Some of you might want to attned the Porter Square Neighbors Association meeting tonight, since our neighborhood is affected by the current/changes to the left turn onto Mass Ave from the shopping center or from Somerville Ave and the timing of the lightsŠ. Upland Rd has certainly seen times lately when the evening rush hour traffic waiting for the light to turn onto Mass Ave from Upland has stretched past Vincent Ave. At most of these meetings no one is speaking up for sanity on Upland Rd or to prevent frustrated drivers from taking all of the alternate routes they can find, often speeding down Mt. Vernon, Walnut, Arlington, Washington, Richdale, etc. Ruth On 6/13/16, 8:05 AM, "PSNA on behalf of John Howard" <psna-bounces@lists.portersquare.net on behalf of jhh@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

Porter Square Neighbors Association June 16, 2016, 7-9PM North Cambridge Senior Center 2050 Massachusetts Avenue

AGENDA

€ Traffic in Porter Square € Ears to the Ground

TRAFFIC IN PORTER SQUARE

Joseph Barr, the new Director of Cambridge's Traffic, Parking, and Transportation Department, will join us to discuss a preliminary proposal to make safety and operational improvements for all users in Porter Square, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and bus riders. He will present the initial results of a study that is looking at the timing of the traffic signals at Porter Square, including Upland Road/Mass Ave and White Street/Somerville Ave, as well as the main intersection. Potential ideas include changing the operation of the traffic signals to reduce delays for drivers and pedestrians, improving delivery access, and rerouting left turns to Massachusetts Avenue as they exit the Porter Square Shopping Center.

Possible advantages could include: - Improving safety for all users - Simplifying the traffic light timing (less time wasted between phase changes) to reduce delay for all users - Eliminating the confusion about the shared left/through lane on Mass Ave heading towards Harvard Square - Reclaiming the current left turn lane for the plaza - Eliminating the temptation to cut through the shopping center parking lot - Reducing cut-throughs using Oxford and Roseland Streets

Concerns include questions about the physical feasibility of the left turn from Somerville Avenue and the impacts on congestion.

All of the concepts in the study are preliminary ideas which needs both additional traffic engineering analysis and input from residents and stakeholders.

Joe will also be available to discuss other Porter Square traffic issues.

EARS TO THE GROUND

Bring your own announcements and questions about events in and around Porter Square. _______________________________________________ PSNA mailing list PSNA@lists.portersquare.net http://lists.portersquare.net/listinfo.cgi/psna-portersquare.net