Residents and visitors in Cambridge should brace for a weekend packed with events, which invariably means adjustments to their usual routes. The city is set to host the Boston Calling Music Festival and Boston's Run to Remember, events which will prompt significant street closures from May 23-25. The Cambridge authorities are encouraging people to plan their travel in advance and look for alternative transit methods due to these disruptions.
According to information released by the City of Cambridge, the Boston Calling Music Festival at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston will see streets in Harvard Square shut down between 9 p.m. and midnight each festival night. For those adversely affected by the hustle and bustle of the festival, a 24/7 hotline at 617-420-2245 and the City of Cambridge Non-Emergency Line at 617-349-3300 are the suggested points of contact.
A series of closures will facilitate smooth egress for festival-goers and ensure pedestrian safety. Specific streets such as N. Harvard Street in Allston will close starting at 9 p.m. on all three nights. The Cambridge Police Department will also seal off various arteries, such as JFK from Mass Ave to the River and Mass Ave from Garden to JFK/Brattle, among other notable junctions. Details of these closures can be found on the City of Cambridge website.
The disruption will continue into Sunday, May 25, with Boston's Run to Remember. This annual road race will course along the Charles River and touch Cambridge thoroughfares like Edwin Land Boulevard and Memorial Drive. These stretches will be inaccessible from the beginning of the race at 7 a.m. until the afternoon, with a full reopening scheduled for 2 p.m., as detailed on the City's official announcement. For a more comprehensive list of closures in Boston due to the race, the public is directed to a dedicated link provided by the City.
Both Boston and Cambridge officials urge attendees of these events to avoid driving if possible, recommending the use of public transportation instead. The MBTA responds to the expected congestion by upping Red Line train frequencies from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. over the festival period, and reroutes for buses #66 & #86 are in effect due to the street closures. Those planning to commute over the weekend should check the MBTA schedules for the latest updates.
