more efficiently. We are currently evaluating the feasibility of this improvement.

What we did

We studied this movement and determined that it was as a result of wayfinding apps trying to loop drivers back around to Linnaean Street. Apps told drivers to take a (now illegal) right onto Garden Street at Linnaean Street and when they couldn’t do that, the apps directed them down Walker Street to go back to Linnaean Street to try again. We have confirmed that our changes to wayfinding apps have been accepted and this movement no longer occurs (as of Saturday, November 5). We still see some added traffic compared to before the one-way change, but the high initial volume of turns has subsided.

We’re evaluating

We plan to install tan-colored markings within the buffer zone areas at the crosswalk to better define the walking, parking, and driving spaces. Once installed (when weather permits), we will evaluate whether these changes fix the issue.

Our plan

The previous condition did not have a bike lane in the eastbound direction, so we are already seeing some eastbound cyclists and scooter riders use the new bike lane instead of traveling the wrong way or using the sidewalk. For those who are still traveling the wrong way within the one-way bike lane, we installed “wrong way” biking signs (like those used on the Western Avenue sidewalk-level bike lane). These signs were installed at decision points to discourage this practice. We will also look into educating users on-location and speaking with Harvard about potential outreach strategies to students.

We removed a little over 50 of the approximately 110 parking spaces on Garden Street within the project limits. As part of the design process, parking was prioritized in the eastern section, largely between Linnaean Street and Mason Street. Between Shepard Street and Mason Street, only about five spaces of about 37 were removed. The majority of the parking loss was located on the Huron Avenue end of the project, where most houses have driveways.

Our informal observations (on the evenings of Monday, November 7; Tuesday, November 8; and Wednesday, November 9) noted that between five and seven parking spaces remained available each night in the blocks between Linnaean Street and Shepard Street, showing that this parking removal still resulted in an excess of spaces being available each night for residents.

We plan to do a more thorough parking study with multiple observation windows within the next few months and will post the results on the project website.

Our design consultant, Toole Design, performed a study using StreetLight Data to estimate the effects of a change to one-way. StreetLight data shows only those using navigation devices (such as navigation apps on phones). To perform a StreetLight Data analysis, you pick a time period, an origin point, and several destination gates to get navigation app counts, and then adjust the values to reflect real-world conditions using actual count data. This method scales the StreetLight data up to align with real-world volumes as best they can.

From the analysis memo: "Analyses looked at daily trends and averaged hourly data in the morning peak period from 7 to 9 a.m. and the evening peak period from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) in October 2021. Based on discussions with the City, October 2021 trends were evaluated such that typical school-year trends unaffected by holiday travel in November and December would be represented."

The June 2022 counts were used to scale the volumes up, but the routes analyzed reflected a multi-date time period in October 2021 when Harvard was in session and the community back from summer vacations. We have a permanent traffic count station at the Garden Street at Huron Avenue/Sherman Street intersection, and it shows that total vehicle volumes vary by about 5 percent between June and October, which is within the margin of error for both the StreetLight analysis in general, as well as day-to-day swings.

Our first community meeting on the project spoke about the project’s background, context, and the existing conditions, including crashes (additional info). However, there are likely more crashes than the 19 shown in the presentation, as we only have data from reported crashes (calls to the Cambridge Police Department), not ones that resulted in the two parties handling the crash repercussions privately. The available data show us that all reported crashes that included a driver striking a person walking or biking resulted in an injury to the person walking or biking. Separated bike lanes increase the space between people biking and driving allowing for additional time to identify, process, and avoid potential conflicts (additional info). They also reduce crossing distances for people walking and increase yielding rates at crosswalks (additional info). They are part of a proactive investment to reduce the likelihood of future crashes and injuries.

We posted the FAQs below before we installed the project. 

How will Garden Street change for people driving?

