Beacon Street Reconstruction | City of Somerville

Full-Depth Reconstruction Starting May 2016

In 2016, MassDOT began a full-depth reconstruction of Beacon Street, which will improve the lifespan of the road by rebuilding the sub-surface, grading the surface for positive drainage, and installing a new high-quality asphalt surface. The roadway design will improve the safety and flow of traffic, while dramatically improving pedestrian accessibility and bicycle safety.

New Tree Plantings in May and June

In May and June of 2018, roughly 100 new trees were planted on Beacon St. between Oxford St. and Washington St. Plantings south of Washington St. are scheduled for Spring 2019.

Letter from Mayor Curtatone on Beacon St. Tree Plantings

Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Thank you for your heartfelt email and for your advocacy around MassDOT’s Beacon Street Reconstruction project in Somerville, specifically around the planned removal of several remaining trees along Beacon Street. Like you, I place high value on our City’s tree canopy and understand how important trees are to overall quality of life. Since October, following the tree removal work by the state’s contractor, my Administration has undertaken numerous efforts to respond to this challenge and improve the Beacon Street project, as well as the City’s policies around urban forestry and landscape management.

Due to quick coordination by City staff, those tree removals were halted and we were able to save six living trees between Washington St. and Dickinson St. Although those trees had been identified for removal and replacement in the state’s construction contract and in the design plans, I directed my staff to evaluate whether field changes to the project design could potentially result in the preservation of one or more trees.

After significant and careful consideration of each tree, their surroundings, and the impacts on both the community and the project outcome, I am very happy to report that our City staff has recommended that four of the six remaining trees be preserved. MassDOT leadership has endorsed our proposal and is conducting a final technical review before finalizing amended designs. In the meantime, MassDOT has directed their contractor to adjust the construction to preserve a mature pear tree at 85 Beacon, and three smaller pear trees at 47 Beacon (at Whole Foods), 15 Beacon and 11 Beacon.

At the same time, it is important to understand that trees in urban environments exist under great stress compared to suburban and rural environments. These four trees have been surviving in a sub-optimal environment despite our overall expanded efforts to preserve, maintain, and grow our urban forest and tree canopy, and this reconstruction project will not fundamentally improve their growing conditions. It is possible that one or more of these trees will exhibit signs of failing health in the coming years despite the best efforts of contractors and City staff to protect them from additional harm, and our City staff will monitor them closely to protect public safety. If a hazardous condition is detected, a tree will be removed and replaced just like it would anywhere in the City.

It is also important to understand the challenges of protecting mature trees in large reconstruction projects. Projects of this nature are typically undertaken to upgrade and replace significantly aging underground infrastructure and/or to make safety improvements to road and sidewalk surfaces. To do so, project engineers must navigate a complex system of design criteria and existing utilities including compliance with federal and state accessibility codes, relocation or replacement of buried utilities in streets and sidewalks, allowing for proper draining structure to prevent significant flooding, and ensuring that the final design adheres to traffic safety standards. In many cases, tree preservation is extremely complex, may result in short- or long-term damage to the tree structure, and could present future risks to public safety.

Each project is unique and is reviewed independently to determine which, if any, trees must be recommended for removal. The best and most important time to make these decisions is during the design phase prior to the start of construction so that the project team can appropriately balance the equal needs of accessibility, safety, parking, quality of life, cost, and other factors. We understand that feedback is important and circumstances may change and we try to account for that as any project progresses. In the case of Beacon Street, we have been able to find very specific ways to retain more trees than previously accounted for. This is not something we will be able to replicate across every project. We can and will strive to involve as many community members as possible from the early stages of any project so that we can appropriately incorporate feedback on all aspects of the project.
The Beacon Street Reconstruction project is even more complex as a multi-jurisdictional reconstruction project with a combination of funds from city, state, and federal sources, and a contract ultimately controlled by MassDOT. We must and will draw lessons from this project to guide future discussions, meetings, and procedures. As part of our ongoing overall strategy we are building a bigger team of trained professionals and developing a progressive urban forestry program, and in late 2016 we hired the City’s first-ever certified arborist.

Beyond tree preservation we have also been hard at work studying additional design elements to create more green and more visually appealing landscape on Beacon Street. For example, at the project’s northern end, staff have identified an opportunity to tweak the design of the traffic-calming bump-out at the corner of Beacon and Oxford Streets to add an additional shade tree, public seating and a planting bed, and we are proposing modifications some areas between Oxford St. and Museum St. to add longevity to plantings in this urban setting.

As the project moves ahead the first 100 new trees will be planted on Beacon Street between Oxford and Washington in June. Another 90 trees are scheduled to be planted between Washington and Inman Square this fall. When our new trees arrive, our staff will be on-site to ensure that proper soils and proper planting techniques are used by the state’s contractors to improve survival of these crucial public assets.

Living through a very active and large scale reconstruction is no easy task and I thank you for sticking with us toward a better Beacon Street. Your advocacy is important toward that goal, and I thank you for making sure your voice and your opinion have been heard.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Curtatone
Mayor

End-of-Project Punch List

Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Washington St: September 2018 – May 2019
Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Cooney/Buckingham: September 2018 – May 2019
Construct Sidewalks, Washington to Hampshire: October 2018 – May 2019
Install Concrete Paver Accent Strip along Sidewalks: November 2018 – June 2019
6’ Cycle Track – Oxford to Washington: April – May 2019
Install Furniture on Sidewalks: April – May 2019
Install Traffic Signals: December 2018 – May 2019
Install Signage: May 2019
Fire Alarm System: May – June 2019
Install Trees: May – June 2019
Install Granite Curb & Concrete Pavers for Raised Planters: June 2019
Adjust Structures in Road for Final Paving: June – July 2019
Milling & Paving: July 2019
Install High Friction Surface on Cycle Track: July – August 2019
Stripe Thermoplastic Crosswalks: July – August 2019
Paint Pavement Markings: July – August 2019

Updated 12/20/2019

During the week of December 23, contractors plan to install benches and remaining signage. They will then return to the site in the spring to complete punch list items that require better weather conditions. Those items include:

Replace sidewalk panels at isolated locations
Pave two speed bumps at Forest St. and Sacramento St.
Complete green high-friction surface treatment/pavement markings at various locations
Replace warranty planting items after spring inspection

Updated 12/13/2019

Punch list work will continue throughout the week of December 16 as conditions permit. Newport anticipates one to two more weeks of work this year.

Updated 12/6/2019

Punch list work will continue throughout the week of December 9 as conditions permit.

Updated 11/22/2019

If weather permits, MassDOT contractors expect to complete application of the green surface treatment on northbound bike facilities before Thanksgiving.
Crews will continue addressing remaining to-dos, like installing a crosswalk at Roseland St.

Updated 11/1/2019

Given the recent wet weather, much of last week's schedule on Beacon St. still holds.
During the latter half of the week of November 4, as weather permits, crews plan to continue applying the green surface treatment on northbound bike facilities from Ivaloo St. toward Oxford St. Application may take place during the day if temperatures require. As a reminder, there is an odor to the material that may be noticeable during application.
Over the next few weeks, MassDOT contractors plan to continue installing signage, construct speed bumps on Sacramento St. and Forest St., and finish final "punch list" cleanup items.
Please expect variable parking restrictions and bike lane closures. Beacon St. remains an active construction site, and cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour until the project is complete

Updated 10/25/2019

Overnight throughout the week of October 28 and potentially during the day if weather or schedules require, crews plan to continue installing the green surface treatment on the northbound bike facilities from approximately Kent St. progressing toward Oxford St. There is an odor to the material that may be noticeable during application.
MassDOT contractors also plan to continue installing signage and construct speed bumps on Sacramento St. and Forest St.
Please expect variable parking restrictions and bike lane closures. Beacon St. remains an active construction site, and cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detouruntil the project is complete.

Updated 10/18/2019

Throughout the week of October 21, MassDOT contractors plan to finish milling and paving small sections at Sacramento St., Forest St., and Museum St. intersections and install signage.
Additionally, overnight throughout the week and potentially during the daytime if weather or schedules require, crews plan to install the green surface treatment on northbound bike facilities between approximately Calvin St. and Sacramento St. There is an odor to the material that may be noticeable during application.
Please expect variable parking restrictions and bike lane closures. Beacon St. remains an active construction site, and cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour until the project is complete.

Updated 10/10/2019

Beginning on Monday night, October 14 and continuing each weeknight next week (weather permitting), Newport will work to complete road markings. Work will take place between 8 p.m. and approximately 4 a.m. Some of the work may produce intermittent noise, and parking restrictions will be in effect in these areas. In the event of rain, work will be rescheduled for the following week. Work will include:

From Oxford St.to Sacramento St.: installing crosswalks
From Cooney St.to the Cambridge line: painting green thermoplastic paint in bike lanes.
Throughout the week, crews will be installing signage, planting within designated islands and bumpouts, and making near-final touch ups to various areas of the project as crews work toward completion. No major disruptions are expected for this part of the work.
Please expect variable parking restrictions and bike lane closures. Beacon St.remains an active construction site, and cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour until the project is complete.

