River Street Reconstruction Project

Note: While the Virtual Open House's comment period has ended and we are no longer accepting feedback through this StoryMap, you can reach out to our team by emailing  RiverStreet@cambridgema.gov  

Welcome to the River Street Reconstruction Virtual Open House. This site reviews the proposed design plans for the River Street Reconstruction Project. Scroll down to learn more about how we developed a new vision for River Street in Cambridge. We've estimated that it will take about 20-30 minutes to go through all of the information provided below. At any point, you can skip ahead using the navigation bar up top.

Play the video and scroll down to learn more.

Developed based on feedback from public meetings and our Working Group, we’re dedicated to the following seven design goals: 

• Safe: Create a feeling of safety for everyone 
• Inclusive: Attract a wide range of users 
• Human Scale: Bring a “neighborhood feel” to the entire street 
• Ecological: Incorporate trees, water, and other natural elements.  
• Multimodal: Ensure flow for people walking and biking, and coordinate with transit users’ needs 
• Activated: Create a vibrant space through everyday activities and special programming 
• Resilient: Create infrastructure that will withstand weather the test of time 

Keep scrolling through to see what we’ve thought up so far for River Street’s Reconstruction and help us keep refining the plan! 

As a part of the River Street Reconstruction project, the City of Cambridge is redesigning and reconstructing the River Street Corridor between Memorial Drive near the Charles River and Mass. Ave. in Central Square.

Play the video and scroll down to learn more.

While we’ve already designated some of the transportation elements as discussed above, we’re far from done and we need your help to refine the design. Pan and click on any pins on the corridor map in the following section to learn more about features that we are proposing. A legend for the corridor map is provided immediately below. We suggest right clicking the legend to open it in a separate tab and refer back to it as you navigate the map below.

You can pan and zoom in and out of the map at any point.

Prefer to view a non-interactive corridor map?  Click here to view  the PDF version.

Norman Tubman Square and the adjacent street’s reconfiguration will provide a more useable space for local residents to enjoy. Scroll through the two layout options that we’re proposing for the square. 

Use the slider below to compare the current Tubman Square layout to the proposal in Option A.

Click the button in the upper right to enlarge.

Scroll down to view all the features of Option A.

Use the slider below to compare the current Tubman Square layout to the proposal in Option B.

Click the button in the upper right to enlarge.

Scroll down to view all the features of Option B.

Carl Barron Plaza is the large pedestrian plaza in Central Square where Mass. Ave., River Street, and Prospect Street meet. The MBTA busway, Holmes Building, and Central Square Church border the plaza.

Multiple major streets and bus routes, as well as the MBTA Red Line all converge on Central Square at Carl Barron Plaza. It was therefore critical to look at transportation operations in the larger area between Auburn Street and Mass Ave. as a first step in defining how the plaza itself can be reshaped to meet our shared design goals.  

We worked closely with multiple stakeholders, including the MBTA, Central Square Business Improvement District, Working Group members, adjacent property owners, social service providers, and members of the public. Through a collaborative process, we were able to redefine and expand the plaza’s overall footprint. 

We’ve also adjusted the adjacent street circulation in a way that will meet transit operational needs, while providing a separated bike facility and direct pedestrian routes. The design options we’ve developed so far will also allow for new urban design elements and public amenities. Scroll down to learn about the transportation changes we’ll be making in order to achieve the vision for this important public space.

These changes result in an expanded plaza area for Carl Barron Plaza with two distinct areas: a transit hub towards Green Street and a public gathering space toward Mass Ave.

The redesign of the Plaza will not only incorporate specific public feedback we have received as part of this project; it will also reflect several overall City Policies and overarching design goals.

Scroll through the image of the outline of the plaza to learn about which features will need to be incorporated into the future design of the plaza. 

While there are some elements that are required to accommodate the basic mobility and infrastructure needs of the plaza – there are still a variety of opportunities for new elements.

Scroll below to learn about some of the urban design features that we’d like to consider adding to the plaza.

Adding trees and landscaping elements creates a welcoming atmosphere that offers shade and other environmental benefits and can enhance safety by providing green buffers that physically separate people walking and cycling through the plaza.

One or more iconic structures could serve as a central feature of Central Square and provide some shade and cover. These could also include unique lighting features.

A water feature in the square could add a dynamic aspect to the plaza and contribute to the atmosphere of the space.

Clear directional signage and information features could allow for a more pedestrian friendly and accessible environment while serving as a key source of information regarding services and events being offered in and around Central Square.

By providing space for activities like farmer’s markets, performances, and art shows – the plaza could grow as an outdoor community space. 

To some extent the various urban design features that you just reviewed can be mixed and matched in several ways to create the Carl Barron Plaza layout. Taking those features into account, we’ve grouped them in four different sample designs.

Scroll through the example designs below. As you look through the examples, consider how each design would adapt from season to season.

This option is defined by its iconic pergola at the Mass. Ave. intersection with a flexible plaza space beneath it. The pergola creates a strong visual element, with complementary features including possible overhead catenary lighting, seat walls, and greenery.

Similarly, at the Green Street end of the plaza, smaller scale versions of the pergola structures would frame the bus stops along River and Green Streets. This would provide an opportunity to visually orient transit users to the bus stop locations while providing them seating and protection from the elements.

Click the first feature to begin and scroll down to see more.

This option is defined by its linear water and serpentine paving style located near Mass Ave. that enhances and defines circulation for people walking while incorporating small, flexible gathering spaces.

At the Green Street end, this option provides individual transit shelters along with a landscape planter that physically separates the pedestrian and bicycle routes.

Click the first feature to begin and scroll down to see more.

This option is defined by a focal structure that bridges over the pedestrian sidewalk and separated bikeway, creating an iconic gateway for River Street.

On the Mass Ave. side of the plaza, an iconic water feature creates a celebratory and defining feature for Central Square.

Click the first feature to begin and scroll down to see more.

This design shows a combination of elements from Designs A and C to showcase the flexibility in what the ultimate design may look like!

Click the first feature to begin and scroll down to see more.

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