One way for vehicles

Garden Street will become a one-way for vehicles between Huron Avenue and the triangle at Concord Avenue. People driving on this part of Garden Street will only be able to travel eastbound, toward Cambridge Common/Harvard Square. People driving away from Harvard Square may use Concord Avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, or otherwise reroute their trips. We will share information about the directional change with Google Maps, Waze, and other wayfinding apps so that they aren’t directing drivers westbound on Garden Street.

 

Green paint indicating where to yield to people biking

People driving will notice green paint where separated bike lanes intersect with side streets – this reminds drivers who are turning that they must yield to people biking straight.

How will Garden Street change for people biking?

Separated bike lanes

This project will install separated bike lanes on each side of Garden Street. Eastbound separated bike lanes traveling toward Harvard Square will begin at Huron Avenue and end at Berkeley Street (slightly before Mason Street). Westbound separated bike lanes traveling away from Harvard Square will begin at Mason Street and end at Huron Avenue. Separated bike lanes will be at least five feet wide, with a striped buffer between the bike lane and vehicular travel lane. Flex posts in the buffer lane will add a physical barrier between people biking and people driving.

Temporary standard bike lane

Until overheard wires are removed, likely next year, there will be a temporary condition for people biking westbound between Waterhouse Street and Concord Avenue. In that section, there will be a standard bike lane between the parking and travel lanes.

New bike signals

There will be new bike signals at the Huron Avenue/Sherman Street intersection, Linnaean Street intersection, and Concord Avenue/Follen Street intersections. These will indicate when people biking can safely proceed through the intersection.

How will parking and loading change?

Permit Parking

A little less than half of the permit parking spaces on Garden Street between Huron Avenue and Mason Street will be removed (total spaces will change from 112 to 59).

In response to community feedback, the final design retains a significant amount of permit parking close to Harvard Square.

• Between Concord Avenue and Mason Street, the number of permit parking spaces will decrease from 19 to 13, with parking maintained on the north side of the street near the apartment buildings.
• Between Shepard Street and Concord Avenue, the number of permit parking spaces will increase from 18 to 19.
• Between Linnaean Street and Shepard Street, the number of permit parking spaces will decrease from 49 to 27.
• Between Huron Avenue and Linnaean Street, the number of parking spaces will decrease from 26 to zero.

Click here for details on parking changes. 

Accessible/Disability spaces

We will increase the number of accessible/disability spaces between Concord Street and Mason Street from three to five. We will keep two spaces at First Church, relocate one space to the Berkeley Street accessible ramp, and add two new spaces along the curb on Waterhouse Street.

Loading

We will add one new loading zone and retain all existing loading zones. Changes to loading include:

• A new loading zone near Shepard Street
• A relocated loading zone near Chauncy Street

How will crosswalks improve?

Installing separated bike lanes improves existing crosswalks. By installing separated bike lanes, crossing distances become shorter, sightlines are improved, and each potential conflict can be handled separately (i.e., cross bike lane, then vehicle lanes). These lanes also visually narrow the roadway for drivers, encouraging lower speeds and higher yielding rates at crosswalks. At most crosswalks along the project area, tan-colored roadway paint will be added to add additional emphasis and provide clearer direction to people walking.

The Waterhouse Street and Shepard Street crosswalks were the most often mentioned as needing improvement during the outreach process for this project. In addition to the above improvements as part of the installation of separated bike lanes, we will do the following:

• At Waterhouse Street, we will install a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) as part of the project. This is a push-button activated flashing crosswalk sign.
• At Shepard Street, we plan to add the second crosswalk across Garden Street or move the crosswalk to the other corner to improve visibility as part of an upcoming DPW reconstruction project (FY23).

 

What will happen to current bus and shuttle routes?

MBTA

Three MBTA bus routes use a portion of Garden Street within the project area (between Mason Street and Garden Street). We will improve visibility for bus drivers by moving the Harvard-bound bus stop at Garden Street and Concord Avenue to south of the crosswalk across Garden Street. This stop is currently located within the intersection. There are no planned changes to the bus routes themselves as part of this project.