Updated 10/4/19

Over the next several weeks, MassDOT contractors will mobilize as weather and crew availability permit to continue installing green surface treatment on bike facilities and remaining pavement markings.
During the week of October 7, when weather allows, they also plan to finish paving small remaining sections of roadway on Sacramento St., Forest St., and Roseland St. at Beacon St.
Please expect variable parking restrictions and bike lane closures. Beacon St. remains an active construction site, and cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour until the project is complete.

Updated 9/27/19

Final paving on Beacon St. from Sacramento St. to Oxford St. is now planned for overnight Monday, September 30, into early the morning of Tuesday, October 1. Work hours are expected to be from approximately 6 p.m. Monday until approximately 5 a.m. Tuesday.
That section of Beacon St., including the Sacramento St. and Oxford St. intersections, will be closed during work hours with on-street parking restrictions. Driveways within the work zone will not be accessible during work hours. Sidewalks are expected to remain open. Bright lights with loud generators may be used overnight.
MassDOT contractors now expect to begin laying out and then installing a high-friction surface treatment in on-street bike lanes between Washington St. and the Cambridge line throughout the week of September 30, requiring parking restrictions and bike lane closures. There is an odor to the material that may be noticeable in the area.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 9/23/2019

During the week of September 23, for an estimated one to two days, Beacon St. is expected to close from Sacramento St. to Oxford St. during off-peak hours while contractors raise cast iron structures within the roadway before paving.
Weather permitting, MassDOT contractors expect to begin installing a high-friction surface treatment in on-street bike lanes between Washington St. and the Cambridge line starting on or around Tuesday, September 24, requiring parking restrictions. There is an odor to the material that may be noticeable in the area.
Isolated sidewalk repairs will continue over the next several weeks.
Weather permitting, contractors plan to finish paving Beacon St. from Sacramento St. to Oxford St. on Saturday, September 28, between approximately 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The road will be closed during work hours with on-street parking restrictions. Sidewalks are expected to remain open.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 9/13/2019

Weather permitting, contractors plan to pave Beacon St. from Park St. to Sacramento St. on Saturday, September 14, between approximately 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

That section of Beacon St.will be closed during work hours (detour will start at 6 a.m., work starts at 7 a.m.) with on-street parking restrictions. MBTA bus stops within or near the work zone may not be serviced during the road closure. Please see the MBTA website for advisories. Sidewalks are expected to remain open.
On Monday night, September 16, weather permitting, crews anticipate laying out pavement markings for the newly-paved areas. This is not typically a noisy operation.
Contractors will raise castings within the roadway to prepare for the final section of paving, expected to take place within the next few weeks, as well as complete targeted sidewalk remediation as necessary.
Work will continue in both the cycle track and the northbound bike lane to adjust and/or complete pavement markings, ramps, and other final items.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 9/5/2019

Weather permitting, contractors currently plan to pave Beacon St. from Park St. to Sacramento St. on Saturday, September 14, between approximately 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
That section of Beacon St. will be closed during work hours with on-street parking restrictions. MBTA bus stops within or near the work zone on route 83 may not be serviced during the road closure. Please see the MBTA website for advisories. Sidewalks are expected to remain open.
Contractors plan to install conduit across Scott St. and Park St. early in the week of September 9. When that work is conducted, crews will need to close Scott St. or Park St. to through traffic during midday hours (approximately 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Beacon St. itself will remain open.
Work will continue to build the final section of the northbound raised cycle track on Beacon St. between Kent St. and Oxford St.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 8/29/2019

Weather permitting, roadway striping is planned overnight Tuesday, September 3, starting at about 8 p.m. Contractors will install remaining lane markings on the newly paved section of Beacon St. between the Cambridge line and Park St.
During the week of September 2, contractors plan to install conduit across Scott St. and Park St. When that work is conducted, crews will need to close Scott St. or Park St. to through traffic during midday hours (approximately 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Beacon St. itself will remain open.
Work will continue to build the northbound raised cycle track on Beacon St. between Kent St. and Oxford St. Crews are installing granite edging and paving the track in sections.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 8/23/2019

MassDOT contractors plan to pave Beacon St. from Washington St. to Park St., including the Washington St. intersection, Sunday, August 25, from approximately 5 p.m. to midnight.
That section of Beacon St. will be closed during work hours with on-street parking restrictions. MBTA bus stops within or near the work zone on routes 83 and 86 may not be serviced during the road closure. Please see the MBTA website for advisories. Sidewalks are expected to remain open.
Within the next two weeks, contractors plan to install conduit across Scott St. and Park St. When that work is conducted, crews will need to close Scott St. or Park St. at the Beacon St. intersection during midday hours (approximately 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Beacon St. itself will remain open.
Over the next several weeks, contractors also plan to continue constructing the northbound raised cycle track on Beacon St. between Kent St. and Oxford St., installing granite edging and paving the track incrementally.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 8/16/2019

During the week of August 19, contractors plan to install granite edging for the northbound raised cycle track on Beacon St. between Kent St. and Oxford St. Installation of street furniture is also expected to begin along the roadway.
Logistics for the next round of paving are being finalized. If you live in the area, please make sure you're signed up for the City's Alert system to be notified in advance.
Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour during construction.

Updated 8/9/2019

Weather permitting, Beacon St. will close between Dickinson St. and Washington St. from approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 10, until approximately noon on Sunday, August 11, for roadway paving.
During work hours, on-street parking will be prohibited within the work zone and MBTA bus route 83 will not service stops on Beacon St. between Washington St. and Inman Sq. Sidewalks are expected to remain open.
Please note that bright lights with loud generators will be used overnight during paving. We apologize in advance for any disturbance.
During the week of August 12, contractors plan to continue installing granite edging and paving the northbound raised cycle track between Washington St. and Park St. When that section is complete, they'll begin installing the track between Kent St. and Oxford St.
Crews also plan to install conduit at Park St. Please expect parking restrictions and bike-lane closures at work zones.

Updated 8/5/2019

Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour while the work outlined below progresses.
Weather permitting, on or around Monday, August 5, contractors plan to begin installing curbing for one section of the northbound raised cycle track. If you live on the odd side of Beacon St. from Washington St. to Park St., access to your driveway is expected to be restricted starting Monday for approximately three days. Please plan to move your vehicle out of your driveway Sunday evening and use on-street parking until access is restored.
Paving one section of Beacon St., from just south of Washington St. to Dickinson St., is tentatively scheduled for overnight Saturday, August 10, into Sunday morning, August 11. This section of Beacon St. is expected to close starting at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday evening and reopen Sunday morning. If you live or travel in the area, sign up to receive City alerts to ensure you're notified in advance.
Pavement markings are expected to be installed approximately two to three weeks after paving, after the new asphalt has cured. As of now, contractors hope to pave the northern section of Beacon St. by the end of August. Schedules are subject to change.

Updated 7/26/2019

Cyclists are advised to use the bike detour. Contractors plan to install a high-friction surface on the southbound cycle track during the week of July 29. The Somerville Bicycle Committee recommends this route to Inman Sq. and this route to Porter Sq.
Weather permitting, during the week of July 29, Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks at the Washington St. intersection near Dali, as well as in front of the driveway at 65 Beacon St. They're coordinating directly with residents there to schedule that work.
The northbound raised cycle track is expected to be installed within the next few weeks. The track will run from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St. If you live within those sections of Beacon St., access to your driveway may be temporarily restricted during cycle track installation. Abutters will be notified directly, but please make sure you're signed up for City Alerts to be sure you get the message.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 7/19/2019

Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour. The Somerville Bicycle Committee recommends this route to Inman Sq. and this route to Porter Sq.
Weather permitting, during the week of July 22, Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks at the Washington St. intersection near Dali, as well as in front of the driveway at 65 Beacon St. They're coordinating directly with residents there to schedule that work.
The northbound raised cycle track is expected to be installed within the next few weeks. The track will run from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St. If you live within those sections of Beacon St., access to your driveway may be temporarily restricted during cycle track installation. Abutters will be notified directly, but please make sure you're signed up for City Alerts to be sure you get the message.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 7/12/2019

Cyclists are advised to continue using the bike detour. The Somerville Bicycle Committee recommends this route to Inman Sq. and this route to Porter Sq.
Weather permitting, the northbound raised cycle track will be paved starting on or around July 17 over the course of an estimated three to four days. The track will run from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St.
During the week of July 15, MassDOT also expects traffic conduit will be installed, and contractors will coordinate with residents at 65 Beacon prior to placing concrete at that driveway.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 7/5/2019

