Neighborways Safe Streets Program Could Be Implemented in Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Neighborways, a street ways design project at use in neighborhoods like Allston and Somerville, may be coming to Cambridge.

On Monday, Cambridge City Councillors voted to move forward with policy order that would allow City Manager Louis DePasquale to coordinate with local agencies to select two streets in Cambridge to pilot the neighborways program.

Neighborways is a low-cost program, designed to beautify streets with public art, identifying the street as one where neighbors prioritize safety and community over speed. In 2015, the Neighborways design was implemented on Willoughby and Madison Street in Somerville. Over the summer of 2016, residents in those areas brainstormed and painted the roadway with fun, colorful designs meant to invite people in to the streets.

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The Neighborways idea first got its start on the west coast in Portland, OR and Seattle in the early 2010s. The street design plan has also taken roots in Minneapolis, Chicago and Ithaca, NY.

The Neighborways policy order was sponsored by City Councillor Jan Devereux who said she first heard the idea from Somerville Neighborways organizer Mark Chase.

Courtesy Photo by Mark Chase for Neighborways

The goal of Neighborways, Chase said, is to make people think differently about the purpose of the streets in Cambridge and Somerville.

"I took the best ideas from Seattle and Portland and decided to bring them here," he said. "As a result people also get to know their neighbors and make friends."

Chase said the neighborhoods grew closer as they planned and created murals and art for their street.

Devereux said she's heard from many residents who are concerned with traffic in their corner of Cambridge.

"The number two complaint I hear from people in Cambridge, behind the cost of housing is 'why are people driving so fast on my street'," she said. "We started talking about this idea a while ago so I wanted to get it back in the spotlight."

With the rise of Uber and driving apps like Waze, more and more residents are complaining about their streets being used as cut-throughs.

"People are looking for ways to calm traffic in their neighborhood and this would help with that problem," Devereux said.

Larch Road in West Cambridge and Madison Street near the corner of Alewife Brook Parkways and Mass Ave. are two of the streets Devereux said she'd consider for a pilot program.

Larch Road, Devereux said, often serves as a cut through for people on Fresh Pond Parkway.

"There's a playground there and it's very residential," she said. "Madison Street, between Concord Avenue and Garden Street is another residential street that has the St. Peter's School nearby and a lot of kids in the area."

After the vote, Devereux said, DePasquale will be reaching out to Community Development Department, the Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Arts Council regarding the feasibility of implementing neighborways

Courtesy Photo by Mark Chase for Neighborways