Realtor Proposes Closing Oxford Street to Traffic

Oxford Street, which borders the Science Center on its east side and runs through the heart of Harvard's science area, could be permanently closed to auto traffic even after a repair project is finished, according to one plan floated by a Cambridge realtor.

The street was closed March 24 after a sewer line collapsed underneath the asphalt. Repairs will be finished in the middle of this week, and the road will reopen to through traffic.

However, according to Harvard's Director of Community Relations Mary H. Power, realtor Frederick R. Meyer suggested in the last two weeks that the street be closed to traffic permanently and to be transformed into a pedestrian walkway.

"He's raising it as an idea to see how the community feels about it," said Power.

Meyer, who lives in a neighborhood around Oxford Street and works in the Square, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Power said she thinks Meyer's plan would cut off traffic between Oxford Street's intersections with Kirkland Street on the east and Everett Street on the north. About a quarter-mile in length, the closed portion of the street is small in size but cuts off Oxford Street as a thoroughfare between Mass. Ave. and Beacon Street near Somerville.

Culver said the temporary closing for construction work has diverted delivery routes and bus patterns and has created severe limitations on heavier vehicles approaching the area.

It is unclear whether Meyer intends the street to be closed to all traffic--including University deliveries--or to public traffic only.

"If the street were closed to all traffic, it would be a horrendous problem for the University," said Brian C. Culver, Harvard's project coordinator of engineering and utilities.

However, Culver said he thinks closing the street to through traffic would probably be beneficial to the Agassiz neighborhood, which Oxford Street bisects north of the Science Center.

"My sense is that it's been a concern for some time--the amount of traffic that does use Oxford St.," Culver said.

But neighborhood residents are also concerned about the possible loss of metered parking spaces and increased traffic on Mass. Ave. and Beacon St. that would result from a permanent closing.

Power said neither Harvard nor the city of Cambridge has taken a position on the idea yet.

Power said that representatives from Harvard Law School, Harvard Planning and Real Estate, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Graduate School of Design and other University bodies would meet in the next month to determine Harvard's position.

"We should have a better idea of the University's stance around Commencement," she said.

Culver, who acts as a liaison between the University and the city, said officials from Community Development, the Department of Traffic and Parking, the Fire Department, the Department of Public Works, and other city departments would have to be consulted before a plan could be put into place.

He said the idea would most likely be approved after three to 12 months by the Cambridge City Council after a recommendation was submitted by the city manager.

"[The] City Council approves things as small as curb cuts," said Power. "This is kind of like a huge curb cut."

Power and students said they have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere that the temporary closing of the street has brought.

Chemistry concentrator Jesse Y. Collins '00 said he appreciated the safer crosswalks near Divinity Ave. since the temporary closing.

"That used to be an impossible place to cross, and it's much easier now," he said.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 said he was relieved that vehicular danger to pedestrians has diminished with the temporary closing of the street.

"I used to think about the

safety worries all the time when driving around the corner at the bottom of Oxford Street, where cars, shuttle buses, and students and other pedestrians come together, with everyone typically in a hurry trying to beat each other across that contested piece of pavement," wrote Lewis in an e-mail message yesterday.

Lewis acknowledged that a permanent street closing would have disadvantages as well.

"But I imagine there are problems as well--access to parking is obviously very important, and some major buildings such as the Science Center need to get deliveries."

Culver said the construction project is progressing well.

"It looks like the street will probably be open before the end of next week," he added. The street will be paved by Wednesday or Thursday.

Both Culver and Power stressed that a possible permanent closing is only in the beginning stages.

"My sense is that it would take quite a while to develop," said Culver. "In terms of Harvard, we've been around for 350 years. A 10-year study is no big deal."