Cambridge City Council Passes Order to Improve Traffic Safety

The Cambridge City Council passed an amended policy order to implement city recommendations to improve traffic safety on Garden Street in West Cambridge during a virtual meeting Monday.

The policy order, passed in a 6-3 vote, orders the city manager to direct the Department of Public Works and the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department to carry out a list of recommendations developed by the agencies over the past five months through “listening sessions” with local residents to enhance Garden Street.

In October and November of 2022, 1.25 miles of separated bike lanes were constructed along Garden Street to meet the goals of the amended Cycling Safety Ordinance — a rule initially introduced in April 2019 and amended in June 2020 to expand bike lanes in Cambridge. As a result of the new lanes, traffic on Garden Street switched from two-way to one-way, and many parking spots were eliminated.

At meetings following the construction last year, some Cambridge residents praised the changes to Garden Street while others said the redesigned street was unsafe.

In response to residents’ concerns, on Nov. 14, the council voted on a policy order to ask the Department of Public Works and the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department to conduct several “listening sessions” and monitor the traffic situation on Garden Street before assembling a list of traffic safety recommendations to present to the council by March 27 of this year.

The amended policy order passed in Monday’s meeting also included a request for an impact evaluation on returning part of Garden Street to two-way traffic.

Some Cambridge residents opposed Monday’s policy order, saying the Council should stay out of affairs that they said belong rightfully to traffic authorities.

“City councilors should not be in the practice of dictating roadway design. Please leave that to our very capable traffic engineers,” local resident Mark Boswell said.

Councilor Paul F. Toner said he supported the initial version, adding the order is well within the council’s jurisdiction.

“No, we’re not engineers; however, we are elected officials and our job is to listen to the people in the community and bring their concerns to the table,” he said.

Toner, however, said he did not support the policy order as amended.

“The original policy order that they brought forward with councilor Nolan, Simmons, and Carlone, directly addressed the concerns that have been brought up by the residents of the neighborhood,” he said.

According to the order, the Department of Public Works and the Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department must implement its recommendations “as soon as possible” and no later than May 30.

—Staff writer Jina H. Choe can be reached at jina.choe@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Samuel P. Goldston can be reached at samuel.goldston@thecrimson.com.