Mayor's Newton Update

Stop by the 90^th Annual Italian-American Festival in Nonantum – affectionately known as “Festa” – which starts this Wednesday, July 16 and runs through Sunday, July 20 at Newton’s Pellegrini Park at 11 Hawthorn Street. With live music every night, great food, carnival rides, community and so much more, the St. Mary of Carmen Society festival brings generations of Newtonians together again this summer. Click here for more information.

Related to Festa, we’ve been in the news and across social media for the decision to paint a double yellow reflective center line on nearby Adams Street where for many years the tricolors of green-white-red of the Italian flag had served as the center line.

We gave great consideration over many months to the striping of Adams Street. We took the action thoughtfully, especially as we know how important the Italian center line is to people who love the Italian-American heritage of this special village. This part of Newton is steeped in history and Italian cultural pride. The tricolor center line has been an important and meaningful tradition.

Before the City painted the reflective yellow center lines, we gave permission to the Festa volunteers to again this year repaint the tricolors on Adams Street prior to Festa, just moved over by 12” or 18” next to the double yellow center lines.

Traditions matter.

Public safety also matters.  

Why do we need the reflective double yellow center lines? Adams Street (which is two-way) between Washington and Watertown has a consistently high number of crashes. Our 2024 citywide analysis of traffic volume, vehicle speeds compared to speed limits, crash occurrence and severity, crash rate and pedestrian data resulted in Adams Street being placed as the City’s #1 priority for traffic calming. The volume of traffic here, coupled with the road width being greater than 20 feet, requires double yellow center lines per federal and state regulations; this is mandatory, not optional. This section of Adams Street is notable as the only busy road without double yellow center lines in this section of Newton.

We certainly could have done better with communication. While we had met with Festa leaders for many months and explained the need for the double yellow center lines, we missed the mark in communicating more broadly with more residents and City Councilors.

This can be a win-win: improve public safety and keep tradition --- reflective yellow center lines with the green-white-red next to the yellow.

Interested in knowing more? Keep reading.

Federal Regulations for Pavement Markings

All municipalities in the United States, including the City of Newton, follow standards for roadway and traffic controls (e.g., signs, signals, pavement markings) which are set by the United States Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and found in the FHWA Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The federal government established these standards to provide for safety, uniformity, and legibility for American drivers throughout the country, and to prevent a patchwork of confusing and contradictory traffic control devices. The standards are based on decades of research, data collection, and engineering practices.

The FHWA Manual includes regulations for two-lane, two-way roadways like Adams Street. It explains that the center pavement marking must be yellow and that the purpose of double yellow lines is to delineate the separation of traffic lanes that have opposite directions of travel for drivers. (The Commonwealth of Massachusetts regulations on traffic control also follow the federal regulations.)

The relevant MUTCD section for the application of the double yellow center line for Adams Street is:

Section 3B.02 Warrants for Yellow Center Lines

Standard:

01 Center line markings shall be placed on all paved undivided two-way urban arterials and collectors that have a traveled way of 20 feet or more in width and an ADT (Average Daily Traffic) of 6,000 vehicles per day or greater. Center line markings shall also be placed on all paved undivided two-way streets or highways that have three or more lanes for moving motor vehicle traffic.

Guidance:

02 Center line markings should be placed on paved urban arterials and collectors that have a traveled way of 20 feet or more in width and an ADT of 4,000 vehicles per day or greater. Center line markings should also be placed on all rural arterials and collectors that have a traveled way of 18 feet or more in width and an ADT of 3,000 vehicles per day or greater. Center line markings should also be placed on other traveled ways where an engineering study indicates such a need.

Adams Street is 33 feet wide. A traffic study conducted in October-November 2023 recorded an average daily traffic volume (ADT) of 6,198 vehicles. More specifically, the vehicle counts recorded on Adams Street (between Washington and Watertown) in 2023 were:

               Tuesday, Oct. 31         Partial Day       3,740

               Wednesday, Nov. 1     Full Day            6,206

               Thursday, Nov. 2         Full Day            6,190

               Friday, Nov. 3              Partial Day        2,608

Therefore, due to the volume of traffic on Adams Street, it is subject to federal standards (MUTCD Section 3B.02.01) which state that a double yellow center line shall be installed. (The word "shall" means it is a requirement.) The City of Newton is following federal standards in having yellow center lines on Adams Street at all times; failure to adhere to MUTCD standards compromises safety, creates liability risk, and may threaten future awards of federal funding.

