Structural Flaws Close Oxford St. To Auto Traffic

City officials closed Oxford Street, which runs alongside the Science Center, indefinitely Wednesday, saying deteriorating pipes under the asphalt had made the street unsafe.

The street was closed off to all traffic with the exception of emergency vehicles. The pipes that run under the street likely need to be replaced, said Cambridge Interim City Engineer Owen O'Riordan.

The construction will affect Harvard Shuttle Services, which will be forced to alter its shuttle routes for the next several months. The street has been closed from its intersection with Quincy Street to the intersection with Everett Street, north of the Science Center.

The pipes under the street were slated for replacement within the next two years, according to O'Riordan.

But the urgency of the problem was not clear, official said, until earlier this week when the front axle of a truck idling on Oxford Street fell through the street approximately two feet, crushing a decaying section of pipe.

This and two similar incidents in the past few weeks prompted the city's Department of Public Works (DPW) to commence major repairs earlier than schedule.

Oxford Street is heavily traveled and has been closed as a precaution while the DPW tests the area using radar equipment for the next few days.

"We need to know exactly what the situation is before deciding what the best methodology is for fixing it" O'Riordan said.

But he said the advanced decay of the pipes would likely make it necessary to completely tear up the street in order to fix the problem.

Currently, there is no danger of the street collapsing further--absent the heavy pressure of large trucks, O'Riordan said.

The DPW and Harvard Transpiration Services are negotiating new parking arrangements for the duration of the construction. Alternate routes for emergency vehicles, including a possible path on the sidewalk of Oxford Street, are also being explored.

The closing of Oxford Street has caused difficulties for shuttle services. The Science Center shuttle stop cannot be used during construction.

"At this point we have no alternative but to re-route our passengers to Johnston Gate," said Carl A. Tempesta, operations manager for passenger transport services.

This situation is temporary and may be modified after exploring alternatives over spring break, Tempesta said.

Mail delivery to the Science Center has also been disrupted. The postal service cannot currently reach the unloading dock behind the building. Postal deliveries are currently being driven in by way of Johnston Gate and then through Thayer Gate to the Science Center,according to Sam McClary, a mail supervisor.

This is also a temporary situation, accordingto Dean R. Gallant `72, the director of theScience Center, who added that the current routefor mail delivery is hampered by heavy pedestriantraffic.

"We want to minimize danger yet at the sametime we want to try to have the business of theUniversity go on with minimum disruption," Gallantsaid.

The Greenhouse has also been experiencingproblems delivering pizzas and acceptingdeliveries. No pizza orders are currently beingdelivered

This is also a temporary situation, accordingto Dean R. Gallant `72, the director of theScience Center, who added that the current routefor mail delivery is hampered by heavy pedestriantraffic.

"We want to minimize danger yet at the sametime we want to try to have the business of theUniversity go on with minimum disruption," Gallantsaid.

The Greenhouse has also been experiencingproblems delivering pizzas and acceptingdeliveries. No pizza orders are currently beingdelivered