I did this from my cell phone, but when I got to a PC and checked the map it seemed to already show the correct location along the northwest part of Harvard Yard.

Thank you for your concern, this issue has been received by our department. We will look into this issue further and resolve it accordingly.

This issue was recategorized from Uncategorized to Other.

This issue was recategorized from Other to Traffic Sign Complaint.

The section of roadway in question is Peabody Street, not Mass Ave. Due to changes to the southern tip of Flagstaff Park and the addition of a bike lane against the right curb of Peabody Street, the cross section was reduced from four lanes to three lanes. In order for a three lane road to split into two two-lane forks, the center lane has to be the decision lane.

Is there a particular complaint you have about the way that this section of road operates? Or were you just curious about why the lanes are configured as they are?

This issue has been closed.

The complaint is that when you are starting from further south, on Mass Ave, there are only 2 lanes. The way it is set up now everyone and their mother has to be in only the left of these 2 lanes unless they happen to want to end up staying on Cambridge Street for a very long time. As they progress northbound, the people in the left lane get the option of taking either of the left 2 lanes (as another lane is added to the left) to take the left fork(s) onto Mass Ave, or they can take the left lane of the right fork onto Cambridge Street, which is the lane you want to be in if you plan to take the left onto Quincy Street that comes up quickly. That's 3 options if you are in the left lane, and only 1 option if you are in the right lane. The way it is set up now you have to be in the left lane of Mass Ave before you cross Garden Street in order to have any options, and it creates long backups through Harvard Square having everyone in the left lane and no one in the right lane. Why not balance the lanes so that the right lane is as attractive to be in as the left lane?
What you are calling the "center" lane is really a left lane from the perspective of someone driving up Mass Ave through Harvard Square. When you are stopped on Mass Ave at Garden Street, I'd rather see the left of the 2 lanes there be required to take the left fork ahead onto Mass Ave, and the right of the 2 lanes be required to take the right fork onto Cambridge Street, like the attached picture shows.

We will evaluate the traffic patterns here and determine if it is possible and/or beneficial to realign the lanes. However, with either case nothing can be done during the Winter months, as low temperatures and road salt prevent us from installing pavement markings.

Thanks for fixing this issue!