Legislature To Study Common Garage

A special legislative committee will begin public hearings soon on the feasibility of a parking garage under Cambridge Common.

The three-man committee will then write a bill that would create a Cambridge Parking Authority to direct construction of the garage.

Rep. Timothy W. Hickey (D-Middlesex), chairman of the special committed a similar bill to the state legislature in December. He said yesterday that he had shelved the bill until objections to the garage could be heard.

Bill Expected

After the Cambridge hearings, his will either write a completely new bill or revise his original one, Hickey added.

The garage would resemble the one under Boston Common, but will hold from 1500 to 3000 cars compared to Boston's 1400. According to Hickey, construction probably would not begin until at least two years after passage of a bill.

Cambridge officials hope the hearings will determine if people will pay 50 to 75 cents an hour to park near the Square. They are also expected to investigate the effects of construction on underground pipes, gas lines and electric cables.

Few expect much opposition to the proposal. There may be some from local civic or historical organizations, but Hickey's original bill called for restoration of the Common after construction was completed.

The hearings will be held in the Cambridge City Council's chambers in City Hall. The committee will specifically invite Harvard, M.I.T., the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library Corporation, the Harvard Square Business Association, the City councillors, the mayor, the City manager, and local utilities. It will also issue a blanket invitation to the public.

The City is currently raising a small amount of money to finance initial engineering surveys. The water level beneath the Common must be determined and locations chosen for the garage's entrances and exits before the bill is introduced, according to City Planner Alan McClennen.

Bond Study

The City will also finance a study of the bond issue that would finance construction.

Although the concept of an underground garage has been brought up repeatedly in past years, interest has always faded. But the announcement of the Kennedy Library's location on the current site of the Bennett St. MBTA yards has increased concern about the parking problem.