It is standard practice by the City of Newton to follow carefully federal MUTCD standards.

The map below shows that other busy streets in and around Nonantum also have double yellow center lines. (These include the rest of Adams, Washington, Chapel, Walnut, Bridge, Crafts, Watertown, Pearl, Jackson and California.) Many of these streets have lower Average Daily Traffic (ADTs) than Adams Street. In these cases, the City of Newton has determined that a double yellow center line improves safety, and therefore the City follows the Section 3B.02.02 guidance which indicates that two-way urban arterials and collectors more than 20 feet wide with ADT greater than 4,000 vehicles per day should have a double yellow center line.

Map of Streets in Nonantum Area with Double Yellow Center Lines

Celebrating Italian Heritage

To recognize and celebrate this important, long-standing cultural tradition in Nonantum, the City implemented a program with a special district. Within this district, we gave permission for green, white and red long lines on one side of the double yellow centerline on Adams Street between Watertown Street and Washington Street. In addition, we allowed red and green paint between the white lines in crosswalks located on Adams Street between Watertown Street and Washington Street. We continue to allow short green, white and red lines on lower volume, lower crash neighborhood side roads. Fire hydrants are permitted to be painted green, white and red (the top of the fire hydrant cannot be painted white) in the district as well.

Safety and Adams Street Crash History

Safety and crash history are important indicators as to why a double yellow center line is necessary for Adams Street.

In the past five years (between July 2020 and June 2025), there were 97 crashes on Adams Street between Washington Street and Watertown Street. (This data is found in the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Crash Data Portal.) Per the City of Newton’s 2024 Traffic Calming Report, this segment of Adams Street has a crash rate of 6.11 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled. This is a very high crash rate – it is more than twice as high as the average for other urban collector streets in this part of Massachusetts (2.85 crashes per million vehicle miles traveled). The crash rate and severity are key reasons this segment of Adams Street is ranked as the #1 priority for traffic calming interventions in Newton.

A high proportion of the 97 crashes have been attributed to causes that a double yellow center line helps address:

Angle Crash                   32

Sideswipe Crash          35

Head-On Crash              5

TOTAL                            72

In other words, a total of 72 out of the 97 crashes or 74% of these crashes are attributable to conflicts with opposing vehicles. While a double yellow center line will not prevent all such crashes in the future, the double yellow center line is a federally required measure that is designed to address these conflicts.

In addition to the yellow center lines, a number of other improvements to traffic safety are in the works in the area bordered by Watertown, Adams, Walnut and Washington Streets. We are using mitigation funds from the new apartment building that has been approved at 78 Crafts Street for traffic calming, traffic signal and pedestrian improvements.  Specifically on Adams Street, the measures include one Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) for pedestrian crossings, two radar speed feedback signs and three raised pedestrian crossings. The measures will be reviewed (with the raised pedestrian crossings needing approval) by the City Council prior to being installed.

*********************

Let’s have both the reflective yellow safety pavement markings and lift up Nonantum’s Italian roots with green, white and red lines next to them. The Festa volunteers can repaint the Italian flag colored lines next to the City’s yellow ones before the start of Festa. (FYI: The yellow center lines were painted on the night of June 26. All long line painting all year long in the City of Newton is done overnight; that’s customary.) Let’s make Adams Street safer as we celebrate our Italian heritage.  

Washington Street Pilot: Construction Update

Construction is well underway on the Washington Street Pilot, the stretch of Washington Street from Chestnut Street in West Newton Square to Lowell Avenue in Newtonville. The pilot aims to make this corridor safer and more welcoming for everyone — whether driving, walking, rolling, biking, or taking the bus.

Work will continue in July and August. We ask for your patience during this time of construction and this period of transition as all of us get used to the new and still evolving layout.  

