Public Invited to Meeting About Redesigning Mt. Auburn Street

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Find out about the redesign of Mt. Auburn Street and give your input during a joint meeting of the Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee and the Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee. 

The meeting will be held on Monday, June 19, 2017 at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers in Town Hall, 149 Main Street, Watertown.

The project got mixed reviews when it was discussed in December 2016.

The Department of Public Works sent out the following information:

The Watertown Department of Public Works will provide an update focusing on options for bicycle accommodations on Mount Auburn Street. The project team will welcome public comments on the bicycle accommodations before we refine the preliminary design of the project. We will also provide an update on the project timeline, design, and funding process through the Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). We will be available after the meeting to answer any questions and review the plans.

The Town of Watertown has launched a new project website for Mount Auburn Street! Please visit www.mountauburnstreet.com to learn more about the project, view plans, download documents, and sign up for project emails. You can also send us a note at team@mountauburnstreet.com.

According to the Mt. Auburn Street website, here are some of the elements and benefits of the project:

Project Elements
  • One vehicular travel lane in each direction
  • Enhanced/improved bicycle accommodations
  • Left turn lanes at selected intersections
  • Bus turnouts
  • Replacement of MBTA overhead transit catenary wires
  • Curb extensions at selected locations to shorten crossing distances for pedestrians
  • Wider sidewalks
  • Improved pedestrian signal equipment, including warning signage and flashing beacons
  • Additional green spaces along the road
  • Green infrastructure
  • New bicycle signage with information about the regional bicycle network
Project Benefits
  • Safer travel for all modes
  • Increased efficiency on the MBTA Bus Route 71 (trackless trolley)
  • More efficient traffic operations
  • Improved pedestrian and bicycle accommodations
  • Accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • Reduced stormwater runoff
  • Improved aesthetics

3 thoughts on “Public Invited to Meeting About Redesigning Mt. Auburn Street

  1. If we have bike lanes, please put them on the other side of the parked cars. This way people will use them(and families as they are then safe to use). I see that this was done on the new construction area on Arsenal st(sidewalk/bikelane/curb/parking traffic). Bike lanes in the traffic area just is no longer safe with cell phone use and a ton of more vehicles.

  2. No problem, but the police better be out there enforcing the traffic laws that all the bicyclists routinely ignore. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

  3. Exciting new plans. Please add STREET SIGNS in Watertown Square for each of the streets that come into the square. If you are local and you’ve navigated the streets many times you know where to go, but I can’t imagine what it’s like for someone who is not from here!

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