Construction Crane Harvard Square, Cambridge MA

 A construction crane towers over Harvard Square. Traffic is limited through the area.  These images captured at about 1:00 PM on Saturday April 13, 2103.

Tour Buses Idling for 90 Minutes at Harvard University

Harvard University attracts many tour buses. Some students complained that they were idling near their dorm windows along Mass Avenue near Harvard Square. City officials noted this and wondered about enforcing the state law against idling vehicles for more than 5 minutes. Some of the bus drivers looked for other less prominent places to wait for their passengers. Some of them found the block on Broadway between Quincy Street and Prescott Street across from my windows. It is a No Stopping Zone. Seldom are laws affecting Harvard enforced in Cambridge. Who would dare to give a summons to a University with $35 billion?
I noticed the bus idling at about 4:15 PM on Friday December 7, 2007. I went to the Senior Center to pick up the agenda for the City Council meeting on Monday December 10, 2007. When I returned at 5:45 PM the bus was still there still idling in a No Stopping Zone. I called to the police dispatcher explaining that it was 90 minutes since I noticed the bus idling. He said he would send someone. That does not mean that he would. They always say that. I suspect that there are some dispatchers who answer telephones and others who dispatch the patrol cars. Each of them has discretion what to do with the calls. At about 6:00 PM 105 minutes after I noticed the bus idling it was gone. This bus had a telephone number on it with an area code for Ohio. I'll bet he did not know about the idling law.

Porter Square Hazard 2

Shortly after the Porter Square Neighborhood Association meeting ended on Thursday Aug.16, 2007 I saw this car pull out from the driveway behind the Passage to India restaurant at about 9:40 PM. The sign that is not easily seen was ignored. The driver made a dangerous left turn onto Mass Avenue northbound while traffic on Mass Avenue was proceeding legally.

Porter Square Traffic Hazard

A hidden driveway permits dangerous entrances into the traffic patterns of Porter Square. Leaving the driveway when traffic is stopped on Mass Avenue in both directions vehicles exiting the parking lot behind the Passage to India Restaurant can cross Mass Avenue into pedestrian traffic with walk lights lit. The sign which says, "Right Arrow, only" is hidden to cars until they are almost upon the sign as can be seen in this brief video.
Regular users of the parking lot have been seen ignoring that sign creating a hazard for pedestrians.