Phase I

Listening to input from the community, Phase I of the pilot focused on a better traffic signal at Lowell Avenue and new landscaping along the corridor. 

We installed a new signal to replace an old one at Washington Street and Lowell Avenue (paid for with mitigation funding from the Trio development) to provide safer left turns at this complex intersection.

The new signal is now operational and includes:

• A dedicated left-turn lane and signal phase from westbound Washington Street to southbound Lowell Avenue (the right lane continues straight to West Newton).
• A trailing left-turn phase from eastbound Washington Street to northbound Lowell Avenue (both lanes continue straight to Newtonville).

We are still refining the signal timing so you may notice some changes in how traffic flows—we ask for your patience as this adjustment continues.

New trees, shrubs, and perennials have been planted and large planters added along the Turnpike side of the Washington Street to provide visual screening, to reduce noise, to diminish air pollution, and to make the area greener. The plantings are being watered regularly (and are protected by a two-year guarantee). 

Phase II - Still Underway

Crews will be completing several key features of the Pilot through the end of July and August:

• Installing signage
• Reinstalling parking meter posts to align with the adjusted parking spaces
• Painting marked crosswalks at Armory Street, Cross Street, Eddy Street, Brookside Avenue, and Walker Street, and bike crosses at Parsons Street and Harrington Street - making it easier and safer to access parking, the new shared use path for pedestrians and bicyclists, and the new fenced dog park at Walker Park
• Building median islands at each crosswalk which will allow pedestrians to cross a single lane of traffic at a time
• Adding vertical flexposts between the shared use path and the south side parking
• Rebalancing bus stops at Chestnut Street, Armory Street, Eddy Street, and Lowell Avenue which will allow for more efficient bus service
• Installing raised bus platforms at the latter three locations to offer accessible bus boarding for the first time

Pilot Features Recap

Overall, the Washington Street Pilot is:

• Reducing Washington Street from four travel lanes to two, with a center turn lane towards West Newton and dedicated left-turn pockets as you head east
• Retaining on-street parking on both sides
• Creating a separated shared-use path along the Pike side for people walking and biking, including Newton North students, staff, and visitors
• Installing new crosswalks, median islands, and accessible bus boarding platforms
• Using flexible, cost-effective materials for quick installation and future refinements

Monitoring and Evaluating

In addition to monitoring the street during construction, we’ll be collecting and analyzing traffic data 3, 6 and 12 months after installation to understand how the changes are working. We will also have opportunities throughout the Pilot for community feedback, including surveys and other outreach. 

Stay Informed and Keep Us Informed

Visit the Washington Street Pilot webpage, here, to learn more and sign up for periodic email project updates. On the webpage, you can find how to give us information on what is working and what is not. 

Help Us Open the Cooper Center for Active Living

As the City prepares for opening the Cooper Center later this year, we need your help. 

One way is to attend a Listening Session with Newton's Director of Older Adult Services Mignonne Murray. Sessions are scheduled through the summer, both in person and via Zoom. No registration is necessary for these sessions. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.



At each session, Mignonne will describe the Cooper Center floor plans with renderings of the many areas. She will give plenty of time to get your questions and for you to share ideas and suggestions about what you would like to see at the Cooper Center.

Cooper Center Listening Sessions

• Wednesday, July 23, 6:00 p.m., Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library 
• Friday, August 8, 1:00 p.m., Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library
• Wednesday, August 27, 6:00 p.m., Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library

Join the Cooper Center Team

The Older Adult Services Department will be hiring several new staff members: a program coordinator, program assistant, case manager, concierge/front desk coordinator, a food manager, and a kitchen assistant. Visit jobs.keldair.com/cityofnewton to learn more about these and other jobs with the City of Newton. We anticipate the new positions will be posted in early July.

Volunteer

We have many new, meaningful volunteer opportunities in essential positions: guides, greeters, customer service, program assistants, transportation navigators and more. Whether you're passionate about helping others, enjoy being in the kitchen, or simply love connecting with people, there's a role for you at the Cooper Center.

