Tufts Street Reconstruction
The City of Somerville is planning to reconstruct sidewalks and repave Tufts Street between Cross Street and Washington Street as part of the City's Pavement and Sidewalk Management Program. As part of this effort, we are taking the opportunity to explore a new design that makes it safer and more comfortable for people walking, rolling, biking, or driving.
In the Summer and Fall of 2023, we will reach out to community members to gather your input on transportation safety concerns and ways to improve the street. In the Fall of 2023 and Winter of 2023/2024, we will develop a conceptual design and share back with community members to hear your feedback. In the Spring of 2024, we will share final proposed designs. Street construction is anticipated to begin in 2024 and be completed by the end of 2025. Learn more about the project on this website and subscribe to the Mobility Newsletter for email updates on upcoming public meetings, street pop-up community engagement events, and feedback surveys.
Tufts Street is a residential street and serves as an important connection to the new East Somerville Green Line Station. Tufts Street is designated as a Neighborways on the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan.
In addition to the planned City improvements on Tufts Street, the MBTA is planning to install a new crosswalk that includes floating bus stop on Washington Street next to Tufts Street to decrease the crossing distance and make the crosswalk more visible. Floating bus stops are sidewalk bump outs that provide dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus riders, while 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. The MBTA will also install a rapid flashing beacon, which allows people using the crosswalk to push a button and turn on flashing lights on the crosswalk signs.
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)。
The City of Somerville is planning to reconstruct sidewalks and repave Tufts Street between Cross Street and Washington Street as part of the City's Pavement and Sidewalk Management Program. As part of this effort, we are taking the opportunity to explore a new design that makes it safer and more comfortable for people walking, rolling, biking, or driving.
In the Summer and Fall of 2023, we will reach out to community members to gather your input on transportation safety concerns and ways to improve the street. In the Fall of 2023 and Winter of 2023/2024, we will develop a conceptual design and share back with community members to hear your feedback. In the Spring of 2024, we will share final proposed designs. Street construction is anticipated to begin in 2024 and be completed by the end of 2025. Learn more about the project on this website and subscribe to the Mobility Newsletter for email updates on upcoming public meetings, street pop-up community engagement events, and feedback surveys.
Tufts Street is a residential street and serves as an important connection to the new East Somerville Green Line Station. Tufts Street is designated as a Neighborways on the Somerville Bicycle Network Plan.
In addition to the planned City improvements on Tufts Street, the MBTA is planning to install a new crosswalk that includes floating bus stop on Washington Street next to Tufts Street to decrease the crossing distance and make the crosswalk more visible. Floating bus stops are sidewalk bump outs that provide dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus riders, while 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. The MBTA will also install a rapid flashing beacon, which allows people using the crosswalk to push a button and turn on flashing lights on the crosswalk signs.
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)。
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Tufts St. Concept Design – Emergency Vehicle Testing – Week of 11/13
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkWeather permitting, City staff will install a temporary street design to evaluate emergency vehicle operations as part of the Tufts Street Reconstruction project design process.
What to expect:
- Temporary spray paint and cones will be used to create a yield condition on the street.
- Under a yield condition, the width of the street is narrowed, and vehicles must yield to oncoming traffic by using dedicated pull-over spaces. Traffic can still go in both directions. This is similar to how many residential streets in Somerville currently function.
- The Somerville Fire Department will then evaluate how fire equipment moves along the street.
- There will be no street closures, driveway access restrictions, or detours required.
- Walking and rolling should not be impacted.
- People on bicycles will be able to use the existing advisory bike lanes along the curb.
Schedule (subject to change):
- Testing is expected to take place for one day during the week of 11/13
- The temporary condition is expected to be in place for approximately 3 hours during the 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. weekday timeframe.
If you have any questions, please email transportation@somervillema.gov or call Kate White, Transportation Planner, at 617-366-7293 with questions.
- Temporary spray paint and cones will be used to create a yield condition on the street.
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Take the Concept Design Survey to Share Your Feedback
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkAt the second community meeting on October 11, the City shared a proposed concept design for Tufts Street.
Based on community member feedback and including other considerations such as emergency vehicles, the City set out to create a concept design to:
- improve safety for people walking, rolling, biking, and driving
- ensure emergency access
- lower vehicle speeds and volumes
- add new and safer crossings
- ensure sidewalks and crossings are accessible
- provide parking options for people with accessibility needs
- and add trees, planted areas, and benches.
The concept design includes a meandering path for vehicle and bike travel with dedicated pull over space, new longer planter areas with more trees, wider sidewalks, new and raised crosswalks at each intersection, and accessible parking spaces.
