Inman Square Intersection Safety Improvement Project
Cambridge, MA
Project Summary
On June 23, 2016, 27-year-old Amanda Phillips was struck and killed while bicycling on Cambridge Street at Inman Square. Prior safety issues in this area had already spurred a safety study and Phillips’s death fast-tracked the City’s plans to redesign and rebuild the square to make it safer for bicyclists and pedestrians.
As part of the consultant team, Toole Design helped develop the conceptual design for the bicycle and pedestrian facilities. We recommended sign and pavement marking changes, as well as a ban on left turns. We also developed the final concept design to bend Hampshire Avenue and transform one overly complex (and unnecessarily dangerous) intersection into two protected intersections that are simpler for users to navigate.
Construction was completed in October 2023 and the new design not only alters traffic patterns and improves safety for all modes, but it also reshapes the public space in this bustling area of Cambridge. Improvements include sidewalk-level separated bike lanes, enhanced bus stops, new traffic signals, and a new community plaza created by re-aligning streets.