Lesley University

Lesley University shuttles that currently use Garden Street in the westbound direction will instead use Waterhouse Street for trips between their campuses. There are no changes to existing shuttle stop locations

Harvard University

Harvard University shuttles that currently use Garden Street in both directions to access Radcliffe Quad will instead use Massachusetts Avenue and Linnaean Street (their current backup route) in place of westbound travel on Garden Street. They will still travel eastbound on Garden Street as they do today when returning toward Harvard Square. On occasion, shuttles may use Concord Avenue and Madison Street as the new backup route--however, this would be infrequent. There are no changes to existing shuttle stop locations.

In mid-November, we finished installing most elements of the project, including paint, metal street sign changes, traffic signal changes, bicycle stencils, and flex posts. we will install colored surface treatments as weather permits.  

With the change to the one-way, we are seeing an increase in traffic on many nearby streets. We expect much of this increase to be temporary. City staff have been observing the impacts to side streets, listening to feedback from community members, and making adjustments to reduce traffic backups. Please reach out with feedback—while we're observing the area regularly, it's very helpful to hear about specific spots where you have concerns.

Due to the rain, the City of Cambridge's installation schedule for the Garden Street Safety Improvement Project has changed slightly. We now expect to switch to one-way operation between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue very early in the morning on Friday, October 28. 

Since the rain prevented our crews from making changes to major road markings on Monday, we started the week by prepping sign posts and traffic signals.

  

Timeline

We will begin installing this project on Monday, October 24, if weather permits. It will take about one week to install new traffic signals, update metal street signs, and add major markings on the road. We will add bicycle stencils, flex posts, and colored surface treatments in November. 

Parking Restrictions

Temporary parking restrictions will be in place during this work. We will post signs on these restrictions at least 48 hours in advance. 

Garden Street One-Way

Garden Street will shift to one-way operation between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue. This will likely occur the evening of Monday, October 24, if weather allows workers to make the necessary changes to the street. 

We are hosting community listening sessions to hear about how the change to one-way operations is impacting nearby streets. City staff have been observing the impacts to side streets, listening to feedback from community members, and making changes to reduce traffic backups. 

Materials

• Presentation from the November 29 Community Meeting

On Thursday, September 22, we held an in-person community open house to discuss safety improvements to Garden Street between Huron Avenue and Mason Street. City staff set up the project's roll plan and informational boards on the brick sidewalk at the intersection of Garden Street and Concord Avenue. 

Click here to see the boards shared at the open house. 

We held the fourth community meeting for the Garden Street Safety Improvement Project on September 20, 2022, on Zoom. At the meeting, City staff discussed plans to install the preferred layout for the street and heard comments on the plans. 

Based on the feedback we received in previous meetings, we will move forward with "Option 3" as the preferred layout for the corridor. This plan changes Garden Street to a one-way for vehicles eastbound (toward Cambridge Common) between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue. People biking will still travel in both directions, with a one-way separated bike lane on each side of the street. This configuration addresses several preferences we heard from community members. We heard:

• One-way bike lanes on each side of the street are preferable to two-way bike lanes on one side of the street
• Preserve as much parking as possible.

Note: the materials below were created for this meeting. There may be future updates to the design of this project. Please look at more recent updates for the latest news.

Meeting Materials

• Click here to see the draft plans for the project. 
• Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
• Click here to view a video recording of the meeting. 

Meeting Update

Please review the slides or watch the recording for a full overview of what was discussed at the meeting.

To zoom in on the plans, the project was separated into four sections. Click the links below to see draft layouts for each section. 

• Section A: Huron Avenue to Linnaean Street 
• Section B: Linnaean Street to Shepard Street
• Section C: Shepard Street to Concord Avenue
• Section D: Concord Avenue to Mason Street

One-way Analysis:

To understand the impacts of making Garden Street one-way, Toole Design analyzed how people currently use the corridor. See the "One Way Impacts Analysis" tab below for the analysis. 