We want to hear from you about your feedback on the proposed concept! Take the survey to share your comments, thoughts, and ideas. If you have ay questions, email transportation@somervillema.gov or call 617-666-3311. The deadline for the survey is November 30, 2023.
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Check out the Second Community Meeting Materials
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to all who were able to join City staff for the second community meeting. On Wednesday, October 11, from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., we hosted our second community meeting on Zoom. During the meeting, we shared an overview of the project, summarized community feedback we received over the last couple of months, presented the proposed Concept Design and discussed your initial feedback.
Meeting Materials
- Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
- Click here for a video recording of the meeting.
- Click here to download the Concept Design.
- Click here to download the summary of community input collected prior to the concept design.
We want to continue to hear from you! There are multiple ways to share your input over the next month.
Come join us at an upcoming street outreach pop-up to talk to staff in-person, share your ideas and ask questions.
- Tuesday, October 17, 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Glen Park Playground (rain date: October 24)
- Thursday, October 19, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Tufts Street and Knowlton Street Intersection (rain date: October 26)
Visit us at upcoming community events.
- Latin American and Caribbean Roots & Heritage Celebration, October 14, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
- SomerStreets Monster Mash, October 22, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Take our Concept Design Feedback Survey to share your feedback. The survey is now available until November 30, 2023.
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)。
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at transportation@somervillema.gov.
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Join us for the Second Community Meeting on October 11
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkMeeting Flyers Available In: English | Español | Português | नेपाली | Kreyòl Ayisyen | 简体中文版 | 繁體中文版
Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, and City staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to discuss Tufts Street Reconstruction.
Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3FEMDBmDREKBha6lo2uBYw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You will also receive reminders one week and one day ahead.
To join via audio:
- US: +13092053325,,82995525466# or +13126266799,,82995525466#
- Or dial: +1 646-558-8656 and enter the webinar ID
- Webinar ID: 829 9552 5466
Description: In August, the City hosted the first public meeting for this project to hear from community members about transportation safety concerns, gather ideas for the street, and discuss potential design concepts. At this upcoming meeting, the City plans to share a conceptual design and get feedback from attendees.
For those who can’t attend, the conceptual design will be posted on the project website after the meeting along with a survey to share feedback. You can also join staff at a series of street outreach pop-ups to be held after the meeting. Details for those events will be posted to this website.
You can also share your feedback through our concept options poll! Questions? Email transportation@somervillema.gov.
Interpretation into any language is available upon advance request (at least 7 days in advance) by contacting the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs at somervillema.gov/ContactSomerViva or calling 311 at 617-666-3311.
Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.
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Take the Concept Options Poll!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkAt the Community Meeting on August 30, 2023, the project team introduced two different concept options for a redesigned Tufts Street.
The first option, named Mid-Block Moments, describes a street with a succession of two or more pinch points - areas where the road narrows to only let one car through - distributed along the street. The street would remain fairly straight but the pinch points discourage speeding and allow for moments to experience wider sidewalks and shorter and safer crossings. A typical layout of the street would be sidewalks approximately 10.5 feet in width (with 14 feet sidewalks at the pinch point), and vehicle lane widths of 9.5 feet in both directions (except at 12 feet at the pinch points). To further slow down speeds and reduce traffic volumes, we would propose adding a few speed humps between the pinch points.
The second option, named Meandering Opportunities, describes a meandering narrow street that allows us to maximize sidewalks widths and explore more open space opportunities. A typical layout of the street would have a road width of 12 feet. This creates a yield condition where cars would have to wait in dedicated pull-over areas for an oncoming car to pass. A yield street encourages cars to slow down and lowers traffic volumes. It also allows us to explore opportunities to create open spaces on sidewalks as wide as 19 feet in a few areas distributed along Tufts Street.
Take our quick poll to share your initial feedback on these two concept options!
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Street Outreach Pop-Ups Rescheduled due to Heat Advisory & Flood Watch
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkOn Friday, September 8, we canceled the street outreach pop-up planned for the intersection of Tufts Street and Knowlton Street at 4:00pm to 6:00pm due to the National Weather Service Heat Advisory. We had planned to host the pop-up during the rain date (September 11), but due to the forecasted rain starting in the afternoon and flood watch, we are postponing this pop-up.
We still plan to host the planned pop-up for September 12 at the Glen Street Park from 1:30pm to 4:00pm.
We anticipate hosting the next pop-up at the intersection of Tufts Street and Knowlton Street on Tuesday, September 19 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. We will post any outreach schedule changes to this project website.
Thank you for your patience as we work around the inclement weather. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at transportation@somervillema.gov.
