Main Street Reconstruction Project

This project has been completed. No further updates to this project page will be made.

NOTICE: Main Street Roadway Paving Scheduled for Saturday, June 18

As part of ongoing improvements, the city’s contractor, Newport Construction, will perform final roadway paving on Main St, between Wadsworth St and Ames St, on Saturday, June 18.  Crews will also pave the intersection of Broadway and Third St.  Work hours will be 5 AM to 6 PM, and we expect the paving work to take one day to complete.  

This work will be completed in two phase.  Phase 1 will require road closures at Broadway and Third St. from approx. 5am-8am.  Phase 2 from approx. 8am-6pm will include the closure of Main St. from Ames St. to Wadsworth St.  Please see attached maps for detour information.

What to Expect During Roadway Paving:

• On Saturday, June 18, crews will perform final roadway paving on Main St, between Wadsworth St and Ames St and at the intersection of Broadway and Third St.

• Work hours will be 5 AM to 6 PM.
• Broadway at Third St. will be closed during Phase 1 of paving from approx. 5am-8am. See attached map.
• Main St will be closed during Phase 2 of the paving from approx. 8am-6pm.
• Bus and shuttle stops on Main St will be affected by the paving. See attached map.
  • Galleria Shuttle will be relocated to the north side of Main Street, west of Ames St., in front of Sebastian’s.
  • Trolley tour will be relocated to the south side of Main Street, west of Ames St., in across from Sebastian’s.
• “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times. 
• Vehicle access in and out of properties will be limited at times during work hours.
• Emergency vehicles will have access at all times. 

While work will continue for several more weeks, Main St. is anticipated to reopen to two-way traffic by 6/27.

For Information and Assistance:

If you have any questions regarding construction, please contact Dan Riviello, Community Relations Manager at 617.349.4825/ driviello@cambridgema.gov.  If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for any special accommodations that will be necessary.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience you may experience during this construction, and thank you for your continued patience and understanding. 

• On Saturday, June 11, crews will perform roadway milling on Main St, between Wadsworth St and Ames St and the intersection of Broadway and Third St. 
• Once milling is complete, crews will raise castings to prepare for paving. 
• Paving on Main St is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 18, weather permitting. An additional notice will follow. 

• Work hours will be 5 AM to 6 PM.
• Main St will remain open with periodic detours during the milling operation. 
• Bus and shuttle stops on Main St will be affected by the milling; please check signs for details. 
• “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times. 
• Vehicle access in and out of properties will be limited at times during work hours. 
• Emergency vehicles will have access at all times. 

• Bike rack installation complete.
• Tree planting complete
• Irrigation installed and final testing continues. Should be completed next week.
• Concrete sidewalk work complete except for punch list items and Eversource area on South side. 
• Roadway Grinding scheduled for Saturday, June 11th. 
  
  • Alternating lane closures during this work.
• Final roadway paving scheduled for Saturday, June 18th with a rain date of June 25th. 
  
  • Both lanes likely closed during paving operations. Working on Traffic Management Plan.
  • Line striping anticipated approximately 2 weeks after final paving. 
  • Working on traffic plan. Alternating lane closures for grinding. Likely closed during paving.
• Contraflow bike lane under design/construction. 
• Traffic signal heads to be installed. New traffic pattern will go live after line striping is complete.
• Punch list items month of July
• Project includes sidewalk and roadway reconstruction, new vehicular connection from Third St to Main St, enhanced tree plantings and street lighting, to be completed in 2016. 

NOTICE: Wadsworth Street closure begins Monday, April 25

Dear Kendall Square Neighbors and Business Owners:

The City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will begin work on Main Street at Wadsworth Street on Monday, April 25^th to install the raised crosswalk across Wadsworth Street. 

This work will require the closure of Wadsworth Street to traffic while curbing, sidewalk, and the raised crosswalk are installed.  This closure is anticipated to last from Monday, April 25^th to Friday, April 29^th, weather permitting. 

The street and parking lots on Wadsworth will be open to abutters only and affected businesses have been notified and arrangements have been made to maintain access while this work is completed.

