The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hired Kleinfelder to undertake an access study for the entire Northeast Sector of the campus. The goal was to provide a framework for efficient future movement of pedestrians, vehicles, and goods and services in preparation for construction of several new buildings comprising more than one million square feet of space.
The Northeast Sector is located near the heart of MIT’s campus in the busy, urban setting of Cambridge, Massachusetts. This environment—combined with small streets, older infrastructure, and the facility’s complicated buildings—required an innovative approach to managing the sector’s complex service requirements. The challenge was to develop a plan for behind-the-scene service and emergency activities that would pose little interruption to campus life.
Kleinfelder reviewed traffic flow, evaluated utility capacity and locations, assessed tunnel improvements and connections between buildings, and identified zoning and building code effects. The team analyzed peak service demand and gathered vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle counts used to design the service node. Kleinfelder’s master plan for the underground tunnel network, new utilities, and at-grade service roadways assured continued access to adjacent campus buildings and complied with emergency vehicle access requirements. Innovative use of non-polluting electric service vehicles were recommended in the tunnels with convenient access to elevator cores.
By carefully analyzing the district’s access needs in conjunction with MIT campus life, Kleinfelder provided attractive, workable solutions for improving service and emergency access throughout the dense Northeast Sector of the campus.
Location:
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Owner:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
