Just to clarify, I assume that by "north end" you are referring to the Elm Street end and that the turning drivers you are concerned about are coming from Elm into Davenport. While I think the present general traffic patterns are as good as it is going to get given the decision to make Davenport one way from Saginaw to Mass Ave. I think that a double yellow line from Saginaw to Elm would be a good idea as another reminder to drivers about that one block stretch being two way, But I don't see how those lines would help with the problem I think you are reporting. If there is a car stopped, facing Elm, at the line on Davenport just before the crosswalk, the odds that anyone turning from Elm would not see them but would see as double yellow line seems low to me.

I also note that there is no stop sign facing Davenport at the SW corner of that intersection. If one were wanted, I cannot imagine it lasting very long given truck turning patterns, but that is another problem, as is the increased (and increasing) through traffic on Saginaw which is not a public way. Those, however, may be separate problems.

Thank you for reporting your concern to City of Cambridge via Commonwealth Connect. We have reviewed the information you provided our staff and will be investigating this issue further.

Hello,

Due to the narrow width of Davenport, adding a yellow centerline would require us to eliminate resident parking from Elm to Saginaw. Given the light volume of traffic heading north on Davenport towards Elm, we prefer maintaining parking here.

I don't quite understand the reasoning here. First, I believe what was being proposed (I may still be confused about that) is a very short centerline at the Elm Street end, not a line extending from Elm to Saginaw. "Very short" to me would require no more than one car length from the edge of the crosswalk toward Saginaw. If parking is permitted at all in that length/space, it is not permitted in the daytime (because it would interfere with the loading dock) and fairly hazardous for other reasons. Second and more important, there is either space in the stretch of Davenport between Elm and Saginaw for cars (and an occasional large truck) to pass safely in both directions or there isn't. I can't imagine the width of a yellow centerline changing that equation significantly. But maybe I am missing something.

That said, and with the same concern I expressed about a stop sign, maybe a clear "Two way" sign (up and down arrows) at the Davenport-Elm intersection would do at least as good a job of giving the desired hint as a centerline.

Hello,

I visited the site today. Two-way traffic signs are often used for new traffic patterns, which would not be the case here. The stop line also indicates that two-way traffic is present. Given the very low volume of Elm St-bound cars, we don't believe further traffic control devices are necessary.