Key Intersections:

We discussed what six intersections in the project area will look like: 

• Huron Avenue/Sherman Street and Garden Street
• Linnaean Street and Garden Street
• Shepard Street and Garden Street
• Chauncy Street/Arsenal Square and Garden Street
• Concord Avenue/Follen Street and Garden Street
• Waterhouse Street and Garden Street

Parking Impacts:

Click here for a parking impacts summary. Over the whole corridor, we expect to remove 53 parking spaces. Our layout retains a significant amount of permit parking closer to Harvard Square. Between Shepard Street and Waterhouse Street, we expect to only remove five permit parking spaces. 

The layout increases the number of accessible/disability spaces in Section D (closest to Harvard Square) from three to five. 

Improvements for People Walking:

Click here for a summary of improvements for people walking. 

Next Steps: 

• Finalize the plan. We will compile feedback on the preferred layout and complete our final plans within the next few weeks. These will be posted to the project website. 
• Notify the community about the installation timeline and what to expect. 
• Historical Commission Meeting on November 3 to review flex posts and curbing changes between Chauncy Street and Mason Street. 
• We plan to install a vast majority of the project by the end of 2022. 
  
  • The MBTA’s unused catenary wires above the roadway affect a portion of Section D between Concord Avenue and Waterhouse Street. This area will be partially installed until wire removal work takes place (anticipated 2023). Click here for interim designs for this section. 

We held the third community meeting for the Garden Street Safety Improvement Project on August 9, 2022, on Zoom. At the meeting, City staff presented three layout concepts that respond to community feedback we have heard so far.

Note: the materials below were created for this meeting. There may be future updates to the design of this project. Please look at more recent updates for the latest news.

Meeting Materials

• Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting
• Click here to view a video recording of the meeting
• Click here to read Toole Design's analysis of the impacts of making Garden Street one-way

Draft Layouts for Garden Street Safety Improvement Project

In the meeting, you learned that there are two options for the middle section of the project, between Linnaean Street and Concord Avenue. Below, see how these two options look in the context of the full corridor. See the meeting update below for further materials. 

• Option 1 (two way traffic, two way bike lane from Linnaean to Concord)
• Option 2 (one-way traffic from Shepard to Concord, one-way bike lanes from Linnaean to Concord)
• Option 3 (one-way traffic from Huron to Conrod, one-way bike lanes through the whole project area)

Meeting Update

Please review the slides or watch the meeting recording for a full overview of what was discussed at the meeting.

To compare options, the project was separated into four sections:

• Section A: Huron Avenue to Linnaean Street
• Section B: Linnaean Street to Shepard Street
• Section C: Shepard Street to Concord Avenue
• Section D: Concord Avenue to Mason Street

Based on community feedback and the width constraints of the roadway, staff prepared draft three layouts for the area between Huron Avenue and Concord Avenue (Sections A, B, and C). We have one preferred layout for the area between Concord Avenue and Mason Street, closest to Cambridge Common (Section D).

Sections A, B, and C – Option 1:

• Two way vehicle traffic
• Two-way separated bike lane on the south side

Sections A, B, and C – Option 2:

• Two-way vehicle traffic from Huron Avenue to Shepard Street (Sections A and B)
• One-way vehicle traffic eastbound (toward Cambridge Common) from Shepard Street to Concord Avenue (Section C)
• Two-way separated bike lane on the south side from Huron Avenue to Linnaean Street (Section A)
• One-way separated bike lane on both sides from Linnaean Street to Concord Avenue (Sections B and C)

Sections A, B, and C – Option 3:

• One-way vehicle traffic eastbound (toward Cambridge Common)
• One-way separated bike lanes on both sides of the street

Section D:

• Two-way vehicle traffic
• One-way separated bike lanes on both sides. The eastbound separated bike lane will go toward Berkeley Street only.

One-way Analysis:

To understand the impacts of making Garden Street one-way, Toole Design analyzed how people currently use the corridor. Click here for their full analysis.

