February 2024 Project Update
Thank you to all those who participated in virtual community meetings, street outreach pop-ups, and online surveys in the fall of 2023. We want to provide a project update that includes:
- Details about extending the design development schedule later into the summer of 2024.
- An overview of the yield street demonstration conducted with the Somerville Fire Department.
- A summary of parking utilization data collected in October.
- A report on community feedback we received about the concept design.
Read below for more details. We will continue to post updates on this project website. You can also subscribe to the monthly Mobility newsletter to get email notifications direct to your inbox.
New Project Schedule 
Over the last couple of months, we’ve processed the feedback we heard, analyzed parking utilization, and observed traffic behavior in a demonstration project. We are now revising the concept design to incorporate what we learned.
During our community engagement, we heard advocacy from community members to widen sidewalks, install new crosswalks, and plant more trees and greenery. This requires deeper excavations than just replacing sidewalk and repaving. In light of this and new information we’ve received from our design consultants about potential shallow soil contamination, we’ve made the decision to extend the project schedule to allow for more extensive soil analysis. This due diligence analysis of the soils under Tufts Street is required due to past contamination from 50 Tufts Street which was previously used to store tetrachloroethylene (TCE), a chemical often used in dry cleaning.
At this time, our plan is to complete the design this year. We anticipate construction to take place from 2025 to 2026. However, the design schedule and construction are subject to change depending on the results of the soil analysis. At this point we anticipate sharing an updated design at a community meeting in May or June.
Yield Street Demonstration
On November 14, 2023, City Staff from the Mobility Division and Fire Department conducted a demonstration of the Tufts Street concept shared in October 2023. Staff assembled traffic cones from the intersection at Washington Street to Glen Street and placed video message boards to communicate the traffic pattern change. Staff arranged the cones to narrow the width of the street to a yield condition, where cars need to wait using pull over areas to let oncoming traffic through. The Fire Department tested driving standard and longer tower fire trucks along the stretch of street. Throughout the demonstration, staff adjusted the placement of cones to see the impact to traffic. Click here for more details on the demonstration design.
Parking Utilization Data Collection
To better understand parking usage in the area, City staff counted parked cars within a 12-minute walking distance (0.4 miles) on two different days and times in October. The first at midday when parking utilization can be high because school is in session, and the second at night, when parking is historically at its highest when many residents are home for the night.
We found that during school and on a day with street cleaning, 102 Resident Parking Permit spaces out of 267 were available for parking. At night, we found that 57 Resident Parking Permit spaces out of 267 were available for parking. Nearby are also parking lots available for resident permit parking between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. outside of school times.
Check out this overview for more details on specific data collected.
Fall Community Feedback Report
From September 20, 2023, to December 11, 2023, City staff aimed to provide a variety of ways that community members could provide input on the proposed concept design for Tufts Street. Check out this report describing all the community outreach activities and specific comments, questions, and ideas we received. There is also a short summary below describing what we heard.
Sidewalks
We heard from many people who supported widening sidewalks to create more space for people walking and for new plantings. We heard opposition to the proposed changes because it precluded parking. Many people advocated for better walking infrastructure in general and we heard support for redoing the sidewalks to improve accessibility and comfort especially for people with strollers.
Crossings
Community members responded positively to the proposed new crossings. Many shared that they supported raised crosswalks to reduce speeding and make it safer to cross. We heard strong support for the new raised crosswalks at both ends of the street as well as for intersecting Glen and Dell Streets. Some requested a raised intersection at Washington Street, Knowlton Street and Tufts Street, and some requested curb extensions or a raised crosswalk across Cross Street and larger curb extensions on Tufts Street. Some further advocated for a raised crossing on Cross Street closer to the bridge to slow vehicles and make a more direct connection to the new community path entrance. Many asked for further improvements of the crossing across Washington Street to connect with the station such as moving the crosswalk closer to Tufts Street and making it more visible. Many urged the City to push the MBTA to make improvements at this crossing as soon as possible as it is part of outstanding Green Line Extension work. There was some concern from blind users about raised crosswalks and if they create accessibility issues. School representatives shared their support for curb extensions at Glen Street to prevent illegal parking at the corners and so ensure that school buses and shuttles aren’t prevented from turning onto Glen Street to get to the Capuano.
Traffic
There were concerns about the feasibility of the yield condition and inquiries for further data collection or comparison to other similar conditions in other cities. Many community members supported overall traffic calming and the desire to reroute vehicles who were using Tufts Street to bypass McGrath Highway. Some supported the pull over treatments but advocated for clear signage to indicate traffic pattern. Some shared concerns about traffic calming treatments such as new installations on Pearl Street and questioned if it resulted in safer driving. While others requested adding speed humps to the design. We heard a lot of support for repaving the street and getting rid of the potholes.
Plantings & Amenities
Many community members shared their support for more trees and green space. Some advocated for more trees to make the street more pleasant to be on, to help with storm water, and potentially provide shade. Some residents were interested in the addition of murals or art. Some shared concerns about existing lighting on the street. We heard some requests for more benches and trash cans. Some opposed additional greenery as they saw it excessive or preferred to have parking options.
Bike facilities
There was some support for new biking conditions in the concept as well as some concern around the efficacy of traffic calming to make it a Neighborway condition safe for biking in the travel lane. Some suggested making the pullover areas segments of separated bike infrastructure. Some feedback was specific about additional curb ramps for people biking and waiting areas to make turns easier. Some opposed the designs that required people biking to dismount at intersections or pull over to allow oncoming traffic. Some advocated for painting the crosswalk across Washington Street with green markings to indicate that it was shared use. Many shared concerns about safe ways to enter Tufts Street from Washington Street and Cross Street.
Parking
Residents who live nearby shared their concern and stress about the lack of parking in the concept. They described that it is difficult to find parking, and they feel that with the new affordable housing construction at 31 Tufts Street, the demand will increase. Some community members expressed frustration about how parking was removed as a temporary measure during Green Line construction but then made permanent in opposition to residents’ needs. Some felt that installing more trees did not preclude parking. Some shared their concern about people illegally parking in the pull-over areas causing traffic jams.