Due to raised cast iron drainage and utility structures in the roadway, cyclists are advised to use the bike detour. The Somerville Bicycle Committee recommends this route to Inman Sq. and this route to Porter Sq.
Weather permitting, during the week of July 8, Newport reports they plan to place concrete for new sidewalks at remaining driveways between Buckingham St. and Whole Foods.
They also plan to continue installing the northbound cycle track from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 6/28/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of July 1, Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks at remaining driveways between Concord Ave. to Dickinson St.
They also plan to work on installing the northbound cycle track, which will run from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St.
Due to raised cast iron drainage and utility structures in the roadway, northbound cyclists are advised to use the bike detour for the next two weeks or so. The Somerville Bicycle Committee recommends this route to Inman Sq. and this route to Porter Sq.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 6/21/2019

Weather permitting, early during the week of June 24, Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks from Concord Ave. to Dickinson St.
Next, they'll place concrete at isolated patches remaining throughout the job site, including in front of some driveways and at the northwest corner of the Beacon St./Washington St. intersection, adjacent to Dalí.
Northbound cyclists are strongly encouraged to use the bike detour starting the week of June 24 as work gets underway to build the new cycle track from Washington St. to Park St. and from Kent St. to Oxford St. Cast iron drainage and utility structures will be raised in the roadway, then track installation will take an estimated two to three weeks.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 6/14/2019

Weather permitting, work is expected to continue Monday, June 17 (Bunker Hill Day).
During the week of June 17, as weather permits, 26 more trees will be planted on Beacon St., along with shrubs and ground-cover plants.
Newport plans to install curb and conduit on the odd side of Beacon St. between Concord Ave. and the project limit at the Cambridge line. Then they'll place concrete for new sidewalks in that same stretch.
Additional crews may be onsite finishing up masonry work and laying out the new cycle track. More details on bike lane installation to come when it's confirmed.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. into the afternoon.

Updated 6/7/2019

Forty trees have now been planted this season, with 26 more slated for a mid-June installation.
During the week of June 10, work is expected on both sides of Beacon St. between Buckingham St. and the project limit at Hampshire St., so pedestrians may want to seek an alternate route if possible.
Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks on the odd side of the street from Buckingham St. to Concord Ave. and on the even side from the Walgreens driveway to the project limit
They also plan to excavate sidewalks and curb on the odd side between Concord Ave. and the project limit.
Please expect crews to work extended hours as needed, including weekday evenings and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. through the afternoon.

Updated 5/31/2019

During the week of June 3, work is going to intensify between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line. As outlined below, crews will be on both sides of Beacon St. in that stretch; signs will be posted to direct pedestrians to cross safely where required, but those who are able may want to seek an alternate route.
Tree planting will continue on both sides of Beacon St. from Washington St. progressing toward Concord Ave. Please expect parking restrictions adjacent to the work zone.
On the odd side of the street, from Waldo Ave. to Concord Ave., crews will place curb; install conduit, tree grates, and pull boxes; and place concrete for new sidewalks.
On the even side of the street, from the Walgreens driveway to the project limit at Hampshire St., another crew plans to excavate sidewalks and curb.
Newport may take advantage of extended work hours as needed, potentially working through the early evening on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. through the afternoon on Saturdays.

Updated 5/24/2019

If weather and schedules allow, during the week of May 27, more than 40 trees are expected to be planted between Washington St. and Concord Ave. Work will progress south in sections through the week. Please expect parking restrictions adjacent to the work zone.
Newport also plans to excavate sidewalks and curb between Buckingham St. and Concord Ave. and touch up isolated sections near the Washington St. intersection.

Updated 5/17/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of May 20, Newport plans to place concrete for new sidewalks between Washington St. and Waldo Ave.
When those are done, they'll excavate sidewalks and curb between Buckingham St. and Concord Ave. Please expect parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 5/10/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of May 13, Newport plans to install curb, conduit, and tree grates between Washington St. and Waldo Ave. Then they'll place concrete for new sidewalks in that same stretch. Please expect parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 5/3/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of May 6, Newport plans to finish placing concrete for new sidewalks between Cooney St. and the Walgreens parking lot.
Next, they'll move to the odd side of Beacon St. to begin excavating sidewalks and curb between Washington St. and Waldo Ave. Please expect parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 4/26/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of April 29, Newport plans to install curb, conduit, tree grates, and pull boxes between Cooney St. and the Walgreens parking lot, requiring parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 4/19/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of April 22, Newport plans to excavate existing sidewalks and curb between Cooney St. and the Walgreens parking lot, requiring parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 4/12/2019

Weather permitting, during the week of April 15, Newport plans to finish placing concrete for new sidewalks between Smith Ave. and Cooney St.
When those are completed, they'll begin excavating existing sidewalks and curbs between Cooney St. and the Cambridge city line. Please expect parking restrictions and bike lane closures at work zones.

Updated 3/22/2019

Newport plans to resume work the week of April 1 between Smith Ave. and Cooney St.
Contractors will also be onsite making some initial adjustments to traffic signal timing at the Beacon St. / Washington St. intersection to add more crossing time for pedestrians.
When conditions allow, temporary pavement markings will also be applied at that intersection to facilitate traffic movements until final markings are applied later this year.

Updated 1/18/2019

Fittingly, new traffic beacons on Beacon St. should be operational late in the week of January 21 or early in the week of January 28.
New HAWK (High-intensity Activated Crosswalk) beacons will be installed at Sacramento St. and at Buckingham St. (near Star Market and Whole Foods). They look a little different than typical traffic signals, but the general idea is the same: Vehicles must prepare to stop at a yellow light and stop at a red light. Pedestrians should cross only when the Walk symbol is showing. See the phases in the diagram above or watch this GIF of the cycle.
Two existing signals at Park St. and Washington St. will also be upgraded with higher-visibility signal indications, audible pedestrian signals, and new timing to reduce delay for all users.

Updated 1/14/2019

Throughout the week of January 14, Dagle Electrical Construction Corp. will continue installing traffic-signal mast arms on Beacon St. at the Park St. intersection and the Washington St. intersection. The new signals won't be activated for a few weeks' time while other equipment is installed and tested.

Updated 1/2/2019

Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Washington St: September 2018 – May 2019
Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Cooney/Buckingham: September 2018 – May 2019
Construct Sidewalks, Washington to Hampshire: October 2018 – May 2019
Install Concrete Paver Accent Strip along Sidewalks: November 2018 – June 2019
6’ Cycle Track – Oxford to Washington: April – May 2019
Install Furniture on Sidewalks: April – May 2019
Install Traffic Signals: December 2018 – May 2019
Install Signage: May 2019
Fire Alarm System: May – June 2019
Install Trees: May – June 2019
Install Granite Curb & Concrete Pavers for Raised Planters: June 2019
Adjust Structures in Road for Final Paving: June – July 2019
Milling & Paving: July 2019
Install High Friction Surface on Cycle Track: July – August 2019
Stripe Thermoplastic Crosswalks: July – August 2019
Paint Pavement Markings: July – August 2019

Updated 12/21/2018

Roadway striping between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line has been postponed until after the holidays due to Friday's rain. More information will be provided here and on the project website when a new date has been scheduled.

On Monday, December 24, contractors are planning to pour the foundation for a control box near the Cooney St. intersection. This is a small, quick pour around the conduit with minimal impacts expected, but please observe parking restrictions in the area.

After the New Year holiday, Newport plans to repair the entrance to the cycle track near the Sacramento St. intersection. That area will be milled out with a small milling machine and repaved to alleviate puddling. There will be parking restrictions and the cycle track will be temporarily closed. More information will be provided here and in the weekly construction newsletter when a new date has been scheduled.

Updated 12/18/2018

Please note: The information in the update below is no longer correct. Please see the latest update above.

~~On Friday, December 21, please expect parking restrictions and a closure of the cycle track due to the following work on Beacon St.:~~

Dagle is planning to pour the control box foundation near the Cooney St. intersection. This is a small, quick pour around the conduit with minimal impacts expected, but please observe parking restrictions in the area.
Late Thursday morning, Newport is planning to repair the entrance to the cycle track near the Sacramento St. intersection (R.F. O’Sullivan’s). That area will be milled out with a small milling machine and repaved to alleviate puddling. There will be parking restrictions in that area and the cycle track will be closed.
Roadway striping is still planned for overnight Thursday into Friday morning. Please note parking restrictions between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line. See the previous post on this page for a summary of that work.

Updated 12/14/2018

The roadway painting planned for last week has been rescheduled due to cold temperatures.

Weather permitting, contractors will now finish painting roadway markings between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line overnight Thursday, December 20, into Friday morning, December 21.

Work is expected between 8 p.m. Thursday and approximately 4 a.m. Friday.

