Community Update (April 2, 2026)
We would like to share an update on the Linear Park Reconstruction Project. As construction work continues, trucks will be accessing the site from Harvey Street. Residents may notice increased truck activity and construction noise during work hours.
Upcoming Work (Week of April 6):
- Water work will take place on Westley Ave at the end of the street and in the park. This will include the installation and connection of a new copper water line.
- General work hours will be 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday
- ‘No Parking’ signs will be posted. Please be sure to check dates and times.
- This work is anticipated to take approximately 1 week to complete, weather pending.
Recent and on-going project activities have included:
- Excavation and removal of the primary path
- Grading of secondary paths
- Electrical work
- Drainage work
- Installation of concrete pads
- Tree work
Drainage installation has been completed along the walkway from Mass Ave to Russell Field by Alewife Brook Parkway.
Project updates, including three-week lookaheads, will be posted regularly on the project webpage: www.cambridgema.gov/linearpark
Construction is under contract through December 2026.
We understand that detours, construction activity and parking restrictions can be inconvenient, and we appreciate your patience as we continue to make improvements.
Crew removing old path pavement March 26, 2026
April 2026:
Week of April 6
Installation of water line begins on Westley Ave
Work on grading secondary paths continues
Tree work including pruning, clearing/grubbing, and transplanting
Week of April 13
Work on grading secondary paths continues
Tree work including pruning, clearing/grubbing, and transplanting
Removal of plaza area between Mass Ave and Cameron Ave
Start drainage system between Mass Ave and Cameron Ave
Week of April 20
Work on plaza area continues between Mass Ave and Cameron Ave grading area
Begin furnishing plaza area
Continue primary path excavation and subgrading
March 2026:
Week of March 9
Continue drainage work between Cameron Ave and Somerville Line
Continue ongoing electrical installations
Week of March 16
No Work
Week of March 23
Complete drainage installation on Harvey Street
Continue working on concrete pads
Continue working on grading secondary paths
Start excavation of primary path removal of asphalt
Week of March 30
Continue excavation of primary path and removal of asphalt
Continue working on concrete pads
Continue working on grading secondary paths
February 2026:
No planned work on site due to inclement weather conditions
January 2026:
Week of January 5
Continue drain work and light pole base installation
Week of January 12
Continue drain work and light pole base installation
Week of January 19
Continue drain work and light pole base installation
Week of January 26
No planned work on site due to inclement weather
December 2025:
Week of December 1
Continue conduit and pullbox installation
Week of December 8
Continue conduit and pullbox installation
Start drain work where possible
Week of December 15
Installation of light pole bases
Continue conduit and pullbox installation
Continue drain work
November 2025:
Week of November 3
Crews will continue installing protective measures, erosion controls and tree pruning. Lighting improvement work may also begin during this period.
Week of November 10
Crews will be working on conduit installation, pullbox installation, drain installation.
Week of November 17
Crew on site to complete the conduit installation, pullbox installation, drain installation. Crews to be working from Russell Field to Harvey and from Harvey to Cedar, with the possibility of working from Cameron to Somerville Line.
Week of November 24 (There will be no work on Thursday, November 27 or Friday, November 28, Thanksgiving Holiday)
Conduit installation, pullbox installation, drain installation work continues.
Current Construction at Linear Park
October 2025:
Week of October 20
Crews will begin mobilizing to the site and setting up the construction staging area. This work will include limited activity near the end of Harvey Street to allow equipment access to the path. The path will remain open during this stage.
Week of October 27
The path will be closed to the public as construction begins. Crews will install tree protection fencing, erosion controls, and other environmental protection measures. Work will also begin on improvements related to MBTA emergency access.
Linear Park and multi-use path will close on October 27, 2025.
Starting the week of October 20th, the contractor will deliver supplies, install tree protection, construction fencing, and lay emergency egress paths for the MBTA Red line. Other preparatory work may take place as construction crews' schedules allow.
Construction work will continue through the winter and we will share information early in 2026 about when the park may reopen.
The City of Cambridge can now resume all work on the Linear Park project after a Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Preliminary Injunction in the Linear Park lawsuit was denied on Friday, September 19.
The goal of the project is to renovate this well-loved park and create a cohesive open space that provides increased access for the community and improved opportunities for passive recreation and leisure, play, enjoyment of the landscape, and a welcoming path for people walking and biking.
The City looks forward to moving forward with plans to enhance the park and more effectively support the needs and interests of our community.
The City will be working with the contractor to confirm an updated schedule now that the work can resume and will make every effort to temporarily reopen the path once the base layer of pavement has been installed.
October 27, 2025: Linear Path between the Russell Fieldhouse and the Cambridge-Somerville City line will be closed.
The City has made adjustments to accommodate those who would normally travel through Linear Park. You can choose a detour route that best fits your starting point and destination based on the detailed maps below.
Linear Park Detour Routes
Bicyclists traveling from the Russell Field area east towards Davis Square can use the following signed detour route:
- East on Dudley St – the one block of Dudley St from Cedar St to Mass Ave will be flow reversed. Starting October 23, 2025, motor vehicles and cyclists will travel towards Mass Ave.
- Left on Mass Ave – Bicyclists can use the pedestrian push button to cross Mass Ave and go north to Cameron Ave.
- Right on Cameron Ave.
- Right on Holland St.
- Right on Thorndike St.
- Then rejoin Linear Park / Community Path at the Thorndike St entrance in Somerville.
Bicyclists traveling from the Davis Square area west towards Alewife Station can use the following signed detour route:
- Turn left off the Somerville Community path onto Thorndike St.
- Right onto Kingston St.
- Continue straight onto Shea Rd – Shea Rd will have parking temporarily restricted on the north side to create a contraflow bike lane. Cones will be in place to create dedicated street space for bicyclists.
- Right on Mass Ave – Bicyclists can either utilize the green painted area on Cameron Ave, or travel across the north bound lanes and utilize the left-hand turn lane shared with motor vehicles.
- Left on Harvey St.
- Left on Clifton St.
- Right at the intersection of Dudley St and Russell Field to rejoin Linear Park at Russell Field and access Rindge Ave, the Minuteman Path, or the Fitchburg Cut Off path.
Pedestrians traveling east or west between the Russell Field area and Davis Square can use Dudley St, the Mass Ave pedestrian push button crossing, Shea Rd, Kingston St, and Thorndike St.
Pedestrians traveling north south in the Whittemore Ave / Clifton St neighborhood can use a signed detour route that travels along the edge of Linear Park, near the dead end of Harvey St, to access Whittemore Ave.