Development Group Examines Traffic Problems in Square

The Harvard Square Development Task Force is currently working with the city of Cambridge in an effort to reduce congestion and air pollution in Harvard Square, Donald C. Moulton, vice-president for government and community affairs, said yesterday.

He said the Task Force and the Cambridge City Planning Office are discussing "traffic circulation solutions" to the situation.

One of the major problems, Moulton said, is the Red Line MBTA terminal, which focuses too much traffic on the already overused Mass Ave-Boylston St. intersection. "We are seeking alternatives which would put the station in a more pedestrian area, such as Brattle St."

The Joint Planning Committee has proposed extending the Red Line at least to Davis Square.

Richard Essler, of the Cambridge City Planning Office, said yesterday that the MBTA extension is "an ongoing project" with a public hearing on the proposals to be held in February.

The new Red Line would reduce the number of buses in the Square, and stop the unpleasant tremors felt by occupants of Harvard dorms along Mass Ave. Moulton said the planners are looking for "[tunnel] alignments which would create the least disruption of traffic and service during construction."

Deep Bore

The ideal construction technique would be the so-called "deep bore," which would allow for the construction of pedestrian and vehicle underpasses in the future, Moulton said.

But Essler said that the joint committee's proposal calling for the construction of underpasses "will not work, except in a couple of minor instances," because the passes require too much open space to be constructed effectively.

However, the attempt to leduce the number of non-resident cars, which block the streets and contribute to air pollution in the Harvard Square area through the "neighborhood sticker parking program," has been "very successful," Essler said.