Parking Impacts:

Click here for a parking impacts summaryfor each of the three options.

We held the second community meeting for the Garden Street Safety Improvement Project on July 12, 2022, on Zoom. At the meeting, City staff presented several layout concepts that respond to community feedback we have heard so far.

Note: the materials below were created for this meeting. There may be future updates to the design of this project. Please look at more recent updates for the latest news. 

Meeting Materials

• Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
• Click here to view a video recording of the meeting

Draft Layouts for Garden Street Safety Improvement Project

In the meeting, you learned that there are two options for the middle section of the project, between Linnaean Street and Concord Avenue. Below, see how these two options look in the context of the full corridor. See the meeting update below for further materials. 

• Option 1 (two way traffic, two way bike lane from Linnaean to Concord)
• Option 2 (one-way traffic from Shepard to Concord, one-way bike lanes from Linnaean to Concord)

Meeting Update

Please review the slides or watch the meeting recording for a full overview of what was discussed at the meeting.

Based on community feedback and the width constraints of the roadway, staff prepared draft layouts to discuss. The draft designs have two options for street layout in the section of Garden Street between Linnaean Street and Concord Avenue.

Updates included: 

In Section A (the part of Garden Street between Huron Avenue and Linnaean Street), only a two-way separated bike lane will fit. Draft designs: street-level view and overhead.

In Section B (between Linnaean Street and Concord Avenue), there are two layout options.

• Option 1 continues the two-way separated bike lane. Draft designs: street-level view and overhead.
• Option 2 installs one-way separated bike lanes and turns the section of Garden Street between Shepard Street and Concord Avenue into a one-way for cars. This would allow us to increase the parking in this area. Draft designs: 
  • Street-level view
  • Overhead of Linnaean to Shepard
  • Overhead of Shepard to Concord

In Section C (between Concord Avenue and Mason Street), our draft design has a one-way separated bike lane on both sides of the street. Draft designs: street-level view and overhead.

Parking impacts: Click here for an overview of parking impacts with these designs.

On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, we held our first community meeting via Zoom to introduce the project. You can view a PDF of the presentation; or watch, listen to, or read a recording of the meeting. The video recording is captioned in English.

To understand the impacts of making Garden Street one-way, Toole Design analyzed how people currently use the corridor and analyzed how trips might be impacted by making directional changes. 

• Click here for Toole's technical memo, sent to the City of Cambridge on September 2, 2022.
• Click here for updated slides with an overview of Toole's analysis. 
• Click here for the older (out of date) slides presented at Community Meeting 3 on August 9. 

Mt Auburn St at Holyoke St - Before and After

The images below show Mt Auburn St at Holyoke St before and after separated bike lanes were installed as a part of the Inner Mount Auburn Safety Improvement Project.

Key Components of Separated Bike Lanes

• Bike lanes create dedicated space for people who are biking.
• Buffers (painted lines on the street) create space between people biking and people driving. They help prevent unintentional collisions that could cause serious harm to the people involved. Depending on the location, there may be a parking lane next to the buffer area. In these instances, drivers can use the buffer area to safely get in and out of the car and to load and unload items.
• Flex posts are placed in the buffer area and serve as a vertical barrier in the buffer area.
• Travel lanes allow space for people to drive down the street, but can be used by anyone.
• Green markings help alert people turning from the travel lane that they should look out for people on bikes. These are generally installed at intersections and across driveways.
• Parking creates space for people to store their vehicles while they are in the area. This part of the street may also be designated as loading zones, which help make it easier for delivery people to do their jobs.
• Daylighting is when the parking lane is pulled back 20 feet to make it easier for people driving down the street and people waiting to cross the street to see each other. These areas are generally marked with lines on the ground. There may also be flex posts.

