Hi Kate, the Assistant Commissioner of Engineering replied to your email about this location that you also sent. I will include her response here incase you did not receive it.

Kate,

Hi, I am following up on your email to the City Manager and the City Council regarding concerns about the traffic management in Kendall Square. The construction on Broadway in Kendall Square is associated with significant improvements to the City’s drainage system on Broadway that will support continued sewer separation in Cambridge, provide flood reduction for residents and improve the water quality of the Charles River. The work is being done by a private contractor, but is overseen by the City.

The most disruptive part of the construction is the installation of a 6.5’ by 4.5’ drainage culvert. This culvert will be a significant benefit to the operation of the sewer and drainage system, but unfortunately it requires a very large excavation, which is fairly deep. The contractor has completed installing the culvert across Galileo Way. They are continuing the work down Broadway and are now crossing Loughrey Way. In order to install the large culvert the detour is required, similar to what was done at Galileo Way. The contractor was in the process of setting up the detour yesterday morning and we are working with them to make modifications to the set up to ensure the required detour is clear to people travelling through the area.

We know that detours are inconvenient and we try to avoid them as much as possible, but in this instance the detour is required to support the construction and keep the travelling public safe. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to talk through this in more detail.

Thanks,
Kathy

Katherine F. Watkins, P.E.
City Engineer /
Assistant Commissioner for Engineering

617-349-4751
kwatkins@cambridgema.gov