Western Washington Street Mobility Improvements

Crews worked hard throughout the summer to deliver some of the planned safety improvements and make enough progress they’d be out of the immediate vicinity of the Argenziano School by the time students and their families would be returning for the new school year.

Below is information on what has been completed so far, what work remains, and what you can expect over the coming weeks.

New raised crossing by the Argenziano School slows vehicles and makes crossing safer and more comfortable for all.

New floating bus stop provides dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus riders, while streamlining bus service.

What has been completed?

• Final paving of the roadway between Webster Avenue and Bowdoin Street.
• New sidewalks on both sides of Washington Street between Webster Avenue and Bowdoin Street.
• Raised intersections along Washington Street between Parker Street and the Argenziano School and at the intersection of Washington Street and Hawkins Street.
  • Raised intersections slow vehicle traffic and make it safer for people crossing the street.
• Floating bus stops between Bowdoin Street and Webster Avenue.

What work remains?

• Construction of remaining sidewalks (Bowdoin Street to Line Street).
• Milling and paving of the roadway surface between Bowdoin Street and Line Street.
• Additional raised crossings and floating bus stops.
• Completion of street- and sidewalk-level protected bike lanes.
  • Existing cycle track remains under construction pending a final layer of asphalt and pavement markings.
• New signs and pavement markings.
• among other safety improvements .

Currently Active Work:

Week of 9/3

Following the Labor Day holiday, crews will continue installing new sidewalks on the odd-numbered/northern half of the street between Leland Street and Beacon Street.

Anticipated Construction Impacts:

• Temporary parking restrictions and short-term detours expected.
  • Please observe posted signage.
• Sidewalk access may be restricted at times to facilitate construction. However, one sidewalk will remain open at all times.
• Some resident driveway access may be briefly restricted after new concrete sidewalks are poured.
  • Residents will be notified in advance via flyer.
• MBTA bus stops may be temporarily relocated.
  • Signage will be posted at affected stops. See mbta.com/bus for details.
• Trash/recycling pick-ups and deliveries will not be affected.

If you have questions about this work, please call the Engineering Division at 617-625-6600 ext. 5400 or email construction@somervillema.gov.

Weather permitting, beginning this upcoming Monday, August 19 City contractors plan to construct two raised crossings across Washington Street–a raised crossing between the Parker Street and the Argenziano School and a raised crossing at the intersection of Washington Street and Hawkins Street.

This work will require both east- and westbound thru traffic along Washington Street (Webster Ave. to Dane Street) to be detoured via Somerville Avenue and Dane Street.

Once in place, detours will be in effect for approximately 72 hours to provide time for granite curbing to set properly.

Detour Route - Washington Street East- and Westbound Traffic

Motor Vehicle Impacts

• Eastbound (heading toward Union Square) vehicle traffic will be directed left on Dane Street and right onto Somerville Avenue.

• Westbound (heading toward Beacon Street) vehicle traffic will be directed west on Somerville Avenue before turning left onto Dane Street to reconnect with Washington Street.

• Access will be maintained for local residents and businesses.

Pedestrian, Transit and Other Impacts

• Sidewalks will remain open and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

• MBTA bus route 86 will offer modified service during this period.

  • See signage posted at affected stops or visit mbta.com/bus for details.

• Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles at all times.

Other Construction Impacts

• Some temporary parking restrictions will be in place.

  • Please observe posted signage.

If you have questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at 617-625-6600 ext. 5400.

City contractors will be paving the roadway surface along Washington Street between Bowdoin Street and Webster Avenue this Thursday, August 15 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Schedules are subject to change due to weather or other factors.

Construction Impacts

• Access to driveways on the affected stretch may be temporarily restricted during work hours.
• Temporary detours will be required for both eastbound and westbound through traffic while paving is underway
  • Detour signage will be in place to help people navigate around the work zones
  • Sidewalks in both directions will remain open during this phase of work.
  • Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles and MBTA buses at all times
• Temporary parking restrictions will be in place. Please observe posted signage.

If you have questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at (617) 625-6600 ext. 5400 with questions.

Beginning this Friday, August 9 or soon after City contractors will be milling (removing the top few layers of asphalt) the roadway surface along Washington Street between Bowdoin Street to Webster Avenue in preparation for final paving of the roadway.

More About This Work

This first stretch of paving is being undertaken prior to the start of the 24-25 school year in order to reduce construction impacts to the Argenziano School community.

