Transportation Improvements May be in Watertown’s Future

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ImageMBTA Buses may be one of the things improved under the Legislature’s Transportation Bond Bill.

By Charlie Breitrose

Several proposals to improve transportation in Watertown have been included in the Legislature’s Transportation Bond Bill, including for buses, multi-use paths and intersection improvements.

A summary of the proposals was collected by State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s office. The projects are proposed over the next five years.

The joint House and Senate bills bot include:

  • $725,000 to create and improve the Community Path in Watertown
  • $1.3 million to create construct a multi-use path from Arlington Street in Watertown to Fresh Pond in Cambridge along a former railroad.
  • $500,000 to improve the intersection of Mount Auburn Street and Fresh Pond Parkway in Cambridge to improve safety, bus priority and accessibility. The 71 and 73 buses use this route.

The House bill includes these projects:

  • $1.3 million to reconstruct Waltham Street in the Westside of Watertown from Rosedale Road to the Waltham line.
  • $500,000 to improve transportation hubs in Watertown Square, including redesigning the delta in Watertown Square and improved signage on Galen Street.
  • $200,000 to study transportation needs on Arsenal Street to support changing needs of the are due to proposed developments.

These items remain proposals in the Senate and House bills. The House passed its bill on Jan. 29, according to Andrew Bettinelli, a legislative aide to Brownsberger, and now the proposals will go to a joint committee of the House and Senate to come up with a bill that will be sent to the governor for approval. The governor will also decide funding priority for the projects in the bill, Bettinelli wrote in his summary.

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