A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 18-43, regarding a report on the necessary improvements to the Harvard Square Station tunnels while they are being renovated

C I T Y O F C A M B R I D G E Community Development Department Iram Farooq Assistant City Manager for Community Development Sandra Clarke Deputy Director Chief of Administration 344 Broadway Cambridge, MA 02139 Voice: [phone removed] Fax: [phone removed] TTY: [phone removed] www.cambridgema.gov To: Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager From: Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Date: June 13, 2018 Re: Awaiting Report 18-43 dated 4/23/18, regarding Harvard Square MBTA Bus Tunnel Maintenance Work With regard to the above referenced policy order, we report the following information that MBTA has communicated to City staff about the Harvard Bus Tunnel Project. The project was originally scheduled to begin this year, but has now been delayed to 2019. The bus tunnel work is an MBTA ‘State of Good Repair’ project with the aim of bringing the facility up to good working order. The principal task is re-paving of the tunnel. In addition, the scope includes related work such as improvements to the drainage, ventilation, and lighting/electrical systems, improvement or replacement of the bus tunnel doors, wayfinding and signage improvements, ADA improvements, and cleaning or improving art and architectural finishes within the bus tunnel. The geographic scope does not extend beyond the bus tunnel doors into the station, so work outside the tunnel is not included in this project. At the April 11, 2018, City Council Transportation and Public Utilities Committee meeting, CDD and TP&T staff presented information on the Harvard Square Bus Tunnel maintenance work received from the MBTA at that time. This information included the following details about the tunnel closure and impacts on bus circulation: • One direction of Harvard Square Bus Tunnel closed at a time • Massachusetts Avenue (77/96) and Garden Street (72/74/75/78) Buses: • Northbound buses always operate in tunnel, regardless of which tunnel level is closed • Southbound buses drop off on surface in front of Harvard Coop • Mount Auburn Street Buses (71/73) circulate aboveground and do not enter tunnel • Buses currently on the surface (1/66/68/69/86) remain on the surface Later in May, we were informed by the MBTA that the Harvard Square Bus Tunnel maintenance work had been delayed until June 2019. The delay is primarily due to MBTA’s desire to replace the overhead wires (catenary) in the tunnel that provide electricity to the trackless trolley buses such as the 71 and 73. The original scope of work on the catenary in the tunnel was more limited,

Page 2 of 2 but the now proposed more extensive work is meant to avoid an additional tunnel closure in the future. We will continue to work with the MBTA on confirming details related to the scope, impact, and timing of the project and on how best to share that information with the public.