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

Cobbles revealed underneath Tufts Street following the removal of existing asphalt ahead of next week's paving operation (more on that below).

It’s July and while in the Pyrenees they are celebrating the early stages of the Tour de France, here in the Somerville (well at least here in the Construction Newsletter) we are celebrating all the work happening around the city to improve our infrastructure. In either case, there is a lot to look forward to in the weeks ahead.

As always, we want to make sure you know what is happening, where it's happening, and how it ultimately benefits our city.  

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: 

• Intersection Improvements:
• Washington Street at Merriam Street - Work Continues (Detour Alert)
• Bow Street and Walnut Street - Work Wraps Up
• What Makes a Sidewalk Accessible?
• Tufts Street - Paving and Raised Intersection Construction
• Complete Streets on the Horizon (Broadway and Western Pearl)
• East Somerville Water Mains
• Subterranean Somerville - Geotechnical Investigations
• Keeping up to date 
• We can’t cover all the work in one newsletter 

Washington Street at Merriam Street - Work Continues

Work to bring two new crosswalks to Washington Street at its intersection with Washington Terrace and Merriam Street is well underway. This is a part of the City where residents have frequently reported there are not enough places to cross the street.  

An annotated plan for the new raised crossing on Washington Street. See full image at link below.

Crews have started rebuilding sidewalks and creating curb extensions on the south (even-numbered) side of the street. These curb extensions extend further into the roadway than the pre-existing sidewalks, shortening the distance people are required to travel when crossing. They expect to complete sidewalks on the south side and turn to the north (odd-numbered) side in the days ahead.

Similar to the intersection of Bow Street and Walnut Street, the level of the full intersection will be raised to increase safety and accessibility.

Bow Street at Walnut Street - Work Wraps Up

Aside from a few minor punch-list items, work is complete at the intersection of Bow Street and Walnut Street.  


Pavement markings and new signage were installed following paving late last month.

New raised crossing across Walnut Street.

Enjoy the new safer, more accessible crossings. Visit the page below to learn more about the design.

What we talk about when we talk about accessibility

Prioritizing accessibility means our built environment should be welcoming and usable for everyone—regardless of physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and sensory differences. In this recurring section, we'll talk about the ways in which this principle is incorporated on streets and beyond.

When the City is reconstructing sidewalks (like we did recently at Bow Street and Walnut Street or will be doing later this summer on West Broadway) we often talk about how we are working to increase accessibility. But what makes a sidewalk accessible?

American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II requires us to maintain equal access for persons with disabilities to the public right of way—our roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes, pathways, etc. and provides specific guidelines for doing so.

In Somerville, whenever possible, we go beyond these guidelines to provide a safer, more comfortable experience for everyone using our streets, but more on that later. First, here’s what the regulations require:



Sidewalk Width and Slope Requirements

New sidewalks on Holland Street (left) and Elm Street (right) constructed in 2024/25.

For sidewalks we follow criteria set by the ADA as well as Massachusetts Architectural Access Board’s (MAAB) 521 Code of Massachusetts Regulations (CMR). 

• Sidewalks should be at least 4 feet wide (not including the curb).  
• A 3-foot-wide, unobstructed (no signposts, plants, furniture, etc.) path must be maintained.  
• The “cross slope” (perpendicular to the roadway) must be under 2%. This means the sidewalk should be relatively flat.  
• The “running slope” (parallel to the roadway) can qualify for an exception and be greater than 2% based on the natural topography (which is the case for streets on Somerville’s many hills).

Curb Ramp Requirements 

City standard details outlining requirements of an accessible curb ramp.

Similar guidelines exist for curb ramps (the intended point of transition between the roadway and sidewalk).  

• A detectable warning panel should mark the transition between the roadway and sidewalk for individuals with visual impairments. 
• The cross slope (perpendicular to the roadway) of the ramp itself should be under 7.5%. 
• A “level landing” with less than 2% slope should be present.

In many cases we are working to exceed these requirements by providing wider sidewalks on streets that see a high volume of people walking and rolling or by building raised crossings at sidewalk height that make it easier for people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices to cross.

To learn more about how sidewalks and roadways are prioritized for construction and how accessibility factors into this calculation visit somervillema.gov/paving.

Following paving, crews will build raised crossings at the intersections of Tufts Street and Cross Street, Dell Street, and Glen Street.  

These steps, along with the installing of new signage and pavement markings, are among the final pieces of this project—converting Tufts Street into a Neighborway.

Speaking of which, the City's school building project team recently performed a geotechnical investigation at 115 Sycamore Street to help inform design work on Somerville's next new school building.

Contractors perform geotechnical investigations outside former Winter Hill School building at 115 Sycamore Street.

To learn more about that process, visit the project website at somervillema.gov/newschool and sign up for the monthly school building project newsletter.

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 BlueSky - Posts about curb-cuts, culverts, and more.

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

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