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Cambridge residents up in arms about proposed Memorial Drive closures
City councilors are mulling the reversal of pandemic-era Saturday shutdowns on the roadway.
Cambridge residents are at odds over a proposal to scale back Memorial Drive’s weekend closures to just Sundays.
Also known as Riverbend Park, Memorial Drive is a waterfront recreation space for cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians.
The Harvard Crimson reported that city councilors on Monday debated whether Memorial Drive’s weekend closures on Saturdays and Sundays still benefit the community two years after it went into effect.
The roadway’s seasonal weekend closures began in April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, and it has remained in effect between April and November each year since then. The closure ensures vehicles stay off the road between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, providing open street access for public recreation.
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But city officials argue that the road closure negatively impacts residents who struggle with increased traffic due to displaced vehicles.
Proponents of the scale-back say the Saturday closures made sense at the height of the pandemic, when traffic was low. But now, they say, there are more motorists on the road and a greater need to keep traffic moving.
Councilors also contend that in 2020, the public wasn’t able to weigh in on whether the weekend shutdowns were welcome in the community.
But the recent proposal has ignited backlash from residents who want to keep Memorial Drive safe for pedestrians enjoying outdoor activities.
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About 2,200 local cyclists signed a petition by Cambridge Bicycle Safety against the scaled-back closures, the Crimson reported.
The petition also calls on the city council to expand the park across longer stretches of Memorial Drive.
“Memorial Drive/Riverbend Park is more than just a place for people to bike; it’s a place for people to gather safely outdoors, away from the noise+hazards brought on by cars,” Cambridge Bicycle Safety tweeted Friday.
Frustrated residents spoke out at the council’s meeting Monday saying traffic was “overwhelming” due to the Saturday closures.
“We are hostage to yet another day. How does one justify such an inconvenience and impact on and into our community, affecting various streets by pushing traffic into the front of our homes?” resident Sheila Headley-Burwell said, according to the Crimson report. Another resident said they have to sit in 20 minutes of traffic near their home, due to the closures.
The council postponed a vote on the proposal.
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