It’s closing Memorial Drive in Cambridge to car traffic that creates Riverbend Park every Sunday for recreation from the end of April to mid-November – yet this year much of the park is closed to all uses except cars.
“The section of Riverbend Park from Gerrys Landing Road to JFK Street will be closed to parkgoers for 2026 to ensure public safety” during construction on Memorial Drive, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation said in a traffic advisory.
The city of Cambridge posted the advisory this week because Riverbend Park season opens Sunday. The state first announced the change in use on Feb. 9.
A law adopted by the state Legislature in 1985 sets the dates for Riverbend Park and its boundaries, around 1.5 miles from what is now described as Gerrys Landing Road in West Cambridge to Western Avenue in the Riverside neighborhood, and it gives state officials discretion to adjust Riverbend Park in some cases – in this one, to shut down slightly more than half of the park for a season.
The section of Riverbend Park between John F. Kennedy Street and Western Avenue is intact for pedestrian and cyclist use on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Sunday through Nov. 8.
“Construction may sometimes require temporary changes to Riverbend Park, but this decision is frustrating because DCR is clearly prioritizing car access over public access to this parkland,” said Chris Cassa, a volunteer with the organizations Cambridge Bike Safety and the Memorial Drive Alliance. “In the future, DCR should plan for construction impacts more proactively and make sure the burden does not fall primarily on people trying to access the Charles River parklands outside a car. It should be at least as good an experience to walk or bike along the Charles River parklands as it is to drive beside them.”
“If it is safe enough for cars to drive on Memorial Drive on Sundays, DCR should be working to ensure it is safe enough for people to walk, bike and roll there as well,” Cassa said.
Another advocate for getting people out of cars, Green Streets Initiative founder Janie Katz-Christy, described the decision to the Memorial Drive Alliance as feeling “quite car-centric and frustrating on many counts.”
An email seeking comment was sent Tuesday to the state. In a reply Friday, a spokesperson said:
“Once complete, the Memorial Drive Phase III project will create a safer, more accessible stretch along the Charles River, with improved riverfront access, safer crossings, expanded green space and a wider shared-use path for walking and biking. Due to ongoing active construction for the project, the section of Memorial Drive from Gerrys Landing to JFK Street, is limited to one lane of vehicular traffic – in both directions – to ensure public safety. We understand how important Riverbend Park is to the community, and these changes are necessary to safely deliver long-term improvements that will enhance the experience for all users.”
The spokesperson said DCR has “worked to keep as much of Riverbend Park open as possible,” but park paths, green space, sidewalks and two lanes of roadway must close because the area won’t be safe for pedestrians and cyclists. “Once complete, the project will transform the corridor with expanded green space, improved access to the riverfront, safer crossings and sidewalks, new trees and seating, and a wider shared-use path – enhancements that reflect community feedback about safety along this section of Memorial Drive,” the spokesperson said.
In its advisory, the state warned also that traffic lanes may close intermittently to accommodate the Memorial Drive Phase III Improvement Project, but that traffic patterns will be clearly marked, and that the season may see other, intermittent closings of Riverbend Park from Western Avenue to JFK Street on Sundays in June and July “to ensure public safety during large-scale events in the area.” The public would be told in advance, state official said.
This post was updated April 24, 2026, with a response from Department of Conservation and Recreation.
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