On-street parking will be restricted overnight Thursday to accommodate the painting.

The paint is temporary for the winter season. Final striping will be applied at the completion of the project in 2019.

Updated 12/7/2018

Overnight Sunday, December 9, into Monday morning, December 10, contractors will finish painting roadway markings between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line. Work is expected between 8 p.m. Sunday and approximately 4 a.m. Monday.

On-street parking will be restricted overnight Sunday to accommodate the painting.
The paint is temporary for the winter season. Final striping will be applied at the completion of the project in 2019.
By the week of December 10, Newport Construction is expected to have cleaned up their work zone and demobilized for the winter.

Updated 12/6/2018

This email is to inform you of overnight work planned for Sunday night, December 9, into Monday morning, December 10, as part of the Beacon Street Reconstruction Project.

Contractors will be working between 8 p.m. Sunday and approximately 4 a.m. Monday morning to finish painting roadway markings between Washington St. and the Cambridge city line prior to the winter season. The paint will be temporary and is intended as an interim coat for the winter season. Final painting will occur at the completion of the project in 2019.

Please note that on-street parking will be restricted during work hours, but this work is not expected to be noisy or otherwise impactful to abutters. If you have any questions, please email construction@somervillema.gov.

Updated 11/30/2018

Newport Construction will finish patching small areas and cleaning up their work site through the week of December 3.
Temporary pavement markings have been applied for the winter, including crosswalks and stop lines. Final roadway striping will occur at the completion of the project in 2019.
Some work associated with this project, like traffic-signal installations, is still planned to take place over the winter. Scroll to the September update to see a schedule of upcoming work.

Updated 11/6/2018

Milling and paving operations on Beacon St. originally planned to begin on Wednesday, November 7, will be delayed until Thursday, November 8. Crews hope to be able to mill and pave all sections on Thursday, however some work may be required on Friday morning.

As a reminder, Beacon St. will be closed between Oxford St. and Park St. during work hours. Bicycle detour plans can be found in the links below:

Vehicle traffic on Beacon St. will be detoured on Somerville Ave. and Park St. as follows:

Eastbound on Somerville Ave. (from Porter Square toward Cambridge): Right on Park St., left on Beacon St.
Westbound on Beacon St. (from Cambridge toward Somerville Ave.): Right on Park St., left on Somerville Ave.

Bicycle traffic should continue to use the suggested bicycle detour, as follows:

Eastbound on Somerville Ave. (toward Cambridge): Right on Dane St. to Calvin St., left on Dimick St., right on Concord Ave., left on Hammond St., right on Dickinson St., and left on Hampshire St.
Westbound from Cambridge (toward Porter Square): Right on Concord Ave., left on Wyatt St. to Perry St., left on Washington St., right on Leland St. to Dane Ave., right onto Dane St., and left onto Somerville Ave.

If possible, we recommend seeking alternate routes on Thursday. In the event of heavy rain, work will be delayed by one day.

If you have any questions, please call 311 (617-666-3311) or email construction@somervillema.gov. Thank you.

Updated 11/5/2018

Now that necessary gas repairs have been completed as part of the ongoing Beacon St. Reconstruction Project, on ~~Wednesday, November 7~~ Thursday, November 8, weather permitting, contractors will mill and pave to restore open gas trenches on Beacon St. between Oxford St. and Washington St.

Due to the nature of the work, Beacon St. will be closed between Oxford St. and Park St., and alternating traffic will be in effect between Park St. and Washington St. This work is expected to take one full day to complete, between 7:30 a.m. continuing through the evening commute on Wednesday.

During this time, vehicle traffic on Beacon St. will be detoured on Somerville Ave. and Park St. as follows:

Eastbound on Somerville Ave. (from Porter Square toward Cambridge): Right on Park St., left on Beacon St.
Westbound on Beacon St. (from Cambridge toward Somerville Ave.): Right on Park St., left on Somerville Ave.

Bicycle traffic should continue to use the suggested bicycle detour, as follows:

Eastbound on Somerville Ave. (toward Cambridge): Right on Dane St. to Calvin St., left on Dimick St., right on Concord Ave., left on Hammond St., right on Dickinson St., and left on Hampshire St.
Westbound from Cambridge (toward Porter Square): Right on Concord Ave., left on Wyatt St. to Perry St., left on Washington St., right on Leland St. to Dane Ave., right onto Dane St., and left onto Somerville Ave.

If possible, please seek alternate routes on Wednesday. In the event of heavy rain, work will be delayed by one day.

If you have any questions, please call 311 (617-666-3311) or email construction@somervillema.gov. Thank you.

Updated 9/6/2018

Ongoing Utility Work

Utility companies, primarily Verizon and Comcast, will continue to relocate and transfer utilities through September. This work will be isolated at certain poles and will require minor excavation at those locations. No traffic impacts are anticipated. As work is completed at these poles, Eversource will remove the old poles.

Eversource Gas Work

Eversource crews have adjusted 20 of their 32 valve boxes. Next week, they anticipate completing the final 12. This will require no traffic or parking impacts. Work will be completed until 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Sidewalk Reconstruction

Beginning on Monday, September 10, Newport Construction will reconstruct portions of sidewalk at the corners of the intersection of Beacon St. and Washington St. In order, excavation will occur at the corner adjacent to the Wine & Cheese Cask, followed by the corner adjacent to the Biscuit, and the corner adjacent to Bergamot. Work at the corner adjacent to Dali may be delayed by necessary utility work. On Tuesday, crews will install new curbing, and for the duration of the week they will work on installation of underground conduit and materials. Weather permitting, cement will be poured at the beginning of the following week. While sidewalk panels are excavated, temporary pedestrian accommodations will be made.

Schedule Update

MassDOT has released an updated timeline for the remaining work on the entire length of Beacon St. This includes a new schedule for sidewalk reconstruction between Washington St. and the Cambridge line, expected completion of all utility work, completion of the protected bike lane and elevated bike lane, landscaping, final paving, and other items. A list is included below with expected timeline for completion.

Utility Relocation – Eversource: September 2018
Utility Relocation – Comcast: September 2018
Utility Relocation – Verizon: September 2018
Repair Trenches in Roadway: September 2018
Fire Alarm System: May - June 2019
Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Washington St: September - October 2018
Construct Sidewalks, Beacon at Cooney/Buckingham: September - October 2018
Install Mast Arm Foundations: September - October 2018
Construct Sidewalks, Washington to Hampshire: October 2018 - May 2019
Install Concrete Paver Accent Strip along Sidewalks: November 2018, April – May 2019
6’ Cycle Track – Oxford to Washington: April – May 2019
Install Furniture on Sidewalks: November 2019, April – May 2019
Install Trees: May – June 2019
Install Signage: May 2019
Install Traffic Signals: December 2018 – May 2019
Adjust Structures in Road for Final Paving: May – June 2019
Milling & Paving: June 2019
Install Granite Curb & Concrete Paver Sidewalks: June 2019
Stripe Thermoplastic Crosswalks: June 2019
Install High Friction Surface on Cycle Track: June 2019
Paint Pavement Markings: June – July 2019

Notes for End of Season Preparation

While final work will not be completed until 2019 as of the current schedule, there will be accommodations made to ensure safe travel for vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians over the winter months. That plan is still in development and we will continue to update you as we have those plans available.

If you have any questions about any of the work above, please contact Construction@somervillema.gov.

Older Updates

Updated 8/24/2018

Upcoming Work Highlights

Beginning on Monday, August 27, and continuing for approximately 2 weeks, Eversource Gas and their contractors will be on site along the entire length of Beacon Street conducting gas patch repairs and temporary paving, and adjustments to valve boxes.

Electric utility work will continue, mostly between Washington St. and the Cambridge line.

On Thursday or Friday of next week, Northern Tree Service will remove the final three trees that were pre-scheduled for removal between Washington St. and the Cambridge line. *These are trees that are in poor health or dead. These are not the four trees that were reprioritized to be saved earlier this spring.

Eversource Gas Work (Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Eversource will be repairing patch work, mostly between Oxford St. and Washington St., at sites where they had previously repaired gas leaks. The patching was found by project staff to be insufficient, and is requiring that Eversource make the repairs before the roadway is repaved in its final condition. For this work, crews will be excavating in small sections, and they do not anticipate any lane shifts or parking restrictions. Weather permitting, the work will take two weeks to complete.

Additionally, Eversource gas crews will be on site along the entire length of Beacon St. throughout the week of August 27 to adjust 32 underground valve boxes. Again, excavation is expected to be minimal with no traffic or parking impacts. This work will take approximately one week to complete, weather permitting.

