Mass. Ave. Demo Block Improvements Have Begun
The message below, posted here with some edits, was originally published in neighborhood newsletter “The Howl.”
After four years of neighbors working with the city, construction has begun on Mass. Ave. improvements from the Chancy Street to Linnaean Street. A Master Plan was produced to guide improvements in the street infrastructure over the years. Then the city found the money to create a Demonstration Block from Shepard Street (near Starbucks Coffee) to opposite Garfield Street (near Cambridge Trust Bank).
Work has begun to widen sidewalks at four locations to allow easier and safer crossing of the Ave.:
- Shepard St.
- Sacramento St.
- Garfield St.
- Linnaean St.
In May and June the sidewalks in the Demo Block (on the west side of the Ave) will be rebuilt. Three feet of the curb side and curb extensions will be paved with brick and the main walking width will be in concrete paving scored is sections to appear more stonelike. (See the concept plan to follow.)
New trees will be planted in good, new soil in larger-than-usual tree pits. New bike racks, parking meters, trash receptacles, and benches will be installed.
At three locations, where the side walk is widened by curb extensions, new art installations will be created. These have been designed by the winner of an art competition, Ross Miller. They will provide seating in chairs in a conversational grouping protected by granite planting boxes. The cost of this art work is being privately supported by the Cambridge Agassiz Harvard (CAH) Fund. Click here to view a PDF of the seating design.
And finally the traffic paving will be resurfaced, bike lanes and crossings marked, and a pedestrian actuated flashing light will be installed at the Garfield Street crossing.
