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A view of Main Street in Cambridge shows a UHaul storefront with a moving truck parked out front, several cars on the road, and a pedestrian crossing in the background. Tere are traditional bike lanes in both directions.

Main Street Safety Improvement Project

Map shows the project area for the Main Street Safety Improvement Project. A blue line runs down Main Street between Portland Street, near Newtowne Court, and Lafayette Square. Another segment connects Main Street to Mass Ave via the Sidney Street Extension.

Through the Main Street Safety Improvement Project, the City will add separated bike lanes to Main Street between Massachusetts Avenue and Portland Street, creating a more-comfortable bike connection between the Port and Central Square.

Click here for a larger version of the project area map.

This quick-build project will change the layout of the street with new pavement markings, signs, and flex-posts.

The Main Street Safety Improvement Project will:

  • Install separated bike lanes in both directions, adding to the City's network of separated bike lanes.
  • Remove a significant number of parking spaces in the project area. This is because separated bike lanes, with the extra buffer area, are wider than the traditional bike lanes there now.
  • Improve crossings for people walking.
  • Address safety at key intersections

These changes will align with the Cambridge Bicycle Plan and Vision Zero Action Plan and will help us meet the requirements of the Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance.

Plans

Below is a copy of the draft final plan for the Main St Safety Improvement Project. Click here to view the plans at a higher resolution. This is an updated design since the last we shared in 2023. This plan incorporates additional feedback we heard from abutters and residents during this period.

Recent changes to the plans include:

  • Parking flipped to the south side of the street between Sidney St and Bishop Allen Drive to better accommodate parking and loading needs on that block
  • Additional handicap parking
  • Resident permit parking in most locations instead of metered parking

See below for more information on the plan, information on how to provide your feedback and opportunities to hear more about why we made these changes.

Get Involved

We want to hear from you! 

Attend an Open House or Community Meeting

We're hosting a series of events in Spring of 2025. Check below for more information.

Set up a 1:1

Our project team is happy to meet with businesses, residents, organizations, and groups. Reach out to schedule a phone call, video chat, or in-person meeting by emailing us or calling 617-349-9162.


Project Phases

 Right now, we are in Phase 3. We are developing a project plan informed by community feedback, with plans to begin installation in the Spring/Summer of 2025.

 

Phase 1
Introduction

Introduce the project to the community. To help us design the street, we will gather feedback on how people currently use the street, safety concerns, and parking/loading needs.

March 2023 to Late May 2023
Phase 2
Design Feedback

After hearing feedback on how you use the street, we will come up with draft design options. Next, we present those options to the community and ask for feedback.

Late May 2023 to Fall 2023
Phase 3
Final Feedback

We use the Phase 2 feedback to come up with a preferred design. Then, we present that design to the community, gather feedback on final adjustments, and finalize project plans.
City staff delayed this phase due to City Council action. Draft amendment language postponing the Main St project can be found here. For more information, visit the City Council page on the City website, or meeting materials from the 10/21/24 Council meeting.

Time Estimate: Early 2025
Phase 4 (We're Here!)
Project Installation

After we finalize the project plans, we reach out to the community to inform them about the final plans, the installation schedule, and what to expect during and after installation. Then, we install the project.

Time Estimate: Spring/Summer 2025

Installation Updates

Key Dates for Main Street - Sidney Street to Portland Street

  • Monday, July 14th to Thursday, July 17th
  • Temporary overnight parking restrictions in place. Overnight street parking will be restricted from 7pm to 6am to accommodate project installation.

Overnight parking restrictions will begin Monday night for both sides of Main Street. Posted signs will display the hours and days when parking is restricted at least 48 hours in advance.

Week of July 14th (Overnight Hours):

  • Pavement marking installation will begin. This includes:
    • Spray painting layout lines
    • Painting bike lanes and other lane lines.
    • Work is expected to take place Monday, July 14th to Wednesday, July 16th, but is subject to change due to weather and contractor schedule.

Week of July 21st (Overnight Hours):

  • No scheduled work at this time.

Future Work:

  • We are currently working to schedule the installation of flex-posts and the application of green pavement markings with our contractors.

What to Expect: Main Street - Albany to Technology Square

Upcoming Work

  • We are currently working with our contractor to schedule flex-post installations. The date of this work is unknown, but we will update this email list whenever we have information.

Click here to view the email update sent to the project mailing list. 

Upcoming Events

Project Updates

Data

Outreach

Past Meetings

 

Background

Contact Us

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Service Requests

Enter a service request via SeeClickFix for things like missed trash pickups, potholes, etc., click here