Tree Removals & Information

On Thursday, August 30, or Friday, August 31, Northern Tree Service will remove the final 3 trees that are scheduled for removal. These trees are not the four trees that were identified following a public hearing earlier this year to be preserved. The trees scheduled for removal next week have been deemed by an arborist to be in poor health, and must be removed. The locations of the trees to be removed are: 108 Concord Ave (tree located on Beacon St.), 45/47 Beacon St., and 111 Beacon St.

As a reminder, following a public hearing held on April 23, 2018, an additional four trees were marked for preservation this year. In order to retain these four trees, MassDOT has reviewed and revised plans for the streetscape in each of those areas, and determined that adjustments must be made to the curb line which will result in the net loss of up to an additional 6 parking spaces. Following the removal of the three trees during the week of August 27, no additional removals are planned at this time.

Ongoing Utility Work

Work by Comcast, RCN, and Verizon to transfer services from existing utility poles is ongoing. On Tuesday, August 28, there will be work on Pole #1, located at 6 Beacon St., which will require excavation of the sidewalk panel at that location. This will be conducted during normal work hours (7 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

Please note that in the coming weeks as each company completes their transfers, it may be necessary for crews to request access to parts of the services within your property. If they are able to schedule this access as soon as possible, this will greatly assist in the overall project timeline. If you are unsure of this work, please always contact 311 with any questions.

If you have any questions about any of the work above, please contact Construction@somervillema.gov.

Updated 8/17/2018

Though the final phase of construction (sidewalk reconstruction and tree planting between Washington St. and the Cambridge line, and final paving of the entire street) is still on hold while utility companies complete necessary gas repairs and electric and communications transfers from existing poles, there are some updates to report with regard to the utility work.

Beginning on Monday, August 20, crews from RCN and Comcast will be relocating underground conduit at several existing utility poles, primarily between Washington St. and the Cambridge line. Please note that the following dates are subject to change due to weather or other required underground work. This phase of utility work is not anticipated to take longer than two weeks to complete; however, if the schedule changes we will notify you in advance.

Beginning Monday, August 20: Pole #14, located between Kirkland St. and Dimick St.
Beginning Wednesday, August 22: Pole #28, located between Kent St. and Ivaloo St.
Beginning Friday, August 24: Pole #18, located at the corner of Washington St. and Beacon St.

For this work, crews will need to excavate a portion of the existing sidewalk (note that these are NOT recently-reconstructed sidewalks), and there will be temporary No Parking zones in the immediate vicinity of the pole on each work day. Unless in case of unforeseen delays after excavation, work at each pole is expected to take 1-2 days to complete. Work will be conducted between the hours of 7 a.m. and approximately 3 p.m. Newport Construction will also be on site to conduct the required excavation.

If you have any questions, please contact Construction@somervillema.gov.

Updated 6/27/2018

Weather permitting, on Saturday, June 30, Newport Construction will be paving an interim layer of asphalt within the intersection of Beacon St. and Washington St., between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. While traffic will be maintained on Beacon St. at all times, Washington St. will be closed during work hours. The work is being performed during the day on Saturday to prevent the need for three consecutive nights of overnight paving work. Though the work will not take long to complete, the pavement will need to cool and set before vehicles can drive on the surface, so work hours may extend to 4:30, though there is a potential for the road to reopen sooner.

During work hours, vehicle and bicycle traffic on Washington St. will be detoured as follows:

Southbound (from Union Sq. toward Cambridge): Right on Dane St., left on Somerville Ave., left on Park St. to Beacon St.
Northbound on Kirkland St. (from Cambridge): Left on Holden St. (in Cambridge), right on Scott St. to Beacon St.

If possible, please seek alternate routes on Saturday.

If you have any questions or concerns, email construction@somervillema.gov, or call 311 (617-666-3311). Thank you.

*Please note that typical construction hours on Saturday begin at 9 a.m.,; however, the contractor has been granted special permission by the DPW Commissioner to begin the work at 7:30 a.m. in order to complete it as soon as possible before temperatures begin to rise.

Updated 6/14/2018

Updates and Important Information

Beginning on Monday, June 18, Newport will move into the intersection of Washington St. and Beacon St. for the final portion of excavation on the project.* This work will consist of adjustments to castings, manholes, and other such structures, and there will be no traffic impacts until June 21, when excavation will begin in the intersection.

Beginning on June 21 and lasting for approximately 2-3 weeks, Newport will conduct full depth excavation within the intersection, in small sections. By doing so, they expect to be able to maintain two-way traffic at all times, with some traffic pattern changes as follows:**

Between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., two-way traffic will be maintained on both Beacon St. and Washington St.
- Lane shifts will be in place on Beacon St. from 7 a.m. to approximately 3:30 p.m. to accommodate two-way traffic.
Between 9 a.m. and approximately 3:30 p.m., there will be alternating traffic on Washington St., with the assistance of police details. Two-way traffic will be maintained; however, there may be brief delays due to the alternating traffic pattern.

Barring any unforeseen delays, Newport hopes to have the intersection paved (with an interim layer, not the final paving) before July 4; however, please stay tuned for updates during this phase of construction.

*Though June 18 is a City holiday, Newport has been granted permission by the DPW Commissioner to work on the holiday in order to keep the work on schedule and work with minimal traffic.

**This plan is subject to change following review by Traffic Engineers and/or by on-site police details if and when safety is considered an issue.

Additional Planned Work

During the week of June 18, you can also expect to see the following activity:

Between Oxford and Washington Streets: Newport’s subcontractor will continue installation of new trees (100 in total when complete). To accommodate this work, there will be parking restrictions at various locations. Please review posted signage. We anticipate that tree plantings in this area will be complete by Tuesday, June 19.

As a reminder, the suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:

Questions?

Please check out the other tabs on this page for project background and FAQs and other important information.

If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the project staff:

City of Somerville Construction Staff: construction@somervillema.gov

The City of Somerville’s Constituent Service Center: 311 (617-666-3311), 311Updates@somervillema.gov.

Updated 6/6/2018

Due to heavy rains earlier this week, contractors on Beacon St. were unable to complete paving work between Concord Ave. and Dickinson St. as previously scheduled. To remain on schedule and to ensure the road is paved as quickly as possible, contractors will be working longer than normal hours on Thursday. Crews will be off of Beacon St. by 8 p.m.

During paving, two-way traffic will be maintained at all times; however, because travel lanes may be narrower, please allow some extra travel time when in this area.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call 311 (617-666-3311) or emailconstruction@somervillema.gov.

Updated 6/1/2018

Updates and Important Information

Beginning the week of June 18, Newport will move into the intersection of Washington St. and Beacon St. for the final portion of excavation on the project.* A Traffic Management Plan is still being devised and will be shared as soon as it has been approved. At this time, crews do not anticipate full closure of the intersection during the work, which is scheduled to take approximately 2-3 weeks to complete. Traffic patterns may involve lane shifts and/or alternating traffic during work hours (7 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m.)** Please stay tuned for updates over the next several weeks. While work in the intersection will begin during the week of June 18, no traffic pattern changes will occur until June 22, the day after Somerville schools close for summer recess.

*No further excavation is anticipated at this time; however, should any unexpected utility work be necessary it will need to be completed prior to the final paving of Beacon St. There is a five-year moratorium in Somerville on digging up streets (except for emergencies) following completion of a paving project.

**This plan is subject to change following review by Traffic Engineers and/or by on-site police details if and when safety is considered an issue.

Upcoming Schedule

During the week of June 4, you can expect to see the following activity:

Between Concord Ave. and Dickinson St.: On Wednesday, June 6 and Thursday, June 7, Newport will pave the binder coat, completing the major excavation work at this location. Parking restrictions will be in place through the work zone at all times (24/7) on weekdays. Parking may be available between Friday evening and Monday morning, but please review all posted signage when parking.
Between Oxford and Washington Streets: Newport’s subcontractor will perform the installation of new trees (100 in total, when complete). To accommodate this work, there will be parking restrictions at various locations. Please review posted signage.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:
- Porter to Inman Detour
- Inman to Porter Detour

Note: During excavation, while there are no long-term detours planned at this time, there may be brief periods of time where residents of abutting streets (such as Calvin and Waldo) will not be able to exit directly onto Beacon Street. These periods are estimated to be no longer than approximately 2 hours when contractors are working at the intersections with those streets. Residents will be advised to drive away from Beacon Street (even if your street is a one way) during those periods of time. While we will do our best to notify you when crews will be in that area, it may be difficult to predict with exact certainty as the work may vary from day to day.d

Updated 5/8/2018

Please be advised that due to delays with a shipment of asphalt today that was beyond the control of contractors, Newport Construction crews will remain on Beacon St., between Washington St. and Buckingham St., beyond normal working hours this evening. While two-way traffic will be maintained at all times via an alternating traffic pattern, please be advised that traffic may be heavier than normal during the evening commute in this area.

