Crews will be doing sidewalk work in multiple parts of Mt. Auburn Street this week, including in the business district in Coolidge Square. Businesses will remain open during the construction, some may be accessible only using rear entrances. See more details in the announcement from the City of Watertown, below.
Concrete Removal
Concrete sidewalk panels will be removed along the eastbound side of Mount Auburn Street between Bigelow Ave. and Elton Ave.
Curb Removal & Reset
Crews will be removing and resetting the curbing near Grove St., Arlington St., and Bigelow Ave. along the eastbound side of Mount Auburn Street.
Sidewalk Grading & Forming
Sidewalk forming will occur along Mt. Auburn St. in the area near Arlington St. and Grove St. towards Bigelow Ave. on the eastbound side.
Elsewhere on Mount Auburn Street on the westbound side, fine grading and sidewalk forming will take place near School St., Winsor Ave., and Hillside Road.
Concrete Placement
Concrete sidewalk panels will be placed on the eastbound sidewalk at School Lane. and Norseman Ave. Sidewalk panels will also be placed on Arlington St. from Mount Auburn St. to Grove St.
Elsewhere on Mount Auburn St., sidewalk panels will be placed between Winsor Ave. and Hillside Road once necessary forming is completed.
Sidewalk, Business Access and Traffic Impacts
Sidewalks: The sidewalk will be closed during working hours, and a pedestrian detour will be implemented throughout the construction period. The sidewalk will be restored to a walkable condition after working hours each day.
Business Access: Pedestrians needing access to businesses within the active construction area will be directed to use rear entrances when available, or they will be escorted safely through the work zone by police details. Construction activities will be temporarily paused until pedestrians have safely entered the designated safe zone. Access to business and residential entrances will be maintained.
Traffic: During this work, you can expect temporary lane shifts and possibly lane closures, but one travel lane in each direction will be maintained on Mount Auburn Street.
Parking Impacts
Street parking in the construction area on Mount Auburn Street will be restricted. Construction crews will post parking closure signs in those areas starting at 7:00 a.m. and will be removing them from the area by 5:00 p.m. each day.
Steps of Sidewalk Reconstruction
Drainage Installation
Two crews will perform drainage installation on Mount Auburn Street between Stearns Road. and Garfield Road.
Traffic and Sidewalk Impacts
During this work, you can expect temporary lane shifts and possibly lane closures, but one travel lane in each direction will be maintained on Mount Auburn Street. Work will take place on the sidewalks, but they will remain open and accessible. Business entrances will be maintained as well. Work in these areas will begin at 7:00 a.m. each day and end before 5:00 p.m.
Parking Impacts
Street parking in the drainage installation construction area on Mount Auburn Street will be restricted. Construction crews will post parking closure signs in those areas starting at 7:00 a.m. and will be removing them from the area by 5:00 p.m. each day.
(Note: All dates are approximate and will be dependent on weather conditions and any testing yet to be performed.)
Resources from the City’s Economic Development Team
During construction in the Coolidge Square area, Watertown’s Economic Development team developed the below graphic to help residents get around Coolidge Square, whether by car, bike, bus, or walking. Keep up to date with any road closures, bus stop impacts, or parking limitations in the work detailed above! A larger version of this map can be found at Mount Auburn Street’s project website.