Policy Order O-16

WHEREAS: Cambridge is one of the easiest places to live or work without driving. However, more than 30% of Cambridge residents drive to work every day and 45% of those who work in Cambridge regularly commute to work via private vehicles; and

WHEREAS: As our city grows in number, we have had to face the natural growing pains that plague the area of traffic, problems dealing with congestion, narrowing arteries, reduced parking and troublesome configurations; and

WHEREAS: Cambridge is unique in that it is the home to a multi-talented resident pool. Since its establishment, individuals from all walks of life and areas of expertise have been drawn to Cambridge, making it their home and gradually transforming a small colony into the vibrant, burgeoning innovation hub and intellectual center it is today. Our City has the creativity, energy and entrepreneurial spirit to provide viable solutions to our increasing traffic issues; and

WHEREAS: Contests like the Eastern Cambridge Kendall Square Open Space Design Competition and the City of Boston's Design Contest for Flood Adaptation have been successful in incentivizing local talent to generate leading-edge solutions to some of the biggest issues affecting their cities; and

WHEREAS: In order to ensure Cambridge can keep up with the transportation demands of a growing community, members of our Citywide S.T.E.A.M. working group have suggested that the City encourage all of its residents to partake in the mission of solving Cambridge's traffic challenges; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate City departments to determine the feasibility of hosting a Cambridge Challenge Competition for Transportation that offers a prize to the resident or group of residents that come up with the best viable solution to solve our greatest traffic issues and report back to the Council in a timely manner.