Want to hear more? The Older Adult Services Department is holding Volunteer Information Sessions in the coming weeks. Please register by emailing oasvolunteers@newtonma.gov. 

Volunteer Information Sessions (1 hour):

• Thursday, July 17 at 10:00 a.m., on Zoom

https://newtonma-gov.zoom.us/j/82847742619?pwd=zDX4YIqDb7Faz0BsNLpIaIZSL7qZuK.1

• Thursday, August 7 at 6:00 p.m., Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library
• Friday, August 8 at 11:30 a.m., Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library 
• Tuesday, August 26 at 4:30, on Zoom

https://newtonma-gov.zoom.us/j/86392799833?pwd=GHUFaQSza0Gk22MpS9Gp0RiNBsxLQr.1

There’s a stream there? Thanks to our Conservation team, signs have started going up around Newton highlighting streams where they are crossed over by roads. Eventually all of the 14 streams in the City and their 46 road crossings will have signs. 

Fight the (Tick) Bite

Ticks are those really small insects which are commonly found in shaded, moist, and overgrown areas like wooded trails, tall grass, on your dog, or even in your backyard throughout Massachusetts. These tiny bugs are more than just a nuisance  ̶  they can transmit serious illnesses such as Lyme disease.

This year has been a particularly bad season for ticks in New England. We have higher populations reported earlier and populations more widespread than usual due to a mild winter and wet spring. The favorable conditions have allowed ticks to thrive, increasing the risk of tick-borne diseases for people and pets.

Ticks do not fly or jump. They attach to animals or people that come into direct contact with them. To protect yourself, it's essential to wear insect repellent and perform regular tick checks after spending time outdoors.

When you check for ticks, where should you look? Ticks often hide in warm, hard-to-see areas like between the toes, behind the knees, around the groin, under the arms, along the hairline, the back of the neck, and behind the ears. Don’t forget to check children and pets as well. If you find a tick, remove it properly and promptly to reduce the risk of infection.

Black-Legged Ticks, a.k.a. Deer Ticks

Black-legged ticks, sometimes called deer ticks, are responsible for spreading Lyme disease and other viruses. The highest risk of being bitten by this kind of tick is throughout the spring, summer, and fall seasons.

Dog Ticks

Dog ticks are responsible for spreading Rocky Mountain spotted fever with the highest risk of a bite occurring during the spring and summer seasons.

Lone Star and Gulf Coast Ticks

The Lone Star tick and Gulf Coast tick, once rare in New England, are now emerging threats as their ranges expanded north due to climate change and warmer temperatures. These ticks can carry diseases such as ehrlichiosis and cause allergic reactions such as red meat allergy, raising new public health concerns in our region.

Visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website to learn more.

Newton Centre Plaza is Open

The Newton Centre Pilot Plaza is open with plenty of rocking chairs, benches and picnic tables to sit and to eat. Enjoy a selection of games for all ages to enjoy. The Plaza includes art boards painted by Newton students, flowers supplied by Newton Community Pride, a mural painted by community members, great lighting, and shade structures. Interested in programming the space or hosting an event? Great! Apply for an outdoor special events permit at NewGov.

Warmly,

Ruthanne

P.S. Join Bike Newton on a family friendly “no rider left behind” bike ride on Wednesday, July 16 to Waltham and back via the new bike route of the Washington St. Pilot. Meet at 6:15 p.m. at Star Market at 33 Austin St. in Newtonville. The 10-mile round trip ride then heads up Waltham St. to Moody St. then back to West Newton and finishes up at Cabot’s. Learn more at Bike Newton and be sure to check the site for any last minute changes. 

P.P.S. The 90^th Annual Italian Festival in Nonantum – affectionately known as “Festa” – starts this coming Wednesday, July 16 and runs through Sunday, July 20 at Pellegrini Park at 11 Hawthorn Street. With live music every night, great food, carnival rides, community and so much more, the St. Mary of Carmen Society festival brings generations of tradition to life again this summer. Click here for more information. 