Additionally, on Wednesday, May 8, Newport will be working in the area between Oxford St. and Sacramento St. to install permanent pavement patches around previously installed drainage systems. Again, traffic will be maintained and access will be allowed for abutters at all times. However, there may be brief periods of time where crews may need to work with you to gain access to or from your driveway, or onto an abutting side street. These delays are expected to be very brief in nature throughout the day on Wednesday.

If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Rossetti at Jrossetti@somervillema.gov, or call 311.

Thank you!

Updated 4/29/2018

Upcoming Construction Schedule

On Saturday, April 28, Newport will have a very small crew on Beacon St. to address any issues that may arise as a result of predicted heavy rainfall overnight on Friday. There should not be significant noise or other issues as a result of the work; however, if you do notice crews on site please be aware that the only work that will be conducted is as a direct result of rainfall and mitigation of any issues.

During the week of April 30, you can expect to see the following activity between Washington St. and Buckingham St., as well as between Roseland St. and Oxford St.:

Newport will continue excavation and related repairs between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
By the end of the week, weather permitting, Newport plans to pave a base and binder layer of pavement between Washington St. and Buckingham St.
Between Roseland St. and Oxford St., Newport will install curbing, conduit, and tree grates as well as complete sidewalk and driveway work. There may be some brief lane shifts and temporary no parking associated with this work. When concrete is being poured along sections of sidewalk, pedestrian traffic will temporary be detoured. Please obey all posted signage.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:
- Porter to Inman Detour
- Inman to Porter Detour

During the week of May 7, you can expect to see the following activity between Buckingham St. and Dickinson St., as well as between Roseland St. and Oxford St.:

Newport will begin full depth excavation and related repairs between Buckingham St. and Dickinson St.
Between Roseland St. and Oxford St., Newport will continue to install curbing, conduit, and tree grates as well as complete sidewalk and driveway work. There may be some brief lane shifts and temporary no parking associated with this work. When concrete is being poured along sections of sidewalk, pedestrian traffic will temporarily be detoured. Please obey all posted signage.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:
- Porter to Inman Detour
- Inman to Porter Detour

During the week of May 14, you can expect to see the following activity between Washington St. and Buckingham St., as well as between Forest St. and Washington St.:

Newport will continue full depth excavation and related repairs between Buckingham St. and Dickinson St.
Between Forest St. and Washington St., Newport will install curb bump-outs. There may be some brief lane shifts and temporary no parking associated with this work. When concrete is being poured along sections of sidewalk, pedestrian traffic will temporarily be detoured. Please obey all posted signage.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:
- Porter to Inman Detour
- Inman to Porter Detour

Newport does not anticipate the closure of Beacon St. and will not detour vehicles off of Beacon St. during construction. Using police details, vehicle traffic will be maintained in an alternating pattern through the work zone. To accommodate this traffic plan, there will be parking restrictions between Washington St. and Dickinson St., on both sides of Beacon St., as follows:

Eastbound: No parking 24/7, from Monday morning through Friday evening. Parking will be available from Friday night through Sunday. (Please review signage before parking.)
Westbound: Due to a shallow gas main, parking restrictions will remain in place at all times. Please review posted signage.

Questions?

Please check out Beacon Street Reconstruction project page for project background and FAQs and other important information.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the project staff:

City of Somerville Deputy Director of Communications, Jackie Rossetti: 617-625-6600 ext. 2614,JRossetti@somervillema.gov
The City of Somerville’s Constituent Service Center: 311 (617-666-3311),311Updates@somervillema.gov.

Thank you!

Updated 4/13/2018

Upcoming Construction Schedule

As a reminder, the full-depth reconstruction between Washington St. and Buckingham St. will begin on Tuesday, April 17. Newport does not anticipate the closure of Beacon St. and will not detour vehicles off of Beacon St. during construction. Using police details, vehicle traffic will be maintained in an alternating pattern through the work zone. To accommodate this traffic plan, there will be parking restrictions between Washington St. and Buckingham St., on both sides of Beacon St. Please review posted signage. It is anticipated that work within this zone will take approximately 6 weeks to complete before Newport moves to the final section (Buckingham St. to Dickinson St.).

During the week of April 17, you can expect to see the following activity between Washington St. and Buckingham St.:

On Tuesday, April 17, Newport will mill (remove existing pavement) between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
On Wednesday, April 18, Newport will begin full road box excavation between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
Installation of curb and concrete on ADA ramps at the intersections of Greenwood, Stanford, Miller, Eustis, Durha, and Properzi.
Installation of traffic bases and conduit at Park St. and Sacramento St.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place, and is available at www.somervillema.gov/beaconstreet.

For the above work, parking restrictions will be in place from Washington St. to Buckingham St.

Note: During excavation, while there are no long-term detours planned at this time, there may be brief periods of time where residents of abutting streets (such as Calvin and Waldo) will not be able to exit directly onto Beacon Street. These periods are estimated to be no longer than approximately 2 hours, when contractors are working at the intersections with those streets. Residents will be advise to drive away from Beacon Street (even if your street is a one way) during those periods of time. While we will do our best to notify you when crews will be in that area, it may be difficult to predict with exact certainty as the work may vary from day to day.

During the week of April 23, you can expect to see the following activity between Washington St. and Buckingham St.:

Continued excavation between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
Installation of curb and concrete on ADA ramps on Beacon St. between Roseland St. and Oxford St.
Installation of traffic bases and conduit at Park St. and Sacramento St.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place, and is available at www.somervillema.gov/beaconstreet.
For the above work, parking restrictions will be in place from Washington St. to Buckingham St.
TENTATIVE: Pending the tree hearing on April 23, tree removal is scheduled for April 27.

Tree Hearing April 23

There are 7 trees remaining along Beacon Street that are scheduled for removal as defined in the project plans. The trees are located as follows:

111 Beacon
85 Beacon
45/47 Beacon (at Whole Foods)
45/47 Beacon (between the two driveways at Whole Foods)
23 Beacon (note: this tree has been deemed to be dead by a Certified Arborist)
15/17 Beacon
11 Beacon

Per state law, there will be a tree hearing prior to the removal of those trees on Monday, April 23 (because the tree at 23 Beacon St. is dead it will not be included in the hearing). The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington St. Any objections to their removal must be submitted in writing prior to or during the hearing. Written objections should be addressed to Somerville Tree Warden, and emailed to: trees@somervillema.gov, or mailed to: 1 Franey Rd., Somerville, MA. 02145.

Note: There has been much discussion surrounding the removal of trees along Beacon Street, and whether those trees were called out for removal in the final project plans. The plans have not changed from 2015. These are the most recent and the final plans. Within the current plan the estimate you see calls for 30 trees to be removed, but this estimate only includes those with a diameter of over 9 inches but less than 24”. All other trees are considered incidental work under “unclassified excavation,” but are still called out in the plan.

Questions?

Please check out Beacon Street Reconstruction project page for project background and FAQs and other important information.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the project staff:

City of Somerville Deputy Director of Communications, Jackie Rossetti: 617-625-6600 ext. 2614, JRossetti@somervillema.gov
The City of Somerville’s Constituent Service Center: 311 (617-666-3311), 311Updates@somervillema.gov.

Thank you!

Updated 4/10/2018

Due to the nature of the work that begins this week on Beacon St. and the need to continue to allow two-way traffic at all times, the temporary parking restrictions in the area of Washington St. – Buckingham St. will be enforced at all times, not just during work hours. Again, please review signage regularly as the times are subject to change.

Update 4/5/2018

With warmer weather approaching, construction projects citywide will begin again in April. On Beacon Street, Newport Construction plans to mobilize their crews during the week of April 9, with the heavier construction beginning the week of April 17. Note, however, that you will see crews conducting adjustments and installing a new traffic signal mast arm at the intersection of Park St. beginning this week. While there is no planned road closure for this work, police details will assist the subcontractor, Dagle Electric, with an alternating traffic pattern between the hours of 9 a.m. and approximately 3:30 p.m.

During the week of April 9, you can expect to see the following work on Beacon St. in preparation for full construction the following week.

