Cambridge Council Delays Vote on Garden Street Traffic Reversal

The Cambridge City Council on Monday delayed a vote on whether to reverse its plan to convert Garden Street to two-way traffic, sidestepping a decision after a packed and contentious round of public comment.

The Council had narrowly approved the redesign in April 2025, voting to convert the full length of Garden Street — which runs next to the Radcliffe Quadrangle — from one- to two-way traffic. The plan also included bi-directional bike lanes and the removal of all on-street parking, with construction slated to begin this summer.

But with some councilors now seeking to revisit that decision, the body heard from more than 40 residents Monday, the majority urging officials to keep the street one-way. When the item came up for a vote, Councilor Timothy R. Flaherty moved to table the measure, postponing action.

He said repeated efforts to revisit settled decisions risk undermining the Council’s credibility.

“It creates a precedent that encourages parties to continue to press their claims despite receiving an adverse judgment,” Flaherty said.

“Whatever anybody’s substantive view is about Garden Street, this policy order is just procedurally misplaced, and it’s disruptive to the legislative process,” he added.

Transportation Commissioner Brooke McKenna outlined four design options her department had studied: one that would maintain one-way traffic and three that would introduce two-way traffic with varying bike lane configurations. While all met safety standards, McKenna said the department ultimately recommended keeping the street one-way.

Public commenters also raised concerns about the broader implications of reversing the vote. Sharon Mombrú, a Cambridge resident, warned that undoing a policy before it is implemented could erode trust in city governance.

“What it means when the Council simply refuses to accept its own decisions, the policy order can simply be canceled by a subsequent order. Then no vote of this Council ever means anything,” she said. “Residents who spent years advocating for a decision which is then voted on cannot trust that the decision will hold.”

“This is a failure of governments, not a feature of it,” she said, urging councilors to keep the two-way design.

Still, opposition dominated the hearing. At least 33 speakers backed restoring the one-way configuration, compared to just four who supported proceeding with the two-way redesign.

Some residents pointed to safety concerns near Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, arguing that two-day traffic could increase vehicle volume around students who walk and bike along the corridor.

Nathan B. Wang, a resident who supported keeping the street one-way, said the current design is already safe and more cost-effective.

“I both bike and drive my car frequently in the area, and the current configuration is extremely safe,” he said. “The proposed change that was previously passed is dangerous as it has two opposing lanes of bike traffic that cars have to look out for.”

—Staff writer Risha Sinha can be reached at [email protected].