Community Path Safety Improvements

Map of the Community Path highlighting the old path and new extension

Background

The Somerville Community Path Extension opened in 2023 offering an off-street path through the center of Somerville for people biking, walking and rolling. A counter installed at Cedar Street recorded an average of 3,300 daily pedestrians in 2024!

Over the last couple of years, we have received inquiries from community members describing safety concerns or sharing experiences about conflicts, especially between slower and faster moving path users.

The Project

The goal is to implement both near-term quick-build improvements and longer-term design options along the path, at key intersections and at the two Green Line station entrances on the path.

As part of this project, we intend to:

Analyze community member inquiries related to issues on the community path, understand traffic patterns and uses of the path, and study the existing conditions

Collect public feedback about safety issues, solicit comments and ideas about possible safety interventions for the path.

Work with City departments – including Department of Public Works, Engineering Department, Parking Department, Public Space and Urban Forestry and the Fire department – to identify quick-build solutions such as new pavement markings and new street signage as well as possible permanent improvements to increase safety while still enabling maintenance and providing emergency access.

This work will help the City to continue to meet our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries.

Timeline

From September to October 2025, we will be out on the Community Path to talk to people and hear your ideas on how to make it safer. In the fall of 2025 we will also publish a survey and provide opportunities to add comments to a Public Input Map. After reviewing all the input we gather, we aim to publish a set of safety improvement strategies in early 2026 with the goal to start quick-build implementations in the spring/summer of 2026.

Information in other languages

Si necesita ayuda en su idioma, comuníquese con nosotros a través de somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva o llame al 311 (617-666-3311)

Caso precise de assistência em seu idioma, entre em contato conosco por meio deste formulário online: somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva ou ligue para 311 (617-666-3311)

Si ou bezwen asistans nan lang ou a, kontakte nou nan somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva oswa rele 311 (617-666-3311)

यदि आफ्नो भाषामा सहायता चाहिन्छ भने कृपया सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस: www.somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva गर्नुहोस् वा यो ३११ (६१७-६६६-३३११) / 311 (617-666-3311)

如果您需要語言方面的協助請撥打 311 (617-666-3311) 或於somervillema.gov/ContactSomerviva 聯絡彩薩默: 移民事務辦公室。

如果您需要语言方面的协助，请联系 (somervillema.gov/ContactSomerViva)或者请拨打 311 (617-666-3311）。