Construction began in 1897 on Memorial Drive, the 3.9-mile parkway that runs along the north bank of the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This is the riverside ribbon that runs parallel to two major Boston parkways—Soldiers Field Road and Storrow Drive—visible across the water on the south bank. To your west, Memorial Drive begins in West Cambridge at Greenough Boulevard and Gerry's Landing Road, which connects it to Fresh Pond Parkway.
To your east it ends at Main Street and the Longfellow Bridge near Kendall Square. Most of this roadway is designated U.S. Route 3; the easternmost 0.7 miles (1.1 km) are designated as Massachusetts Route 3, and the state treats US 3 and Route 3 as one continuous route. Between the western terminus and the Boston University Bridge, Route 2 shares the road with US 3.
Construction of Memorial Drive began in 1897 as part of the Charles River Basin project, a comprehensive urban renewal effort aimed at revitalizing the riverfront, creating a park-like environment, and enhancing recreational opportunities. Notice Soldiers Field Road and Storrow Drive tracing the river's south bank just across the water.