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.

Alternatively, I would love to see the westbound traffic signal better coordinated with the light at Cambridge Street so that more motor vehicles can get through on a single light cycle rather than having a long line backed up on Broadway blocking things for everyone.

The underlying problem is that these very complicated traffic lights with every mode and turning movement getting its own phase will necessarily make everyone wait a lot longer for their few seconds of green. Especially when traffic lights are spaced close together.

If the Quincy/Broadway light got restored to its former simple two-phase timing (green for Broadway, all-way walk, synchronized with the Cambridge Street light), except allowing bikes to go in all directions during the all-way walk, this could solve the problem.

This is a complicated intersection which would likely require simulation to determine an optimal pattern. One factor which is problematic is when a truck or bus is making the right turn from Broadway onto Quincy. When this happens often zero vehicles make it through the Quincy/Cambridge intersection and the phase is wasted due to the time it takes larger vehicles to safely make the turn.

I would agree with others that there seems to be too many phases and patterns which allowed both bike and car traffic to move simultaneously should be considered.

Has the city looked at this yet?