Somerville’s Second Shared Streets Route to Open in West Somerville

Somerville’s second Shared Streets route, which connects West Somerville and Davis Square, is set to open Tuesday, June 23. The Shared Streets initiative opens up low-volume or residential side-streets to pedestrians, cyclists, and other users while still allowing vehicle access for residents who live on the street or who need to use the street to get to their homes, first responders, delivery drivers, sanitation trucks, and street sweepers.

The City’s first Shared Streets route opened in early June and connected Winter Hill and East Somerville and passed by several food resources and schools. The second route will provide access to the Stop and Shop on Alewife Brook Parkway, North Street Housing (which hosts the Somerville Mobile Farmers’ Market on Saturdays starting July 11), the West Somerville Neighborhood School, David Square, and the Community Path. Additional routes will be rolled out throughout the summer, and you can find a full route map and schedule at https://somervoice.somervillema.gov/covid19mobility. As routes are implemented, feedback on them can also be submitted on SomerVoice.

Safety measures along each route include signage and flexible barriers to alert all users to the shared use of these streets. Somerville’s program will use temporary materials that can be modified based on our experience and feedback from residents with the pilot. Motorists allowed to use a shared street, such as abutters, should drive slowly and expect to see people in the street on these routes. People walking, rolling, and biking should remain alert and aware and make room for these allowed vehicles.