Additional street safety improvements along this stretch including construction of raised crossing, paving of protected bike facilities, and more will follow paving.

Milling/paving for the remainder of the project area (Webster Avenue to Line Street) is expected to take place later this fall.

Beginning the week of 8/5 or soon after, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) contractors will be performing overnight work to repair sidewalks on the deck of the Bumpus bridge along Washington Street by the Argenziano School.

Work hours are 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Some parking restrictions and temporary detours may be required during work hours. Please observe posted signage.

Crews have been rebuilding sidewalks on the southern/even-numbered side of the street. Work has been proceeding east from Beacon Street toward Webster Avenue.

On sections of the street where we are building a sidewalk-level bike lane, crews have been installing a cobble buffer between the sidewalk and bike facility as seen in the image below (left).

Crews have also been installing a new floating bus stop (above right) near the intersection of Washington Street and Bowdoin Street.

What is a floating bus stop? A floating bus stops is a 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. Floating bus stops are separated from the sidewalk by a bike lane, eliminating conflicts between buses and bikes at stops and improving safety for people biking.

Following completion of work on the southern/even-numbered side, work will progress to the northern/odd-numbered side.

If you have questions about construction, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at 617-625-6600 ext. 5400.

City contractors have been hard at work over recent weeks installing new sidewalks along Washington Street. Work began at Beacon Street on the even-numbered side of the street and is proceeding east toward Webster Avenue (continuing on the even-numbered side for the time being).

The first concrete sidewalks (pictured below) were recently poured along the stretch.

The open gravel space on the left will become a raised sidewalk-level protected bicycle lane later this season.

If you have questions about construction, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at 617-625-6600 ext. 5400.

Crews have been making good progress installing new drainage structures along Washingston Street over recent weeks.

Beginning as early as 4/16 or soon after, crews will begin rebuilding sidewalks. Work is scheduled to begin at Beacon Street and head east toward Calvin Street.

Construction impacts:

• On-street parking will be restricted during construction.
  • Please observe posted signage.
• Access to driveways may be temporarily restricted while the entrance is reconstructed.
  • Notice will be provided directly to affected residents.
• Trash/recycling pick-ups and deliveries will not be affected.

If you have questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at (617) 625-6600 ext. 5400 with questions.

Beginning as early as Wednesday, March 13 or soon after City contractors will begin preliminary work on the Western Washington St. Reconstruction and Mobility Improvements project.

Work hours are weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Schedules are subject to change.

Initial Construction Activities

Over the coming weeks, crews will begin work by:

• Setting up tree protection near future work zones to prevent trees from being damaged during construction.

• Sawcutting (preliminary cutting prior to full excavation) select segments of asphalt/concrete.

• Installing new drainage structures along Washington Street.

Construction Impacts

• On-street parking may be temporarily restricted around work zones during construction.

  • Please observe posted signage.

• Two-way traffic will be maintained during this initial phase of construction.

• Sidewalk access may be restricted at times

  • However, pedestrian detours will be installed to maintain safe crossing and allow access to businesses and residences along the affected stretch.

• Occasional modifications to MBTA bus routes–signage will be posted at affected stops.

• Trash/recycling pick-ups and deliveries will not be affected.

If you have questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division 617-625-6600 ext. 5400.

Beginning as early as tomorrow, November 30 or soon after City of Somerville’s contractors will begin installing new drainage structures along Washington St. as part of the City’s Western Washington St. Reconstruction and Mobility Improvements project.

This preliminary work will take place over the coming weeks as weather permits. After breaking for the winter, construction crews will remobilize in full force in early April along Western Washington St.

Anticipated Schedule and Locations of Work (Subject to Change):

• Work hours are weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Locations of work are along Washington St. between Line St. and Webster Ave.

  • Work expected to begin at the intersection of Washington St. and Caldwell Ave.

Construction Impacts:

• On-street parking may be temporarily restricted around work zones during construction.

  • Please observe posted signage.

• Two-way traffic will be maintained during construction.

• Sidewalk access may be restricted at times to facilitate construction.

  • However, temporary sidewalks will be installed to maintain safe crossing and allow access to businesses and residences along the affected stretch.

• Trash/recycling pick-ups and deliveries will not be affected.

If you have questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov or call the Engineering Division at (617) 625-6600 ext. 5400.