Motor Vehicles Allowed on Memorial Drive Saturdays December 10 and 17

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will keep Memorial Drive open to vehicles on Saturday, December 10, and Saturday, December 17.

The portion of Memorial Drive between Western Avenue and Gerry's Landing Road will still close to cars from 7 a.m. to dusk on Sunday, December 11, and Sunday, December 18, to allow pedestrians, cyclists, and others to enjoy the riverfront roadway without cars. The car-free area created by this closure is often referred to as "Riverbend Park." 

This is a change from the previous schedule, when Memorial Drive was closed to vehicles from Western Avenue to Gerry's Landing Road between Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings.

After Sunday, December 18, Riverbend Park will remain closed until the spring. DCR and the City of Cambridge will announce the schedule for 2023 in the coming months. 

Contact DCR at (617) 626-1250 or mass.parks@mass.gov. 

Riverbend Park/Memorial Drive Schedule 

• Saturday, December 10: Riverbend Park closed/Memorial Drive open to cars all day
• Sunday, December 11: Riverbend Park open/Memorial Drive closed to cars between Western Avenue and Gerry's Landing Road from 7 a.m. to dusk

• Saturday, December 17: Riverbend Park closed/Memorial Drive open to cars all day
• Sunday, December 18: Riverbend Park open/Memorial Drive closed to cars between Western Avenue and Gerry's Landing Road from 7 a.m. to dusk

• After December 18, Riverbend Park will remain closed until the spring. 

Background

For almost 40 years, DCR has closed a portion of Memorial Drive to motor vehicle traffic on Sundays to allow pedestrians, cyclists, and others to enjoy the riverfront roadway without cars. In 1985, the Massachusetts Legislature passed a law that requires DCR to close Memorial Drive between Gerry’s Landing Road and Western Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Sunday from the end of April until mid-November. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic closed indoor recreation opportunities, the Cambridge City Council asked DCR to close the area on Saturdays as well. Learn more at www.cambridgema.gov/memorial-drive.