Government

Developers Will Pay More for Shuttle, TMA When They Move Forward

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The $30,000 pledged by developers toward Watertown’s Transportation Management Association is just the start of the funding, said Assistant Town Manger Steve Magoon. A report of the Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation in February said that the owners of large commercial and residential projects had committed $30,000 towards the TMA. Magoon said this money will help establish the TMA, and once it gets going the members will pay more. “A big part of the work establishing a TMA is front loaded,” Magoon said. “It’s hard to get payments when there is not an organization yet.”

Hosmer School

UPDATE: Hearing Planned for Project to Improve Streets Around Hosmer School

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Note: The meeting originally scheduled for March 15 has been postponed to April 5. A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed improvements project under the “Safe Routes to School” program for the Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown, MA, state officials announced. See more information about the project here: http://www.watertowndpw.org/Pages/construction/HosmerIndex

WHERE: Hosmer Elementary School Cafeteria, 1 Concord Road, Watertown, MA 02472

WHEN: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 7 p.m.

PURPOSE: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the Town of Watertown are proposing pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements for the Hosmer Elementary School as part of the Safe Routes to School infrastructure program. The project is located at the intersection of Chauncey Street and Boylston Street and continues on Boylston Street through the School Street intersection, ending just north of Fairfield Street. The goal of the project is to improve walking and bicycling safety and access to/from the Hosmer Elementary School.

Around Town

Town Council Disappointed to Hear About Delay of Watertown Shuttle

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After years of pushing for a shuttle as an addition to the public transportation options in Watertown, Town Councilors were disappointed to hear that for the second time the roll out of the shuttle buses would be delayed, and that there was a suggestion to do away with the shuttle. On Tuesday, the Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation report from its Jan. 12 meeting was presented to the Town Council, including word that the shuttles would not start in the spring, as hoped, but in the fall of 2017 – at the earliest. This comes after it was announced in September that the start of the shuttle would be delayed from the Fall of 2016 to the spring of 2017. The effort to create a Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) is being spearheaded by the 128 Business Council, which has been hired as a consultant.

Transportation

MTBA Offering Free Service New Year’s Eve Night, Extra Trains

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising travelers to take public transportation when possible, make informed decisions, and utilize MassDOT’s many travel resources ahead of and during the New Year holiday weekend, officials said. “We encourage everyone who will be celebrating the New Year to make responsible decisions to ensure they are able to reach their destinations safely,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “All of the MBTA’s transit systems will be free after 8 p.m., New Year’s Eve and travelers should take advantage of these and other opportunities to utilize public transportation and plan ahead.”

“Drivers should use our technology tools including mass511 and our online real-time information when they plan their trips,” said Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin. “Most importantly for a driver’s safety and the safety of the traveling public there should be no drinking and driving. Designated drivers are essential to consider when making holiday plans.

Mass Pike

MassDOT Holding Series of Meetings on Toll Plaza Removal, Electronic Tolling

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced four public meetings to update the public on the status of the implementation of All Electronic Tolling and the progress of demolishing existing toll plaza infrastructure and reconstructing the roadway. Representatives of MassDOT will discuss the construction progress in 23 work zones, timeline for completion, what to expect as the project moves into the spring and summer months and other issues. These public meetings will be to receive feedback from users of I-90, (the Massachusetts Turnpike), and neighboring communities and to provide interchange specific information about what the traveling public can expect during 2017. All meetings will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and are scheduled as follows:

• Wednesday, January 11 – Westborough Town Hall, 34 West Main Street
Plaza Focus: Sturbridge / I-84, Worcester/Auburn/I-290, Worcester/Rt. 146, Worcester/Millbury, Westborough/I-495, Framingham, Natick/Rt.

Transportation

Registry of Motor Vehicles Offering Driving Tests in 26 More Languages

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The MassDOT Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) announced it has begun offering the automated learner’s permit knowledge test in 26 additional languages.  Customers can take their passenger vehicle (Class D) and motorcycle (Class M) learner’s permit tests using a new, automated, and web-based system which randomly generates the test questions and answers. Foreign language tests previously were offered in paper versions.  In addition to English and Spanish, the test is now available in Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian/Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Serbo-Croatian (Latin), Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.  These languages align with the statewide Language Access plan, which identifies those languages most commonly spoken by Massachusetts residents.  Somali and Tagalog/Filipino will be offered beginning the last week of December. In addition, the RMV will be offering an automated American Sign Language (ASL) test to customers in early 2017. Registrar Erin Deveney explained, “By updating our technology and expanding our language offerings, we’re improving service delivery for all of our customers.  These improvements will minimize waits at service centers and shift the focus of our service staff from inefficient test administration processes to helping customers.”

The user-friendly touch screen saves customers time, allows for fast and automated test scoring, prevents cheating and fraud through question randomization, and offers ample data capabilities to assist with identifying future business improvements. This implementation is state-wide, with the exception of the Chicopee, Haverhill, Natick, and Roslindale Service Centers that do not offer permit tests.  The RMV will continue to monitor customer requests and evaluate the need to add more languages to the automated testing system.

Transportation

Holiday Travel Tips: Don’t Wrap Gifts if Flying, Free Coffee for Drivers and More

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) encourages travelers to plan ahead this holiday season, utilize MassDOT’s many travel tools and resources and take public transportation if possible. “We want everyone to reach their travel destinations safely and enjoy this holiday with their friends and loved ones,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Drivers should minimize distractions, stay sober and have a designated driver, and the MBTA will offer free service on all modes of transportation after 8 p.m., New Year’s Eve, to encourage travelers to make smart choices when celebrating.”

“We encourage travelers to monitor weather conditions, use our technology tools such as mass511 and our web-based real-time information, and make informed decisions to ensure they safely reach their holiday destinations,” said Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin. “In case of inclement weather, our snow and ice crews will be prepared to respond and drivers should remain at least 200 feet back from snowplows and road equipment at all times to ensure safe travel.”

For traffic and road conditions, drivers may use the following options to make decisions:

Travelers, before getting on the highway, may utilize the MassDOT Real-Time Traffic (“Go-Time”) informational displays by visiting this link: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TrafficTravelResources/TrafficInformationMap.aspx
The public may dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions on I-90 and other roads. Visit www.mass511.com, a website which provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information, and allows users to subscribe to text and email alerts for traffic conditions.

Government

Meeting About Renovation of Mt. Auburn Street Planned for December

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The Watertown Department of Public Works announced it will hold an informational meeting to discuss the conceptual plans for Mount Auburn Street, focusing on the section between Patten Street (near Watertown Square) and School Street. The meeting will provide an update on the project timeline, design, and funding process through the Massachusetts Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., in the Watertown Savings Bank Room. During the meeting, we will also provide additional details about the current conceptual design between Patten Street and School Street.