Why Install Separated Bike Lanes

Separated bike lanes provide more space and vertical separation between people on bikes and people in cars. More people are comfortable biking in separated bike lanes than in traditional bike lanes or in traffic with cars, buses, and trucks. Separated bike lanes also increase safety for people walking by reducing crossing distances. As we install separated bike lanes, we also look for opportunities to increase visibility at intersections, refresh crosswalk markings, and install appropriate pedestrian crossing signs.

We have consistently updated this project webpage and sent email updates.

Website: Throughout the project, we posted project updates, materials, and meeting announcements to the project website. All meetings have been added to the City calendar.

Email List: We send emails for project updates, materials, and meeting announcements. You can sign up for this email list here. You can read through those emails below:

• May 12, 2022
• May 31, 2022
• June 13, 2022
• July 12, 2022
• July 19, 2022
• August 8, 2022
• August 15, 2022
• September 13, 2022
• September 20, 2022
• September 22, 2022
• October 3, 2022
• October 13, 2022
• October 21, 2022 (Sent to all quick-build project lists)

City's Daily Updates: We have announced meetings in the City’s daily update emails. Sign up for those emails here.

At the start of the project, staff made in person visits to businesses, houses of worship, and institutions within the project area. For entities that we were unable to meet with in person, we communicated through email and phone call. We remained in contact with these entities as the project evolved.

In addition to the email, web, and business outreach above, we announced Community Meeting 1 through:

Postcards: In May 2022, we sent postcards announcing the project to 3,500 addresses in and around the project area. 

• Postcard
• Map of addresses that received the postcard (in blue) 

Physical Signage: In May 2022, we placed 40 laminated posters sign poles on Garden Street and side streets. The posters announced the start of the project and the first community meeting. (These posters were removed following each meeting and replaced by new posters announcing the next meeting. To differentiate them, each poster was a different color than the one before it.)

Flyers: In May 2022, we distributed flyers at doors along Garden Street within the project area. These were smaller versions of the laminated posters that were placed on sign poles. 

In addition to the email, web, and business outreach above, we announced Community Meeting 2 through:  

Physical Signage: In June 2022, we placed 40 laminated posters sign poles on Garden Street and side streets. The posters announced the second community meeting. 

In addition to the email, web, and business outreach above, we announced Community Meeting 3 through: 

Physical Signage: In July 2022, we placed 40 laminated posters sign poles on Garden Street and side streets. The posters announced the one-way option and the third community meeting. 

Flyers: In July 2022, we distributed flyers at doors along the streets impacted by a potential one-way change. This flyer alerted community members about the three options being considered. These streets included: 

• Garden Street
• Concord Avenue
• Chauncy Street
• Walker Street
• Walker Street Place
• Garden Lane
• Bond Street
• Madison Street
• Fernald Drive
• Gray Gardens East
• Gray Gardens West
• Robinson Street
• Raymond Street
• Garden Terrace
• Holly Avenue
• Huron Avenue
• Winslow Street
• Tierney Street
• Orrin Street
• Sherman Street
• Cutler Avenue

In addition to the email, web, and business outreach above, we announced Community Meeting 4 through:

Postcards: In September 2022, we sent postcards with information on the meeting and intended directional change to over 4,700 addresses in and around the project area. 

• Postcard
• Map of addresses that received the postcard (in blue) 

Physical Signage: In September 2022, we placed 40 laminated posters sign poles on Garden Street and side streets. The posters included information on the directional change, the project as a whole, and upcoming meetings.

In addition to the email and web outreach outlined above, we announced the project's installation timeline through: 

• Electronic traffic signs located near the Cambridge Common and at the Garden Street/Concord Avenue intersection, which began announcing the switch to one-way operation on October 13.
• A press release sent to local news outlets and posted on the City website on October 14. 
• Laminated posters attached to signposts throughout the project area, posted on October 18. 
• Flyers about parking changes, distributed to vehicles parked between Huron and Chauncy Street on October 18. 
• Flyers on parking changes and the installation timeline, distributed to addresses surrounding the project area on October 21.
• Social media posts on the City of Cambridge's Twitter and Facebook pages.