City of Cambridge Announces Shared Street Pilot

The City of Cambridge today announced plans to conduct a Shared Street pilot that will allow residents to walk and bike in both directions on select roadways. Planned to begin as early as mid-June, the Shared Street pilot is designed to address increased movement in the city while supporting physical distancing as the City executes its reopening strategy.

The Shared Streets will remain open for residents of the street, emergency vehicles, and deliveries.  Local Access Only, Shared Street, and advisory speed limit signs will be posted at key cross streets to discourage through traffic. People driving are expected to travel at low speeds and yield to people walking and biking on the shared streets.

The initial Shared Street network will consist of the following three key connector streets and will be implemented 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the pilot period:

Garden Street, Field Street, and Bay State Road corridor from Concord Avenue to New Street, connections to Cambridge Common, Harvard Square, Harvard Yard, Danehy Park, Fresh Pond, Alewife, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods

Harvard Street from Quincy Street to Portland Street, connections to Kendall Square, Harvard Square, Harvard Yard, Sennott Park, nearby City buildings, Washington Elms/Newtowne Court, 119 Windsor Street, Whole Foods

Magazine Street from Green Street to Memorial Drive, connections to Central Square, Magazine Beach, BU Bridge, Morse School fields, Trader Joe’s

“In addition to previous City planning efforts on shared streets, we have gained valuable insight from listening to the public and speaking with staff from other municipalities who have been successful in implementing similar programs, and leveraging resources from the likes of the National Association of City Transportation Officials,” said Cambridge  City Manager Louis A. DePasquale . “The rollout of the Shared Street pilot will help us gain a deeper understanding of the long-term impacts Shared Streets can potentially have on our community and will provide additional outdoor space for our residents to utilize during the approaching summer months.”

“The City of Cambridge leadership is carefully considering how transportation patterns have changed and how they need to change, not just as we recover from this crisis, but to support a sustainable future,” said Cambridge Director of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Joseph Barr. “We are striking a balance between being responsive to the community’s desires and concerns while balancing the vital need to prioritize public health.”

Following this pilot, the City of Cambridge will also be evaluating several possibilities, including additional shared street locations, space to support local businesses, expanded sidewalk space at key locations, and facilities to help reduce crowding at bus stops and on bus routes. 

In the coming weeks, the City of Cambridge will be seeking additional input from the community, business, and neighborhood groups on how our streets can best serve residents both during and after this public health crisis. If members of the public have suggestions for potential next steps, please contact Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation at 617-349-4700 or tpt@cambridgema.gov.

Members of the public are reminded that they should maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from non-household members and should wear face coverings at all times while outdoors.

Download the Cambridge Proposed and Future Changes for COVID-19 Response and Recovery related to Shared Street pilot (PDF)

For more information and to sign up to receive updates on COVID-19, please visit the City’s dedicated information page: https://www.cambridgema.gov/covid19