Welcome back to the City of Somerville's construction newsletter!

While the first stretch of interim paving on Highland Avenue might be complete, there is still plenty of other exciting work happening around the city. From sewer rehab to floating bus stops, read on for a look into some of the work that helps keep Somerville running.

What We're Sharing This Month: 

• Spring Hill Sewer Separation Update
• Western Washington Street Update
• West Somerville Sewer Rehab Progress
• 217 Somerville Avenue Pocket Park Groundbreaking
• Subterranean Somerville: 40-ft Below Poplar Street (Part 2)

Wrapping Up Underground Utility Improvements

The Spring Hill Sewer Separation Project set out to reduce water pollution, mitigate flooding, and ultimately modernize our infrastructure. After more than two and a half years of digging, we are nearing completion of the final underground utility work on a project that brought new sewer, drainage, and water utilities to the neighborhood. 

After finishing installation of the new water main along Summer Street (Bow St. to School St.) crews will install water services (connections between individual properties and the new water main) between Bow and School Streets. This work is expected to continue through August.

Streetscape Work on Summer Street and Central Street

Meanwhile surface crews are preparing for the final stages of streetscape improvements on Summer Street and beginning to reconstruct Central Street following the conversion to one-way northbound for vehicles. 

Here’s what you can expect on each street over the next few months: 

Central Street (Highland Ave. to School St.) - Crews have started setting the new curb line and constructing new sidewalks and cycle tracks. This work will continue through the summer and into the fall. A mock-up of the future streetscape is included below.

Summer Street (School St. to Spring St.) - Following the construction of new sidewalks/traffic-calming curb extensions and the installation of a new irrigation system, crews are working to prepare for installation of the remaining streetscape improvements along Summer Street, including:

• Completion of westbound bike lane - Installation of final layer of asphalt expected to occur in early August.
• Replacement of aging traffic signals - Beginning end of July and continuing through August. (More information on signal upgrades here)
• Final paving of the roadway and construction of raised crossings - Anticipated for this fall.

Sidewalk reconstruction continues and crews have turned a corner (literally) and are now working west from Union Square toward Beacon Street.

Among the many safety improvements and traffic calming interventions included in this project (see a full overview of the final design on our project website) are floating bus stops like the one recently constructed near the intersection of Washington Street and Bowdoin Street (pictured below).

What is a floating bus stop? A floating bus stop is a sidewalk bump out that provides dedicated waiting and boarding areas for bus riders, while streamlining bus service and improving accessibility by enabling the bus to stop in the travel lane rather than having to pull over to the curb. Floating bus stops are separated from the sidewalk by a bike lane, eliminating conflicts between buses and bikes at stops and improving safety for people biking.

Weather permitting crews are expected to pour new sidewalks in Union Square on the eastern end of the project limits during the week of 7/29.

Since June crews have been working to rehabilitate sewers throughout west Somerville. Open trench repair work during which crews dig to expose existing pipe, remove the defective section or full length of pipe, and then install new pipe has been completed on the below streets:

• Curtis Street
• Dow Street
• Farragut Avenue

• Raymond Avenue 
• Sterling Street
• West Quincy Street

Crews have temporarily moved east and are working on repairs to our underground infrastructure on Shore Drive.

In early-mid August, crews will mobilize to begin trenchless (not requiring digging) repairs to select portions of sewer and drainage infrastructure. This work uses flexible liners and coating to improve existing infrastructure without needing to break ground. 

Visit our project website to stay up to date on this work. 

On July 22 Mayor Ballantyne, Ward 2 Councilor J.T. Scott, and staff from the City’s Department of Public Space and Urban Forestry invited members to mark the beginning of construction at the new 217 Somerville Avenue.  

Once finished this project will have turned a previously vacant lot into a park designed to meet the needs of the neighborhood. Among benefits the park will bring are 14 new trees, native planting, and pollinator-friendly species as well as tables and seating where people can gather. 

For more information on the design process and to stay up to date with construction, visit the project website. 

Now crews are currently working to move forward tank construction by preparing for installation of the tank’s concrete walls . Wall installation is expected to proceed through the month of August with a currently anticipated completion date of mid-September. 

Why are we doing all this? Once activated, the Poplar Street pump station and the accompanying underground storage tank will fundamentally change the way stormwater drainage is managed for approximately 60% of the city. It represents a major investment in modernizing the City’ stormwater management infrastructure and increasing preparedness for extreme weather events.

There is a lot of work being done in Somerville as we look to modernize and improve our city’s infrastructure, and we can’t cover it all in one email.

Stay up-to-date with what’s going on in your neighborhood and around the city via the following channels: 

• Sign up for City Alerts - Receive important notifications about work in your area.

• Follow us on Twitter - Tweets about curb-cuts, culverts, and more.

• Visit our new construction page - A comprehensive look at work across the city.

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