The online survey about the Watertown Square Area Plan, including the plan to meet the MBTA Communities Act housing requirement, is now available. It will be open through Saturday, April 13. See the announcement from the City of Watertown below.
Take the Watertown Square Area Plan Feedback Form from the Public Forum on April 4, 2024! The City of Watertown is excited to hear your feedback on the project at the link below!
If you were unable to join the Forum in-person, or watch it live on cable or online, you can watch a recording of the presentation below. You can also access the presentation slides and the materials handed out at the Forum at the project website. The Feedback Form will remain open through April 13, 2024.
The closing of Charles River Road allowing access to Main St. to Waltham, Mount Auburn St. to Cambridge and Galen St. to Newton and the Mass Pike is not only a disaster but also truly unfair for those travelers wishing to do so. I do hope the Planning Board does not approve it and city council votes NO.
What is the issue with removing Charles River rd from the intersection ? (I live on Riverside and do not see an issue with this decision)
Yes, drivers will now have to use either North Beacon or Arsenal to head East from the square. (i am guessing most that are cutting through Watertown will use North Beacon to avoid all the lights on Arsenal) But if we make the change to the area in front of the furniture store then it only adds 2 lights to the trip (Irving and Beechwood)
If you are going west you will just get to the square from Arsenal st to get to Main st & Galen and you can cut over on Irving St to get to Mt Auburn and avoid the square all together.
I don’t see how any of that is a disaster. Plus it will make walking along the Charles much less noisy.
Agreed!
There are very good reasons to make cars driving west on Charles River Road turn right on Arsenal St. rather than left toward Main St. This is not a “disaster.” Instead, it’s part of a logical plan to reduce the number of pathways by which cars drive into the Square … and thereby the length of time ALL of us are waiting at stoplights. It will be *very easy* for cars in the Charles River Road neighborhood to drive to Arsenal St. and travel toward Main St. that way. Please spend some time and effort to understand all the COSTS and BENEFITS of the current plan. If you see something you don’t like, take a moment to ask why is it that way? If we do it that way, will there be another benefit that exceeds this cost?
I have lived in Watertown all my life and I have lived in Watertown Square for the past 54 years. The only major traffic problems I see is during the commuting periods of 7-9 AM and 4-6 PM. Most of the problem stems from cars blocking the intersections so those with the green light can’t go through. Years back a police officer was stationed during these hours at the intersections of Arsenal / North Beacon, Main / Arsenal and Galen over the Bridge to prevent gridlock. Also to shrink traffic lanes for bicycle lanes only backs up the traffic lanes and causes more gridlock (see Charles River Road entering the square!). There is plenty of room for 2 vehicles but one lane has been sacrificed for a bike lane. I don’t see many bikes using that lane at any time of the day and those that do don’t obey the traffic signals. If people want to avoid the square let them. Don’t force them to detour through the neighborhoods. After this so-called improvement is done the experts will take their money, leave us with the mess and move on to their next project.
The closing of Charles River Rd. Will be a disaster. According to the present proposal the only way to enter Main St. would be to go right onto Arsenal from Riverside an then make a u-turn on Arsenal. Currently Charles river Road has a bike lane and a single vehicle lane. The traffic light is only 7 seconds long allowing only 5 or 6 vehicles to pass through. If the bicycle lane were to end approximately 5 to 6 spaces before the square as with North Beacon St. at the bridge to Brighton this would allow 10 to 12 vehicles to pass and does not ever cause gridlock. If bicycles are expected to obey all traffic signals it would put them behind the 5th or 6th vehicle. Please reconsider this proposal.
Unlike any other city or town Watertown Square is essential to get from Waltham to Boston, Cambridge to the Mass Turnpike and visa-versa. It should be crucial to allow this flow to get through as quickly as possible. The current 2 proposals will create the backups and hinder the travel.
But that is the point, people will no longer go down Charles River rd. to reach the square. If they live in the area they will either take their side street over over to north beacon or arsenal st and head west to the square. Once the change is made the only cars on charles river road will be coming from the people living on the side streets along it headed east to the intersection with North Beacon. There will no longer be an time incentive to take the left at the North Beach / Charles River intersection to head to Watertown square. Those car will stay on North Beacon
And want about the residents on North Beacon? We just have to deal with it now? I’m always astonished at people that can just brazenly say things like oh well they’ll just have to use north Beacon now without thinking of other residents. But at least a few walks along the River will be quieter or something
“It should be crucial to allow this flow to get through as quickly as possible. The current 2 proposals will create the backups and hinder the travel.” Joseph, the purpose of the plans is to CREATE backups and hinder travel. The “vision” of the designers is to make driving through the Square so bad that drivers will find a longer route to get where they are going or ditch their cars and ride bikes or opt for inadequate public transit. So making a case for better drivability just won’t fly.