West Broadway Reconstruction

On April 13, the City hosted an open house to share the concept design for the West Broadway Reconstruction project. Thank you to the community members who were able to join, ask questions, and share your thoughts. Check out the materials below to learn more about the concept design.

• Review the conceptual plan and street-view rendering.
• Check out the handout providing descriptions for new street elements in the design (available in English, Español, Português, 繁體中文, 简体中文, नेपाली, Kreyòl Ayisyen)
• Watch a recording of the project team presenting about the concept design
• Review presentation slides describing the overall project and concept design

We want to hear from you! Over the next month and a half, we aim to gather as much feedback as possible through a variety of community outreach activities.

Take our Concept Design Feedback Survey to share your feedback. The survey is now available until May 31, 2024. Available in English, Español, Português, 繁體中文, 简体中文, नेपाली, Kreyòl Ayisyen.

Come join us at an upcoming street outreach pop-up or community events to talk to staff in-person, share your ideas, and ask questions.

Join our Virtual Office Hours on Thursday, April 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to ask your questions to the project team. Community members can log into the zoom webinar at any time during the event and either ask questions or share your comments to the whole team or join a breakout room to talk one-on-one with a team member.

Register in advance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GUb4jyJNT_aO__Lx6V1r0w

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

To join via audio:
US: +16465588656,,81036250454#,,,,*160078# or +16469313860,,81036250454#,,,,*160078#
Webinar ID: 810 3625 0454
Passcode: 160078

At any time, please feel free to reach out to the Mobility Division with any of your questions or comments at transportation@somervillema.gov or 311 (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.

From September 19, 2023, to December 6, 2023, the City worked to engage community members and gather feedback around transportation safety issues, concerns, and priorities for the street to inform the future West Broadway redesign.

In this time period, City staff hosted a virtual community meeting, block walked to local businesses, posted flyers on nearby homes, shared flyers at the nearby mobile farmers’ market, hosted a street outreach pop-up, conducted an online survey, facilitated an online public input map, and hosted an in-person meeting at Clarendon Towers. We also logged emails that came to our team and reviewed past 311 service requests that were submitted regarding the 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.

Transit

Some community members asked the City to consider a morning peak hour bus lane that could revert to parking after the rush hour. Some asked if transit signal priority would be part of the project to help more buses travel faster through intersections. Some also shared skepticism of the effectiveness of short bus lanes and if it reduced delay while some requested more bus lanes so that the buses could avoid congestion. Some advocated for shared bus/bike lanes in the downhill direction over protected bike lanes on both sides. Some advocated for prioritizing bus riders traveling from Clarendon Hill to improve connectivity. Some requested more benches at bus stops or shelters at high ridership locations.

Biking

Community members shared the desire for safe biking facilities in both directions and advocated for more bike parking to access businesses. Some advocated for as many floating bus stops as possible to remove the conflict with people biking as well as provide more curbside access for parking since floating bus stops are shorter than curbside bus stops. Some shared their opposition or concerns about bike infrastructure and conveyed that it negatively impacts older adults or people with disabilities who might rely on walking and driving more. Some suggested that if the design only includes a protected bike lane in one direction, that it should be located in the uphill direction. Many shared that they currently feel unsafe traveling on West Broadway because of the poor pavement quality and having to share the road with vehicles that go at high speeds when the road isn’t congested. Some shared that they would only bike on West Broadway if there were protected bike lanes at sidewalk level or curb separated, while some shared that new protected bike facilities make them feel less safe.

Sidewalks

Community members shared that some sidewalk panels need to be fixed as they have been upended by large tree roots or are cracked. Some advocated for new and wider sidewalks to help increase pedestrian traffic and support small business patronage. Some advocated for continuous sidewalks at small intersections or installing raised crosswalks to encourage vehicles to slow down when turning onto side streets. Some community members shared that some of the current sidewalks do not have accessible curb ramps.

Speeding, unsafe driving, and other safety issues

Some people shared their safety concerns about the entrance and exits at the gas station by Victoria Street creating additional turning conflicts and vulnerabilities for people walking and rolling. Some advocated for more signage or flashing lights to communicate to people driving to slow down. Others shared that congestion seems to prevent speeding; however, it results in people going through red lights and not yielding to crosswalks.

Pavement condition

Some community members shared that Broadway is a key route for buses and trucks so the City should be mindful of ensuring pavement durability with a large number of heavy vehicles. Many described the poor quality of the pavement and how that makes it unsafe to both drive and bike on. Some advocated for simply repaving while others advocated for traffic calming once repaved so that vehicles are less likely to speed.

Traffic management, signals, and pavement markings

Many people described that signal timing at the signalized intersections is causing massive congestion at peak times. This was particularly described for Alewife Brook Parkway and in Teele Square. Some described that higher volumes coming in and out of Somerville (rather than from Arlington) in addition to the lack of left turn option from Somerville off of Alewife Brook Parkway, causes congestion and vehicles either taking a “Massachusetts left” or turning on the red light. Severe congestion in Teele Square can hold up buses traveling to Davis Square. Some even described that they’ve chosen to walk instead of taking the bus from Clarendon Hill to Davis Square, and managed to beat the bus to the destination. Around the time of the survey release, some adjustments had been made to the signal system in Teele Square. Contractors couldn’t implement all the proposed adjustments, and this resulted in unexpectedly longer queues.

Amenities

Some people requested more trash cans especially closer to North Street to help reduce the prevalence of trash.

Parking

Some people shared that parking can be necessary for business operations but walking and biking infrastructure could be more critical for frequent access to small businesses. Some shared that parking or curbside access is critical for picking up food or unloading product. Many businesses shared their need for parking for both loading as well as customer access. Some asked the City to consider EV charging options.

Environment and greenery

Community members advocated for more green space with opportunities to sit and enjoy the street with benches and shade coverage. Some advocated for using wide sections of sidewalk for new plantings. Some shared that there are segments with no trees making the street less comfortable to walk on.

Operations

Some community members advocated for parking enforcement paired with changes. They described some improvements in other parts of the city aren’t as effective when people park in bus stops or on bike lanes.