He said the idea would most likely be approved after three to 12 months by the Cambridge City Council after a recommendation was submitted by the city manager.

"[The] City Council approves things as small as curb cuts," said Power. "This is kind of like a huge curb cut."

Power and students said they have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere that the temporary closing of the street has brought.

Chemistry concentrator Jesse Y. Collins '00 said he appreciated the safer crosswalks near Divinity Ave. since the temporary closing.

"That used to be an impossible place to cross, and it's much easier now," he said.

Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 said he was relieved that vehicular danger to pedestrians has diminished with the temporary closing of the street.

"I used to think about the

safety worries all the time when driving around the corner at the bottom of Oxford Street, where cars, shuttle buses, and students and other pedestrians come together, with everyone typically in a hurry trying to beat each other across that contested piece of pavement," wrote Lewis in an e-mail message yesterday.