Project Update
Thank you to everyone who has participated so far in the community process for the Holland St & College Ave Mobility Improvements project. After holding a public meeting in February with more than 80 people in attendance, we have received more than 200 responses to the Street Design Survey and more than 140 pins and comments have been placed on the Public Input Map. This input has been an invaluable resource for city staff and has helped shape many aspects of the street design.
This update is intended to provide some important information about the status of this project:
Due to the acute and still uncertain financial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, the City has been in the process of reducing spending, considering deferring projects, and reevaluating the operating budget and capital investment plan. Based on this reevaluation, accounting for potential cash flow limitations, and in light of the practical reality that the bidding of this project was delayed at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, a decision has been made to defer the implementation of the Holland St & College Ave Mobility Improvements project to the 2021 construction season. This revised schedule is contingent on a better understanding of the City’s financial condition as the health crisis continues to unfold, and is subject to change.
As a part of an Eversource gas main and service replacement project, there is visible construction currently happening on Holland St. This work is not a part of the city's resurfacing project, but must be completed before resurfacing can begin. More information on this project and how Eversource will be working to protect the health of employees, customers, and the general public, and avoid the spread of coronavirus, can be found here: https://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/holland-st-letters.pdf
Design work on this project continues as planned and will still be finalized this year through the community process. A public meeting to present the design will take place virtually this summer, with the specific date and time to be announced. City staff will present in a webinar style format and hold a question and answer session. The results of the Street Design Survey and Public Input Map will be presented, along with the proposed street designs for Holland St and College Ave.
Although this news is disappointing to us all, we thank you for your support and continued involvement in this project. More information will be made available here on the SomerVoice project page as soon as possible.
