Cyclist Struck by Car in Harvard Square, Suffers Minor Injuries

Harvard University and Cambridge Police Departments responded to a non-fatal collision between a motor vehicle and cyclist on Plympton Street around 8 p.m. Monday, the latest in a series of bike accidents in Cambridge.

Officers gathered between Winthrop and Leverett Houses to respond to the crash between a passenger vehicle and the cyclist — a young woman who suffered minor injuries but left the scene on her own. An ambulance was called to the scene but was dismissed after the cyclist declined medical treatment, according to CPD Superintendent Pauline Wells.

CPD patrol officer Charles McNeill said he was “dispatched to the location of the motor vehicle accident,” alongside a second CPD car.

While HUPD officers also responded to the incident, HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano wrote in a statement to The Crimson that the incident is a “CPD case”.

Wells added in a written statement to The Crimson that the vehicle was “issued citation for crosswalk violation.” She added that the vehicle “was taking a left from Memorial Drive onto Plympton Street.”

This comes as the latest in a series of bike collisions in Cambridge. Since June, there have been three fatal crashes in Cambridge. In June, a Florida woman died after being hit by a truck in Harvard Square. Two weeks later, a cyclist was killed in a similar collision in Kendall Square. And in late September, John H. Corcoran ’84 was killed by an oncoming SUV while biking on Memorial Drive.

In response to activists’ demands and residents’ concerns, the Cambridge City Council voted to move up the deadline to construct bike lanes along certain major city streets from 2027 to 2026 in last week’s meeting.

McNeill said that all residents should “keep an eye out” and work to keep themselves and fellow Cambridge residents safe.

“It’s important that everybody definitely keeps an eye out, looks around, is cautious, is aware — especially at night when it’s low-level lighting,” he said. “Everybody should do their part to try to be as safe as possible.”

—Staff writer Sally E. Edwards can be reached at sally.edwards@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @sallyedwards04 or on Threads @sally_edwards06.