November - Construction Update | | Welcome back to the City of Somerville's construction newsletter! | | |
The days are getting colder and we're entering a quieter time for construction across Somerville. So this month we'll spend a little less time talking about what is currently ongoing (though we have that) and a little more time talking about some future projects (and how you can engage).
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:
- Work Kicks off on the West Broadway Reconstruction Project
- Somerville Avenue/Central Street – Nearing Completion
- A Narrower Tufts Street Takes Shape
- School Building Survey Results and Focus Group Summaries
- Learn More About Upcoming Projects in Brickbottom and Winter Hill
- Subterranean Somerville – What is a stormwater outfall?
- Keeping up to date
- We can’t cover all the work in one newsletter
| |
¿Quiere información sobre construcción en español?
Si es que usted o algún vecino/conocido quisiera recibir noticias en español sobre las construcciones, suscríbase escribiendo un correo a dirigido a Magdalena Gomez al mgomez@somervillema.gov.
Y recuerde que para toda información o evento de la Ciudad usted puede solicitar traducciones o interpretación en vivo contactando a la Oficina de Asuntos de Inmigrantes de Somerville escribiendo un correo a somerviva@somervillema.gov o llamando al 311 (617-666-3311).
| | | | Work Kicks Off on the West Broadway Reconstruction Project | | If you read this headline and thought “What!? Hasn’t this stretch of Broadway between Clarendon Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway been under construction since June?”, you’d be correct. | | |
Here is what’s happening on Broadway between Clarendon Avenue and Alewife Brook Parkway:
- Eversource has been working since June to upgrade gas utilities.
- Completing this work ahead of the City’s street reconstruction project reduces the likelihood that the newly paved roadway will need to be dug through in the years following completion.
- This work is expected to continue through the remainder of the fall and into the winter, as weather allows. Current estimated completion is early spring ‘26.
- City Contractors, MacKay, have started preliminary drainage work ahead of the implementation of a new safer, more accessible design for the street.
- Drainage work is expected to continue through the winter (weather permitting). Crews will start rebuilding sidewalks and installing other streetscape improvements this spring '26.
| |
Why does drainage work come before changes to the streetscape?
When we redesign a street and add features like raised crossings or floating bus stops, it changes how stormwater (rainfall and snowmelt) behaves on the street. Adding additional storm drains (catch basins) or relocating existing drains to better meet the needs of the new design is necessary to ensure water is effectively managed on the street and prevent large puddles from developing.
| | | |
Somerville Avenue at Central Street
Intersection Design Nearing Completion
| | Work at the intersection of Somerville Avenue and Central Street is nearing its final phase with milling (removal of the top few layers of existing asphalt) and paving of the roadway set to get underway late next week. | | New floating bus stop on the westbound side of Somerville Avenue. | The milling and paving schedule along with associated detours are expected to be available and posted on our construction page (as well as shared with the neighborhood via City Alert) early next week. | |
What is a floating bus stop?
A floating bus stop is a bumped-out segment of sidewalk that provides dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus riders--streamlining bus service and improving accessibility by enabling the bus to stop in the travel lane rather than having to pull over to the curb.
Floating bus stops are often separated from the sidewalk by a bike lane, eliminating conflicts between buses and bikes at stops and improving safety.
| New Floating bus stop serving the MBTA's high frequency 86 on Washington Street installed last year as part of the Western Washington Street project. | | | A Narrower Tufts Street Takes Shape | | |
Crews recently finished installing new sidewalks on the even-numbered (or eastern) side of Tufts Street.
As crews start work on the odd-numbered (or western) side, you’ll start to see a new, narrower Tufts Street take shape.
| | New "pinch point" on Tufts Street to help prevent speeding. | | |
Why narrower?
During the community engagement and design process, residents expressed concerns about vehicle speeding and high amounts of traffic using the street as a way to bypass McGrath Highway.
By adding pinch points and other traffic calming, the new design is intended to slow vehicles and discourage cut-through traffic.
| |
What's next?
Crews will continue installing new sidewalks and moving the curbline on the odd-numbered side of the street until colder weather prohibits this type of work from taking place.
Some additional drainage work—installing new storm drains and catch-basins—may occur over the winter, as weather allows.
Remaining streetscape improvements and repaving of the roadway will occur in spring/summer of ‘26.
| | New PK-8 School Building Survey Results and Focus Group Summaries | | |
Somerville is planning to build a new prekindergarten through eighth grade (PK-8) public school building for Winter Hill School since their old one can no longer be used and is working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to potentially receive state funding to offset a significant portion (approximately 50%) of the cost of the project.
As part of this process, the City must decide:
- whether this new school building should also address the needs of the Brown School.
- where the new school should be located (either at the site of the previous Winter Hill School on Sycamore Street or on a portion of Trum Field).
Over 2,400 community members shared their opinions through a survey developed by members of the Construction Advisory Group along with the urban planning firm, DREAM Collaborative, and City staff.
| | |
Among the findings from survey are:
- “a clear and strong preference” not to use Trum Field for a new school building
- “survey respondents are largely split, with a slight preference for maintaining two separate schools over a new combined school.”
- Where survey respondents lived (indicated by ward) and school affiliation (where applicable) were important predictors of whether respondents expressed a preference for maintaining two separate schools or for building a combined school
A series of focus groups were also conducted to provide additional insight into the “why” behind people’s preferences for the school.
The full survey report, focus group summaries, and more information about the process are available at somervillema.gov/newpkto8.
| |
Stay Tuned for More Updates on the School Building Project
Though there is still a lot of work to do before we break ground and start construction, as work progresses, we’ll provide regular updates on this project in this newsletter and on the project website.
| | |
Inner Belt/Brickbottom Green Line Crossing - Nov. 18, Open House
"You can't get there from here!" Well--you can, but we want to make it easier.
Residents and visitors, looking to move between the Inner Belt and Brick Bottom neighborhoods must follow a lengthy route that uses an underpass on Washington Street. To make getting around easier—the City of Somerville is looking to develop a new crossing from one side of the Green Line tracks to the other near the East Somerville Station to more directly link the two neighborhoods.
| |
Mystic River Outfall and Sewer Separation - Nov. 12, Virtual Meeting
Learn about flood relief and water quality improvement efforts planned for Winter Hill, Ten Hills, and the surrounding neighborhood.
- When? Wednesday, November 12, from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Where? Virtual meeting held via Zoom.
| |
Subterranean Somerville:
What is a Stormwater Outfall?
| | |
Adding a new outfall is an effective tool for reducing flooding and combined sewer overflows when paired with other stormwater management.
Learn more about how the City is working to manage stormwater to reduce flooding and support the health of local waterways.
| | | | Stay Up to Date on Citywide Construction Projects | | | |
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:
| | Language and Accessibility | | |
To request translation or an interpreter in your language, please contact the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs at languageaccess@somervillema.gov or by calling 311.
| | |
Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids or reasonable modifications to access information or attend a City meeting or event should contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or ADA@somervillema.gov.
| | | | |