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Share your input on how to make Tufts Street safer and better!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThank you to all who were able to join City staff for the first community meeting. On Wednesday, August 30, from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., we hosted our first community meeting on Zoom. During the meeting, we shared background on the project, related plans and ordinances, community engagement strategies, and design opportunities and constraints. We also gathered feedback from attendees about transportation safety concerns and initial feedback to design options.
Meeting Materials
- Click here to download the slides shared at the meeting.
- Click here for a video recording of the meeting.
We want to continue to hear from you! There are multiple ways to share your input this September to help us learn more about your transportation safety concerns and gather feedback on design elements we should include in the project.
Come join us at an upcoming street outreach pop-up to talk to staff in-person, share your ideas and ask questions.
- Friday, September 8, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Tufts Street and Knowlton Street Intersection (rain date: September 11)
- Tuesday, September 12, 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Glen Park Playground (rain date: September 19)
You can also share your ideas through our survey! Take it online in English, Español, Português, Kreyòl Ayisyen, नेपाली, 简体中文版, 繁體中文版.
Add your comments to our online Public Input Map. Writing your comments on this map will help let us know what you see as issues and opportunities in the project area. Use pins to highlight locations that you think it is important for us to prioritize for changes or improvements, as well as locations that are currently working well. Once you add a pin, you can also include comments and images to highlight specific priorities or concerns.
At anytime, you can always share your ideas or questions via email to transportation@somervillema.gov or via phone at 617-666-3311. Subscribe to the Mobility Monthly Newsletter for project updates.
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Join Us for the First Community Meeting on August 30
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkMeeting Flyers Available In: English | Español | Português | नेपाली | Kreyòl Ayisyen | 简体中文版 | 繁體中文版
Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 1 Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, and City staff invite you to a virtual community meeting to discuss Tufts Street Reconstruction.
Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6GaVNJK8ROSERXZVZp9mOw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You will also receive reminders one week and one day ahead.
To join via audio:
- US: +16465588656,,82307326244#US (New York) or +16469313860,,82307326244#US
- Or dial: +1 646-558-8656 and enter the webinar ID
- Webinar ID: 823 0732 6244
Description: The City of Somerville is planning to rebuild sidewalks and repave Tufts Street between Cross Street and Washington Street. We are also redesigning the street to make it safer for people walking, rolling, biking, taking buses, and driving. What changes would you like to see? Join us at this virtual community meeting to learn more and share your feedback.
You can also share your ideas through our survey! Take it online in English, Español, Português, Kreyòl Ayisyen, नेपाली, 简体中文版, 繁體中文版. Questions? Email transportation@somervillema.gov.
Interpretation into any language is available upon advance request (at least 7 days in advance) by contacting the SomerViva Office of Immigrant Affairs at somervillema.gov/ContactSomerViva or calling 311 at 617-666-3311.
Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy in advance at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.
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Take the Tufts Street Transportation Safety Concerns and Needs Survey!
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkAlong with repaving the street and reconstructing the sidewalks, the City is taking the opportunity to explore a new design for Tufts Street that makes it safer and more comfortable for people walking, rolling, biking, taking public transit, or driving.
We want to hear from you! Please take the Tufts Street Transportation Safety Concerns and Needs Survey to share your feedback and ideas. The deadline for survey responses is September 19, 2023.
The survey is available in English, Español, Português, Kreyòl Ayisyen, नेपाली, 简体中文版, 繁體中文版.
Who's Listening
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Email kwhite@somervillema.gov -
Subscribe to the Mobility Newsletter
Project Materials & Documents
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Tufts Street Community Meeting #1 Flyers In Multiple Languages
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (English) (3.06 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Portuguese) (3.06 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Spanish) (3.06 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Nepali) (3.12 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Haitian Creole) (3.05 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Traditional Chinese) (1.34 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 1 Flyer (Simplified Chinese) (3.4 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Street Community Meeting #1 Presentation Slides (9.14 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Street Community Meeting #2 Flyers in Multiple Languages
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - English.pdf (5.83 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Haitian Creole.pdf (5.83 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Nepali.pdf (5.9 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Portuguese.pdf (5.83 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Simplified Chinese.pdf (6.09 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Spanish.pdf (5.83 MB) (pdf)
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Tufts Meeting 2 Flyer - Traditional Chinese.pdf (6.14 MB) (pdf)
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Community Feedback Materials
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Tufts Street Community Meeting #2 Presentation Slides (9.23 MB) (pdf)
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Proposed Concept Design - Tufts Street.pdf (2.51 MB) (pdf)
Key Dates
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August 30 2023
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September 12 2023
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September 19 2023
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October 11 2023
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October 17 2023