Memorial Drive in Cambridge shifts back to pre-pandemic Sunday closures as COVID-19 emergency ends

The state Department of Conservation and Recreation won’t be closing a portion of Memorial Drive in Cambridge for pedestrians and cyclists on Saturdays this year, to the disappointment of many city officials and residents.

Instead, residents and those visiting the city will be allowed to stroll along the extended Riverbend Park, next to the Charles River, on just Sundays, as had been the norm before the weekend closures emerged during the pandemic.

The DCR on Monday rolled out the updated traffic advisory, which will close the 1.5-mile segment of Memorial Drive to vehicular traffic on Sundays beginning April 30 and continuing through Nov. 12.

State Rep. Michael Connolly, D-Cambridge, called the decision “really discouraging” after he said he advocated for the Healey administration to maintain the weekend closures.

“There are issues that we as a state have to deal with, like the MBTA, that are extremely difficult and are going to take a long time to make right whereas here is a very popular program that brings joy and healthy benefits … and you’re cutting this back. This is an unforced error,” Connolly told the Herald on Tuesday.

As the state’s COVID-19 public health emergency is set to end in May, the DCR is returning to the Riverbend Park schedule established by statute, agency spokesperson Ilyse Wolberg said in a statement.

Riverbend Park is the final remaining DCR parkland to return to its pre-COVID-19 schedule.

“While this effort was a success in expanding access to outdoor recreation, it was not without its negative impacts,” Wolberg said, “including concerns about elevated traffic and pollution in surrounding residential neighborhoods, some of which are classified as environmental justice communities.”

Continuing the two-day closure received support from the City Council, which voted 7-2 in February for the city manager to work with appropriate agencies to mitigate any traffic-related impacts, with a focus on improving traffic signals and lane markings.

A city report last year that 94% of Riverside residents used their neighborhood park’s open space, while 10% of residents indicated unacceptable traffic.

“It is really beloved,” City Councilor Burhan Azeem told the Herald. “I couldn’t think of a singular city policy that is more popular than these weekend closures.”

With Memorial Drive being a state road, there isn’t much the city can do to remedy the situation, Connolly said, adding he wants to see his state colleagues stand up and advocate for extended recreational opportunities in the area.

State Rep. Marjorie Decker, whose district includes Riverbend Park, could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

“There’s apparently some behind-the-scenes disagreements on this,” Connolly said. “That’s really unfortunate because in public when we have conversations and debates about this, we’ve seen a lot of support from our City Council.”