P.P.P.S. The Newton Centre Bowl (in the open space just down the hill off Tyler Terrace behind “the Hut”) will come alive with music and dancing every Sunday evening through Aug. 10. The July 20 Performances in the Park features The Ruth and Ben String Band who will play rousing, powerful old-time fiddle tunes and traditional, modern, and original songs that feature tight harmony singing numbers from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The Bowl is a short walk from Newton Centre where there are plenty of options to get dinner before the show or take-out for a picnic at the show. Click here for more information and the full schedule of this summer’s performers. 

P.P.P.P.S. Learn about the latest assistive technologies for blind and low vision individuals at the Newton Free Library on Thursday, July 24. Aaron Spelker, Assistive Technology Coordinator for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, will discuss technologies such as iPhone and iPad Voiceover, Android Talkback, JAWS, NVDA, & Narrator Screen Readers for PC, Voiceover Screen Reader for a MAC Computer, Braille Note and Meta AI Sunglasses. Join Aaron in the Library’s Druker Auditorium, 330 Homer Street from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. which is accessible for blind and low-vision individuals. 

P.P.P.P.P.S. Learn life-saving skills of adult/child/infant hands-only CPR and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and how to help a choking adult/child/infant on Tuesday, July 29 taught by the City of Newton’s Public Health Nurse Educator. The 2.5 hour class begins at noon at the Hyde Community Center, 90 Lincoln Street in Newton Highlands. (Please note that this program is non-credentialed – no certification card will be awarded.) Registration is required and is limited to 20 participants. Please call 617-796-1675 or send your name, telephone number, and email address to seniorprograms@newtonma.gov. (Your spot is secured once you receive a confirmation email from the Program Coordinator.)

P.P.P.P.P.P.S. The Newton Cultural Council (NCC) is looking for community input. As the local arm of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, NCC is responsible for distributing grants to fund local arts initiatives. Click here to take the short survey before Thursday, July 31 to help NCC support programs that represent Newtonians’ interests. 

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Join the Indian American Community of Newton for music, games, dance performances, authentic Indian food vendors, face painting, henna and more at India Day Celebrations on Saturday, Aug. 9 at the Hyde Community Center, 90 Lincoln Street in Newton Highlands 4:00 to 7:30 p.m. 

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. The Massachusetts Sales Tax Holiday Weekend is Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9 and 10. Over these two days, most retail items of up to $2,500 in value purchased in Massachusetts (online or in person) for personal use are exempt from the 6.25% sales tax. (Please strongly consider supporting Newton’s brick and mortar retailers.)

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Learn more about Newton’s past from two Historic Newton guided walking tours. Walking tours are $10 for Historic Newton members and $15 for non-members. Click here for more information and a complete list of this year’s walking tours visit www.newtonma.gov/HNwalks. 

• In commemoration of the 250^th anniversary of the American Revolution, take a walk through Newton’s oldest burying ground at the East Parish Burying Ground (a.k.a. Centre Street Cemetery) on Centre and Cotton Streets in Newton Centre on Thursday, Aug. 7 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Learn about General Michael Jackson’s leadership at the battle of Lexington and Concord, how Timothy Jackson earned a commendation from George Washington, and about Edward Durant’s participation in Newton’s Committee of Correspondence. Stories of Newton women, enslaved and free Africans, and Indigenous Peoples whose histories will also be shared. (Please note that the majority of this walk will take place on unpaved, uneven terrain.) Click here to register.

• One of Newton’s oldest parks, Farlow Park, 129 Church Street in Newton Corner, has a rich history and a range of trees. Join Marc Welch, City of Newton Forester, on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. to learn more about the early design and vision for Farlow Park and its trees. See trees planted over the decades and hear more about the neighborhood's urban forest and how it ties into Newton’s tree care program. Click here to register.

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Newton Police Department’s Annual National Night Out is less than a month away. Come on Tuesday, Aug. 5 for free live music, plenty of food, games and kids activities including touch-a-truck, face painting and a bounce house. The fun runs from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Captain Ryan Park next to Police Headquarters on Washington Street in West Newton Center. 

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. Congratulations to Seasons 52 in Chestnut Hill Square on Rt. 9 for making OpenTable’s top 10 list of most booked Boston area restaurants.