If you have any questions regarding construction, please contact Dan Riviello, Community Relations Manager, at 617.349.4825/ driviello@cambridgema.gov or the Department of Public Works at 617-349-4800.  If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience you may experience during this construction and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

• Furniture and bike racks to be installed.
• Tress to be planted late April/early May.
• Structural soil installed on South side.
• Irrigation to be installed on South side next 2 weeks.
• Setting new curb on South side next 2 weeks.
• Pouring sections of concrete on South side week of 4/18, possibly 4/14, weather dependent.
• Excavation of sidewalks from Dock St to MIT driveway week of 4/25.
• Final paving to occur in mid-late June, line striping to follow.
• Project includes sidewalk and roadway reconstruction, new vehicular connection from Third St to Main St, enhanced tree plantings and street lighting, to be completed in 2016. 

NOTICE: Hayward St Closure at Main St Intersection on Monday, April 4

Dear Kendall Square Neighbors and Businesses:

Please be advised that beginning Monday, April 4th, Newport Construction will be closing the end of Hayward St at Main St to install conduit and curbing as well as to begin construction of a raised crosswalk. Work is anticipated to last 2 - 5 days.

Access to Hayward St will be via Amherst St. Newport will place signs at Amherst/Hayward to say “Road closed” and “abutters only,” or “local traffic only,” as well as place drums to close off Hayward where it meets Main St.

Should you have any questions, please contact Dan Riviello at driviello@cambridgema.gov / 617-349-4825 or Dan Vallee at dvallee@cambridgema.gov /617-304-7756.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

• Beginning Monday, March 14, crews will begin mobilizing on site.
• On Tuesday, March 15, crews will flip traffic on Main St and travel will only be permitted in the westbound lanes for the remainder of the construction season between Ames and Wadsworth streets.

• During this phase, Main St will function as a one way. While crews reconstruct the eastbound lanes and sidewalks on the South side, only westbound traffic on Main St will be permitted. 
• Sidewalk work on the South side may impact businesses, however access into properties will be maintained at all times.
• Side streets shown on the map will not be closed at all times, only when work requires.
• MBTA Bus, shuttle and trolley stops on Main St will be relocated to the westbound lane. Please check signs for temporary stops.
• “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times. 
• Emergency vehicles will have access at all times. 

• Trip hazards near MBTA station on south side patched/filled
• Benches installed on North side
• Concrete patch at entrance of MIT Coop to be completed this week
• Flush asphalt placed over tree pits for safety during winter months
• Tree plantings to occur in spring 2016 to ensure tree survival
• Bike racks to be installed in spring 2016
• Area reopened as a 2-way during the winter shutdown months.
• Raised crosswalk at Kendall Flower Shop to Point Park completed
• Excess materials removed from site for winter
• Project includes sidewalk and roadway reconstruction, new vehicular connection from Third St to Main St, enhanced tree plantings and street lighting, to be completed in 2016. 

Dear Kendall Square Neighbors and Business Owners:

The City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will begin work on the South (eastbound) side of Main Street on Monday, November 9, 2015, weather permitting. 

During this phase, Main St will function as a one way. While crews perform roadway work and construct raised crosswalks in the eastbound lanes, only westbound traffic on Main St will be permitted. Click here for map with more information and detour routes.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

• Beginning Monday, November 9, crews will flip traffic on Main St and travel will only be permitted in the westbound lanes for the remainder of the construction season.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING CONSTRUCTION

• During the road work phase, Main St will function as a one way. While crews reconstruct the eastbound lanes, only westbound traffic on Main St will be permitted.
• MBTA Bus, shuttle and trolley stops on Main St will be relocated to the westbound lane.  Please check signs for temporary stops.
• “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times.
• Emergency vehicles will have access at all times.

