Welcome back to the City of Somerville's construction newsletter!

Truck or Treat!

October was a month of milled roadways and fresh asphalt around Somerville. And while the process can feel like a bit of a trick, we think the newly paved roadways (Western Washington Street, Summer Street, and more) and safety interventions (speed humps, raised crossing, etc.) are a real treat.

As always, if you have any questions about the work below (or any work in the city) please don't hesitate to reach out to us at

construction@somervillema.gov.

What We're Sharing This Month: 

• Western Washington Street - Final Paving and Upcoming Work 
• Spring Hill Sewer Separation Update
• Speed Hump Installation Continues
• Fall Tree Planting is Here
• Mystic Outfall and Sewer Separation Open House - November 13
• Subterranean Somerville: What is a Stormwater Outfall?

By the time you are reading this, the full length of Western Washington Street will have been paved. 

City contractors successfully completed paving along Washington Street between Bowdoin Street and Line Street earlier this week. This follows our initial paving operation that covered the length between Webster Avenue and Bowdoin Street. 

Crews working to install new asphalt along Washington St. near Parkdale St.

As we enter the final phase of this project, crews will turn toward building the remaining street safety and traffic calming interventions along this stretch of Washington Street, including: 

• Raised intersection at Washington St./Hanson St.
• Raised crossings at Washington St. and Magnus Ave./Perry St./Parkdale St.
• among others.

Additionally, a new crossing and dedicated pedestrian signals will be added to the intersection of Washington St./Calvin St./Dane St.

Work is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the fall.

Elsewhere on Washington Street...

MBTA contractors have begun work to install two new floating bus stops on the eastern end of Washington Street near Tufts Street along with an improved crosswalk across Washington Street. Construction has begun and is anticipated to be completed within the next three weeks. Learn more.

Since our last newsletter, crews have performed final paving on four streets across the project area:

• Upper Summer Street (~School Street to Belmont Street)
• Westwood Road
• Avon Street
• Berkeley Street

In-progress (left) and after (right) this month's paving effort on Summer St.

Crews are now in the process of installing roadway markings, striping, and additional signage.

Remainder of Fall



Central Street (Highland Avenue to School Street) - Work will continue on the western side/even-numbered side of the street, constructing the new sidewalk and the cycle track.

Lower Summer Street (School Street to Bow Street) - Work will continue on new sidewalks (southern/even-numbered side of street moving east toward Bow Street) throughout the fall as weather allows.

After breaking for the winter season, crews will return in the spring to complete the remainder of streetscape improvements and perform final paving of the roadway.

Crews are working hard to install speed humps at priority locations around the city before colder temperatures put a pause on work. 

Crews in the process of building a new speed hump on Marshall St.

What are Speed Humps?

Speed humps are asphalt traffic-calming devices intended to reduce vehicle speeds to 10 to 15 mph, increasing safety. These asphalt structures are 3-4 inches high, 12-14 feet wide, and 3-6 feet long. We paint them with white triangles and yellow stripes and place signage nearby to ensure they are visible to approaching vehicles.

Recent and In-Progress Installations

Learn More

Interested in learning more about speed humps and other traffic calming? Visit our traffic calming page at somervillema.gov/trafficcalming for information on different traffic calming tools, a map of existing and future speed hump locations, as well as an overview of how we prioritize these interventions.

Fall tree planting is here. Over the coming weeks, the City’s Urban Forestry Division will plant approximately 195 trees citywide along our streets as well as in our parks and public spaces. 

Check out the Fall planting map to see which species are being planted where. 

While there is plenty of work currently ongoing around the city, we also wanted to take some time to keep you up to date on future projects. 

Through the Mystic River Outfall and Sewer Separation Project, the City will be rehabilitating the existing utilities in Winter Hill, Ten Hills, and the neighborhood west of Foss Park. To support stormwater management in this area and beyond, the City is also installing new drainage infrastructure and constructing a new stormwater outfall pipe that will discharge to the Mystic River. This project will reduce flood risk in the surrounding area and help maintain the water quality of local rivers.  

Attend our upcoming Community Open House to review the preliminary design, talk with project team members, ask questions, and share your feedback. 

• When? Wednesday, November 13, from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Where? Mystic Activity Center (530 Mystic Avenue)

In addition to the underground utility improvements, this project will also include street safety improvements and green infrastructure (drainage features designed to mimic natural processes such as irrigated planting areas, bioretention basins with select soils and plants that catch and filter stormwater, new trees, etc.) throughout the neighborhood.

Diagram of separated sewer system featuring stormwater outfall (Citywide Flood Mitigation and Water Quality Master Plan)

Adding a new stormwater outfall is a highly effective tool for reducing flooding. It can also help reduce the potential for combined sewer overflow.

Learn more about how the City is working to manage stormwater to both reduce flooding and reduce water pollution.

There is a lot of work being done in Somerville as we look to modernize and improve our city’s infrastructure, and we can’t cover it all in one email.

Stay up-to-date with what’s going on in your neighborhood and around the city via the following channels: 

• Sign up for City Alerts - Receive important notifications about work in your area.

• Follow us on Twitter - Tweets about curb-cuts, culverts, and more.

• Visit our new construction page - A comprehensive look at work across the city.

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