Dagle will continue installing mast arms and signal heads at the intersection with Park St., and move on to the intersection with Sacramento St.
Newport will install curbing and complete work and repairs on ADA ramps at the intersections of Greenwood, Stanford, Miller, Eustis, Durham, and Properzi.
~~For the above work, parking restrictions will be in place from Washington St. to Buckingham St. during work hours~~. Update: Due to the nature of the work that begins this week on Beacon St. and the need to continue to allow two-way traffic at all times, the temporary parking restrictions in the area of Washington St. – Buckingham St. will be enforced at all times, not just during work hours. Again, please review signage regularly as the times are subject to change.
Two-way vehicle traffic is expected to be maintained during this week.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place:
- Porter to Inman Detour
- Inman to Porter Detour

During the week of April 17, heavier construction and excavation will begin between Washington St. and Buckingham St. (approximately 1,000 feet). Crews do not anticipate the closure of Beacon St. and will not detour vehicles off of Beacon St. during construction. Using police details, vehicle traffic will be maintained in an alternating pattern through the work zone. To accommodate this traffic plan, there will be parking restrictions between Washington St. and Buckingham St., on both sides of Beacon St. Please review posted signage. It is anticipated that work within this zone will take approximately 6 weeks to complete before Newport moves to the final section (Buckingham St. to Dickinson St.). During the week of April 17, you can expect to see the following activity between Washington St. and Buckingham St.:

On Tuesday, April 17, Newport will mill (remove existing pavement) between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
On Wednesday, April 17, Newport will begin full road box excavation between Washington St. and Buckingham Street.
Installation of curb and concrete on ADA ramps at the intersections of Greenwood, Stanford, Miller, Eustis, Durham and Properzi.
The suggested detour for all bicycle traffic remains in place, and is available at www.somervillema.gov/beaconstreet.
For the above work, parking restrictions will be in place from Washington St. to Buckingham St. during work hours. Please review posted signage each day for times and dates of the parking restrictions, as they may change.

Important Information About Tree Work

There are 7 trees remaining along Beacon Street that are scheduled for removal as defined in the project plans. The trees are located as follows:

111 Beacon
85 Beacon
45/47 Beacon (at Whole Foods)
45/47 Beacon (between the two driveways at Whole Foods)
23 Beacon (note: this tree has been deemed to be dead by a Certified Arborist)
15/17 Beacon
11 Beacon

Per state law, there will be a tree hearing prior to the removal of those trees on Monday, April 23 (because the tree at 23 Beacon St. is dead it will not be included in the hearing). The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the Public Safety Building, 220 Washington St. Any objections to their removal must be submitted in writing prior to or during the hearing. Written objections should be addressed to Somerville Tree Warden, and emailed to: trees@somervillema.gov, or mailed to: 1 Franey Rd., Somerville, MA. 02145.

Note: There has been much discussion surrounding the removal of trees along Beacon Street, and whether those trees were called out for removal in the final project plans. The plans have not changed from 2015. These are the most recent and the final plans. Within the current plan the estimate you see calls for 30 trees to be removed, but this estimate only includes those with a diameter of over 9 inches but less than 24”. All other trees are considered incidental work under “unclassified excavation,” but are still called out in the plan.

Community Meeting Recap

On Monday, March 19, there was a community meeting to discuss upcoming construction. The meeting minutes can be viewed at this link.

More Information

Please check out Beacon Street Reconstruction project page for project background and FAQs and other important information.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the project staff:

City of Somerville Deputy Director of Communications, Jackie Rossetti: 617-625-6600 ext. 2614, JRossetti@somervillema.gov
The City of Somerville’s Constituent Service Center: 311 (617-666-3311), 311Updates@somervillema.gov.

Updated 3/2/2018

Please join Ward 2 Alderman JT Scott, the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, MassDOT and Beacon St. Reconstruction Project staff on Monday, March 19, for a community meeting to discuss the ongoing roadway reconstruction. The team will provide updates on the 2018 construction season and answer questions from attendees. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Argenziano School, at 290 Washington St.

If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Rossetti at 617-625-6600 ext. 2614, or JRossetti@somervillema.gov.

(Update 4/5/2018: Meeting minutes are now available here.)

Updated 11/23/2017

Going into the Thanksgiving weekend, please be advised of the following changes and conditions along Beacon Street. Also please note that the construction teams’ final meeting before the winter season will be held on Thursday, November 30, and we will provide a full winter update at that time.

For this long weekend, Newport is now off-site and will remain off-site until next week. While major operations have now ended, there are some final items to complete including additional line striping (this has been challenging due to recent weather, however lines will be stripped as soon as possible and we will work to update you when crews become available and weather conditions are favorable). Additionally, signage will be installed along the corridor, including remaining stop signs at side streets as well as permanent signage along the section of Beacon St. between Oxford and Washington. Note that signage installation may continue through the winter months as weather allows.

The protected bike lane between Oxford and Washington is also now open, though not in its final condition, for the winter. Because it is not in final condition, we encourage bicyclists to continue to use the marked detour route when possible, and when using the protected facility on Beacon St., to use caution. Because this is a new facility, we encourage residents in this area to consider the following tips with regard to the protected bike facility:

When entering or exiting driveways and side streets, please remember that the new protected bike facility is located between the vehicle travel lane and the sidewalk, and use caution before proceeding.
On trash and recycling pickup days, barrels should be placed on the edge of the sidewalk, not in the bike facility/lane.
During snow storms, take care when shoveling sidewalks so as not to block the bike facility. City crews will have specialized equipment to clear the bike facility during and after snowstorms.

More Information

Please check out Beacon Street Reconstruction project page for project background and FAQs and other important information.

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact one of the project staff:

The City of Somerville’s Constituent Service Center: 311 (617-666-3311),311Updates@somervillema.gov.
City of Somerville Deputy Director of Communications, Jackie Rossetti: 617-625-6600 ext. 2614,JRossetti@somervillema.gov

Thank you!

Updated 11/3/2017

Beginning on Monday, November 6 (weather permitting), Eversource contractors will be on site between Washington St. and the Cambridge line to repave section of the roadway where they recently completed utility work. Because the work will be contained to a small section abutting the sidewalk, there are no planned road closures. However, in order to maintain two-way traffic, parking restrictions will be in place for the beginning of the week. In the event of rain, this work may be delayed by one day. Upon completion of the paving, Eversource will also schedule crews to repaint crosswalks and other traffic markings in that location.

Additionally, on the northern section of Beacon St. (Oxford St. to Washington St.), crews are scheduled to repaint crosswalks and traffic markings overnight on Monday, November 6. This work will not require parking restrictions or road closures. Please note that due to weather factors, the work may be delayed by one or two days, however at this time we do anticipate that the painting will be complete at the beginning of the week.

In the meantime, Newport Construction will continue to work to complete the rest of their work for the season, which will include:

Pouring concrete at 278 & 272 Beacon St. (week of Nov 6)
Installing brick sidewalk pavers between Morgan St. and Washington St. (week of Nov 6 & Nov 13)
Installing curbing and ramps at Greenwood, Stanford, Miller & Sacramento (week of Nov 13)

Updated 10/27/2017

Recent Work and Updates

Between Oxford St. and Washington St., Newport Construction continues to complete “button up” tasks to prepare Beacon St. for a safe winter season. This has and will continue to include pouring concrete along remaining sidewalks, installation of ramps at intersections, pavement patching, and tree grate installation.

Construction Look Ahead

With most of the “major” work completed along the entire stretch of Beacon St., Newport Construction crews will focus on completion of sidewalk work (including pouring concrete and laying brick pavers) between Park St. and Washington St. For the remainder of this week, the work will be focused in the areas of Scott St., Beckwith Cir., and installation of brick pavers between Morgan St. and Washington St.

During the week of October 30, Newport will form and pour driveways at 278 & 272 Beacon St., install curbing and ADA ramps at the intersections of Greenwood, Stanford, Miller, and Sacramento, and continue to install brick pavers between Morgan St. and Washington St.

During the week of November 6, Eversource contractors will return to the portion between Washington St. and the Cambridge line to add a pavement layer and temporary paint markings for the winter season. This work is expected to take 1-2 days, and will require lane closures to accommodate 2-way traffic. If for any reason the work will be delayed, the City has required that Eversource provide 48 hours notice to abutters.

Over the next several weeks, Newport will work to ensure the site is safe, accessible, and clean for the end of the construction season. The last phase of the major reconstruction will begin again in Spring 2018.

Bicycle Information and Detours

For the duration of the 2017 construction season, the protected bike lane (Oxford to Washington) will be closed. While bicyclists are always welcome to use the full travel lane, we strongly recommend that bicyclists use the MassDOT approved detour routes, which are supported by the City. Suggested detour routes can be found at:

As always, bicyclists may opt to use the full travel lane(s), however please take note that lane shifts and narrower travel lanes will be in effect throughout construction season.

Updated 10/24/2017

Dear Beacon Street Neighbors,

Thank you for reaching out about the Beacon Street tree removal. I'd like to update you on the City's recent meetings with representatives of MassDOT, as well as their contractor Newport Construction, to address the unauthorized removal of Beacon Street trees by Newport, along with subsequent actions taken. Also, I understand that some of you are frustrated at the pace of this response, but I want to assure you City and MassDOT staff have been actively addressing this issue, gathering information, and awaiting responses ourselves so that we could respond with full information.

As a reminder, Beacon Street is a MassDOT funded and managed project. As a result, as the contract holder, MassDOT demanded a full accounting of the actions that led to the unauthorized tree removal. This request confirmed that blatant violation of protocol resulted in the removal.