If you have any questions regarding construction, please contact Dan Riviello, Community Relations Manager, at 617.349.4825/ driviello@cambridgema.gov or the Department of Public Works at 617-349-4800.  If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience you may experience during this construction and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

October 2015

• Sidewalk pouring on South side by Ames Street will be completed in early October due to weather delays.
• Sidewalk pouring to also occur in front of Microsoft, Legal Seafoods, Kendall (Outbound) in early October.
• Tree plantings will begin in mid-late October.
• Furniture install will begin in mid-late October.
• Traffic Swap will begin mid-October with date dependent on weather.  Community will be notified of date of swap and variable message boards will be deployed. This traffic pattern will remain in place until the end of November.  The area will reopen during the winter months.
• Project includes sidewalk and roadway reconstruction, new vehicular connection from Third St to Main St, enhanced tree plantings and street lighting.

September 2015

• Brick work is continuing on the North side and much will be in place in the coming weeks.
• Curb and sidewalk work is taking place on the South side from Hayward to Wadsworth.
• Newport Construction is planning on reconstructing the southerly sidewalk on Main St between Hayward and Wadsworth Streets and around the MBTA outbound stairs, during off hours beginning Monday, September 21. 
• Excavation of sidewalk along the clock tower building will start at 4 am Monday, September 21. Newport will return at 8 pm Monday evening and work through the night into Tuesday morning, pouring new concrete sidewalks.
• If needed, they will return Tuesday evening, September 22, into Wednesday morning to work 11 pm to 7 am.  This work is being done in the evening in order to minimize impact to the MBTA station operation as well as the abutting business entrances while we reconstruct the sidewalks.
• The work zone will be on the Main St sidewalks between Hayward and Wadsworth streets, including sidewalk reconstruction around both MBTA stairs.  On Monday morning, once the existing asphalt is removed, temporary metal and/or gravel walks will be placed to the business entrances during the daytime.  Once the concrete is poured overnight, as needed, thin plywood or ramps will be placed to allow access to entrances on Tuesday morning.

August 2015

During the month of August, crews will be focused on reconstructing the sidewalks on the north side of Main Street. The north side of Main Street (sidewalks) is expected to be completed by the end of this month. Once the north side has been completed, crews will begin to reconstruct the south side of Main Street.

December 2015:

Due to unforeseen delays, the Main Street Reconstruction project's anticipated completion is now spring/summer 2016.

Anticipated Completion - Fall 2015:

• North sidewalk concrete & brick
• South sidewalk concrete & brick from Hayward to Wadsworth
• Concrete & brick at corner of Main at Ames
• Mid-block raised crosswalk
• Raised crosswalk across Main from Kendall Flower Shop to Point Park
• Metal benches; concrete benches pending delivery
• Traffic flip to westbound lane for remainder of 2015 construction season; will reopen to two-way traffic this winter

April Activity

During the week of April 21, sidewalk and roadway reconstruction will begin.  The road work will take about one month to complete, and the sidewalk work will be ongoing through the spring and summer.

We expect construction activities to resume in the fall of 2015.  

February Activity

Crews will mobilize on Main St on Wednesday, February 25 to begin removing the deteriorated pear trees from the project area.  The trees have structural flaws that make them susceptible to storm damage.  Crews will plant a total of 58 new trees, from 5 different species at the end of the construction this fall.  For more information on the Main St tree plan, please visit the Documents tab.

March/April Activity

In mid-March, crews are expected to resume utility work on the north side of Main St, between the MBTA station and Ames St.  In April, construction activities will ramp up with crews starting road and sidewalk reconstruction.  We expect the surface work to continue through the summer.

We expect construction conclude this fall 2015. 

Project Background 

Through the Kendall Square Planning Study (K2C2), a plan of improvements for Main Street (Ames to Wadsworth) has been developed. The plan will provide a high-quality experience for pedestrians and cyclists with reconstructed sidewalks and roadway, enhance transit accommodations, provide a new connection from Third St to Main St, and include seating, bus shelters and bike parking, including artist designed bike racks.

Please also check the K2C2 website for more information on this project.

• mainstreetaprilconstructionupdate
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• mainstreetplanjanuary2014
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For more information on the Main Street project, please contact Dan Vallee, project manager, at 617.349.4813.

For more information about the K2C2 study, please contact Iram Farooq at ifarooq@cambridgema.gov /617.349.4606. The Community Development Department TTY line is 617.349.4621.