January 2024 Update – Upcoming Utility Work and Interim Partial Paving
To help community members stay informed on planned work for Highland Avenue, the City of Somerville is sharing an update regarding the current timeline for the utility work and interim paving that will precede the full redesign and reconstruction.
Utility Upgrades on Eastern Highland Ave. (Winter/Spring 2024)
Ongoing utility work as part of the Spring Hill Sewer Separation project is underway. In addition to that work, the City and Eversource Gas have coordinated to prioritize Eversource’s Gas Main Upgrades project. Gas main upgrades are currently expected to start in early February 2024.
Recently completed and upcoming utility improvements along eastern Highland Avenue include:
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Spring Hill Sewer Separation (Sewer, Drainage, and Water Main Upgrades)
- Central St. - Walnut St. - completed fall 2023
- Walnut St. - Thorpe St. - spring 2024
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Eversource Gas Main Replacement
- Benton Rd. - School St. - winter/spring 2024
Interim Paving Work Plan
The next step following completion of utility work will be paving of the two travel lanes of the roadway (approximately 28-feet wide). This partial paving, which does not include the parking areas next to the curbs, is intended to restore the road surface travel areas. This is an interim measure to support safe travel for all users of the road until the full redesign and reconstruction of Highland Avenue. Paving is on schedule to occur in early summer of 2024. This interim paving is expected to extend from roughly McGrath Highway to Central Street.
Future Project: Full Redesign and Reconstruction of Highland Avenue
The City’s Five-Year Capital Investment Plan includes a larger-scale redesign and reconstruction of Highland Avenue. This is a separate project and is not included as part of the Spring Hill Sewer Separation.
This larger-scale redesign and reconstruction effort is currently planned to begin as early as July 2025, but the City is exploring options for moving this timeline forward. For more details visit somervillema.gov/highlandave.
To ensure consistency with the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan and Citywide Bicycle Network Plan, this larger project will include:
Reconstructed sidewalks.
Traffic calming and crosswalk safety enhancements.
Two directions of separated bicycle lanes.
Bus priority infrastructure.
Green stormwater infrastructure elements.
The project development process will include a thorough evaluation of resident, business, and visitor parking and loading needs with a commitment to serve these needs in the context of the future street design.
To stay informed about this project please visit somervillema.gov/highlandave.