MassDOT actions

As a result, the City held two emergency meetings with MassDOT and Newport, and afterward, MassDOT undertook five initial actions regarding Newport:

MassDOT took the serious, disciplinary step of issuing an Interim Performance Evaluation that cited the contractor with low field compliance scores. This puts a permanent mark on Newport’s record, which will be taken into consideration when they bid for future MassDOT projects.
MassDOT has required Newport to revise their current construction coordination procedures, which have fallen short of acceptable standards.
MassDOT has demanded that the project meetings (which City staff also attend) be held weekly going forward rather than every other week.
MassDOT has demanded that the 3-week look-ahead, which was previously being updated every two weeks, now be updated weekly.
MassDOT is also reviewing and researching their options for other recourse.

We would like to note that MassDOT has been a reliable and important partner for the City overall across numerous projects, and without their willingness to fund and carry out Beacon Street reconstruction, this project would not have been possible. We are deeply disappointed with Newport’s tree removal, but based on the determination of MassDOT to address this effectively, we are confident that the failures in the system that allowed this will be addressed going forward on their end, and we are also taking steps as well to address this.

City Actions

City staff and our elected officials share your surprise and upset over the actions of Newport. In addition to requesting and supporting the MassDOT actions noted above. After reviewing the outcome of the above steps, the City requested additional review by MassDOT of this matter. MassDOT then issued a second Interim Performance Evaluation further citing Newport’s substandard performance and lowering their score further, making the mark on their record more severe.

The City is also taking this additional action: We are exploring options for recourse and damages that may be available to us. We are reviewing our options to respectfully and efficiently establish increased oversight over State projects and the resources we may need to request in order to do so. And finally, we working with the Board of Aldermen to enhance existing City tree legislation. We will keep you posted on all of these efforts.

Project Plans

That, of course, will not bring back the trees that were prematurely removed. Despite the expected spring removal called for in the project plans, no one in the neighborhood should have to go without the traffic calming, environmental, and recreational benefits of these trees any longer than necessary. The city’s top priority for all tree management and activities is always preservation whenever possible.

Due to the underground and surface work required for the full-depth reconstruction of the roadway, however, tree removals were necessary for all but a few trees, which were designated for preservation based on the details of their locations. Removal of most of the trees between Washington Street and Inman Square was expected in the spring, but only after final site review, community outreach, staff availability to residents, and onsite removal notice postings. Again, we would prefer not to have trees removed for construction, but the digging and root disruption caused by this work necessitated the unavoidable removal of most of the trees on Beacon.

To review the plans, please click on the Plans tab above, which has been updated to include all relevant plans.

Replacement planting: Plans call for ~190 new trees to replace ~75 removed

Whenever City public trees die or are required to be removed, we make every effort to replace them where possible—and expand the number of trees replanted where possible. Beacon Street is no different. All trees will be replanted in the largest survivable/advised size and with appropriate biodiversity once the construction phase and season are appropriate for planting. On Beacon, plans call for an increase in trees with a total of ~190 new trees replacing the ~75 trees removed (along the full length of the project) due to construction. We too desire, and have been striving for, an appealing, safe, and tree-lined streetscape for Beacon, just as we have been steadily striving to maintain and grow the tree canopy citywide.

Ongoing Updates

Again, thank you for reaching out about this issue. To continue to receive our regular email updates on the Beacon Street project please check back here, or go to somervillema.gov/alerts where you can review updates can sign up for project alerts.

Project Overview

Improvements Above and Below Ground

Improvements will include:

New sidewalks and new crosswalks
Traffic and pedestrian signal upgrades between Oxford St. and the Cambridge City line.
New curbing and other drainage upgrades will be installed.
Tree canopy and landscaping will be dramatically improved, with more than 200 new tree plantings in high-quality planter boxes.
A separated bicycle facility along some portions of the corridor will provide enhanced protection for cyclists by physically separating bicyclists from vehicle traffic. This technique is a national standard intended to serve all ages and abilities of bicyclists, rather than just the young, strong or fearless who are comfortable riding in mixed traffic.

A full-depth reconstruction means that crews will dig all the way down to the base layer to completely replace the roadway. The new surface will thus be far less prone to pot holing than it is currently.

In 2015, water and sewer pipes were repaired using a cutting-edge, trenchless method to give the existing pipes a new structural lining. This involves injecting a coating into the pipes that lines the old pipe, hardens, and effectively creates a new pipe within the old pipe. The method requires less time, money, and excavation than traditional dig-and-cut pipe replacement.

Building a Better Bike Lane

Beacon Street reconstruction is Somerville's first roadway project that will include an exclusive bike lane that is separated from the roadway and traffic. Unlike bike lanes marked by a stripe of paint, separation can be achieved through pavement markings, curbs/medians, on-street parking, bollards, or a combination of these elements.

The bike facility type is supported by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Federal Highway Adminisrtation (FHWA) Separated Bike Lane Planning & Design Guide, and MassDOT's Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide.

View the Project Timeline

Balancing Multi-Modal Needs

Parking will be removed to balance multi-modal needs along this busy corridor. On street parking on the even side of Beacon Street between Oxford Street and Museum Street will be preserved, but on-street parking on the odd-side between Oxford and Museum will be removed. Between Museum Street and Park Street that alignment will flip: on-street parking will be preserved on the odd-site, but removed on the even-side. Between Washington Street and Dickinson Street, on-street parking will be preserved on both sides of the street. Based on current use levels, a parking study determined that enough parking capacity would remain in the area despite this reduction in spaces.

As of 2015, the league of American Bicyclists ranked Somerville #3 in the country and #1 in the region for the percentage of bike commuters at 7.8%. The City's semi-annual Bike and Pedestrian Counts have repeatedly shown Beacon Street to be the city's most heavily used corridor with over 500+ cyclists during peaks hours. The installation of the separated bike lane will promote traffic safety for all road users while supporting the ever-increasing bicycling volumes along this multi-modal corridor.

Bicycle Detours

The City encourages cyclists to use alternative routes during the construction. A recommended detour route has been prepared in partnership between the Somerville Traffic & Parking Department, the Somerville Police Department, and the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee. These routes will be marked with vertical signage.

Please see the detour routes below:

Porter Square to Inman Square

Inman Square to Porter Square

Traffic Signal Timing Improvements

As part of the Beacon Street Reconstruction Project, two existing traffic signals will be upgraded, and two new pedestrian beacons will be installed on Beacon St. The new traffic signals will offer improved visibility, safety, and efficiency. Click here for more information.

Contact Us

General inquires:
Please call 311 from any phone within the City, or contact 311 by dialing 617-666-3311 from anywhere

Reporting Construction Hazards:
Call 311, which will be routed to all City and MassDOT project staff, including the private contractor.

MassDOT Meetings

Plans

Presentations & Notes

Meeting Date	Downloads
5/13/2014	Presentation Notes
3/15/2013	Presentation
1/28/2013	Presentation
11/13/2012	Presentation
10/15/2012	Presentation Notes
9/18/2012	Presentation

Other
Beacon St. Bike & Pedestrian Analysis

Programs & Initiatives

Slice of the City

Join us to celebrate Somerville’s open spaces, engage with the City outside of formal meetings, and of course – enjoy some pizza.

New Small Business Vitality Grant

The City of Somerville’s New Small Business Vitality Grant offers up to 12 months of rental support for physical storefronts, with a maximum of $50,000.

Feedback

Please submit website feedback using this form. Be sure to include:

A description of the issue (if any)

A link to the affected pages

Thank you for your feedback!

Full-Depth Reconstruction Starting May 2016

New Tree Plantings in May and June

Letter from Mayor Curtatone on Beacon St. Tree Plantings

End-of-Project Punch List

Jump To:

View the 2019 Project Schedule

Ongoing Utility Work

Eversource Gas Work

Sidewalk Reconstruction

Schedule Update

Notes for End of Season Preparation

Older Updates

Upcoming Work Highlights

Eversource Gas Work (Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Tree Removals & Information

Ongoing Utility Work

Updates and Important Information

Additional Planned Work

Questions?

Updates and Important Information

Upcoming Schedule

Upcoming Construction Schedule

Tree Hearing April 23

Questions?

Important Information About Tree Work

Community Meeting Recap

More Information

More Information

Updated 10/27/2017

Recent Work and Updates

Construction Look Ahead

Bicycle Information and Detours

City Actions

Project Plans

Replacement planting: Plans call for ~190 new trees to replace ~75 removed

Ongoing Updates

Improvements Above and Below Ground

Building a Better Bike Lane

Balancing Multi-Modal Needs

Bicycle Detours

Traffic Signal Timing Improvements

Contact Us

Meeting Date

Downloads

Other

Programs & Initiatives

Feedback