DiGiovanni said that the revamped street could be used for performance events.

Thomas J. Lucey, Harvard’s director of community relations for Cambridge, said that it was “fantastic news” that the city would invest in improving the pedestrian experience in the Square.

“Harvard participated in the process [in our position] as stakeholders in the Square,” he said. “Our interests mirrored that of residents and businesses. We want it to be a safe experience, particularly for pedestrians.”

According to Watkins, construction at the six sites will proceed in phases so that the impact on the Square’s traffic can be minimized.

DiGiovanni said that although the construction would be an inconvenience for local businesses, the improvements would benefit them in the long-run.

“It’s a tough area to do these improvements,” he said. “You can’t do this without disruption. It’s not going to be easy but it’ll be worth it.”

Watkins said that a contractor will be hired for the project in May.

—Staff writer Joseph M. Tartakoff can be reached at tartakof@fas.harvard.edu.