Starting August 14, 2024, the City of Cambridge Traffic, Parking, + Transportation Department (TP+T) is implementing a significant change at the intersection of Brattle Street and Appleton Street. A new “No Left Turn” regulation will prohibit left turns from Brattle Street eastbound onto Appleton Street northbound at all times. This traffic modification on Appleton Street is a direct response to community feedback and data analysis aimed at improving traffic flow and safety in the neighborhood.
New Traffic Regulation at Appleton Street and Brattle Street Intersection
The core of this change is the restriction of left turns for vehicles traveling eastbound on Brattle Street and intending to turn onto Appleton Street northbound. To clearly communicate this new rule, the TP+T department has installed highly visible metal “No Left Turn” signs at the intersection.
To ensure the community is well-informed about this upcoming change on Appleton Street, the City of Cambridge has initiated a comprehensive notification strategy. This includes:
- Posting laminated signs on neighborhood signposts in the immediate vicinity of Appleton Street.
- Distributing door-to-door flyers to residents living closest to the intersection.
- Utilizing message boards placed on Brattle Street and Lowell Street to alert drivers in advance.
- Featuring a news item in the city’s Daily Email Update to reach a broader audience.
Furthermore, the TP+T department is proactively working to integrate this new traffic pattern into navigation applications. This step will ensure that drivers using GPS and similar services are directed to appropriate alternative routes, minimizing confusion and potential congestion around Appleton Street. To evaluate the effectiveness of this change, the city plans to conduct thorough data collection this fall, gauging the impact on traffic patterns and volumes in the Appleton Street area.
Further Enhancements Coming to Appleton Street
Beyond the “No Left Turn” regulation, the City of Cambridge is committed to further enhancing safety and traffic management on Appleton Street. Several additional improvements are planned for near-term implementation:
- Speed Feedback Signs: To encourage safer driving speeds, speed feedback signs will be installed in both directions on Appleton Street. These signs are designed to make drivers more aware of their speed and encourage compliance with speed limits.
- Parking Adjustments: Parking restrictions will be expanded at the crest of the hill on Appleton Street. Additionally, a short segment of yellow centerline will be added to further guide drivers and reinforce proper lane positioning on Appleton Street.
- Centerline Repainting: To enhance visibility and emphasize that Appleton Street is a two-way street, the yellow centerlines at the Huron Avenue and Brattle Street intersections will be repainted. This measure aims to improve driver awareness, particularly at key junctions along Appleton Street.
Background and Rationale for Traffic Changes on Appleton Street
These changes are rooted in direct feedback from the community and a detailed review of traffic data. The TP+T department hosted a community meeting on May 23, 2024, at History Cambridge, specifically to discuss traffic concerns related to Appleton Street. The primary focus of the meeting was to identify and discuss strategies to mitigate reported cut-through traffic issues on Appleton Street.
During the community meeting, city staff presented comprehensive data on speed, traffic volumes, and crash history on Appleton Street and surrounding areas. Following the data presentation, a question and answer session facilitated valuable feedback from residents. The presentation materials from this meeting are publicly accessible, providing further insight into the data and considerations that informed these traffic modifications on Appleton Street.
Key data points highlighted in the presentation included:
- High Northbound Traffic on Appleton Street: Data revealed that Appleton Street carries significantly higher northbound traffic volume compared to other comparable streets in the area. Notably, Appleton Street handles over four times the northbound traffic of Lakeview Avenue, the next busiest street for northbound traffic (3,318 vehicles compared to 838 on Lakeview Avenue). This disparity has increased since 2017, when Appleton Street carried approximately twice the volume (2,381 vs 1,117).
- Decreased Traffic on Alternative Streets: Other “ladder streets” intended as alternative routes (such as Reservoir, Fayerweather, Lakeview, Lexington, Buckingham) have all experienced noticeable reductions in northbound traffic volume, suggesting a concentration of traffic onto Appleton Street.
- Stable Overall Northbound Traffic: Despite the shift in distribution, overall northbound traffic volume across all ladder streets combined has slightly decreased by about 50 cars per day since 2017 (a 0.75% decline). This indicates that the neighborhood is not experiencing an overall increase in northbound drivers; rather, existing traffic is being channeled differently among the streets, with a greater concentration on Appleton Street.
- No Increase in Crashes: Importantly, the data analysis did not indicate a correlation between the increased traffic volume on Appleton Street and a rise in traffic accidents.
Contact Information
For any comments or questions regarding these traffic changes on Appleton Street, please contact Stephen Meuse, Supervising Engineer, via email at [email protected].
