Government

State Starts Study of Mt. Auburn Street Corridor in Effort to Improve Traffic

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The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in conjunction with the Cities Cambridge and Watertown, plans to commence a Mount Auburn Corridor Planning Study later this month to develop a range of implementable short- and long-term plans for the improvement of Mount Auburn Street from the Watertown line to Fresh Pond Parkway and parts of Fresh Pond Parkway. Additionally, the agency will initiate a community outreach strategy that will assist the DCR’s project team in developing options for creating safe and welcoming conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, enhancing access to the Charles River Reservation, and optimizing transit bus operations for Routes 71 and 73, while ensuring that vehicular access is maintained. The specific project area extends from Mount Auburn Street at Belmont Street in the west, to Huron and Aberdeen Avenues in the north, and to Fresh Pond Parkway at Greenough Boulevard and Memorial Drive in the southeast. Within the project area there are several high traffic destinations such as the Mount Auburn Cemetery, the Mount Auburn Hospital, local schools, historic neighborhoods, and several local businesses. DCR is assembling a stakeholder group to help work through the intricacies of the project.

Transportation

LETTER: Bring the Hubway BikeShare Program to Watertown

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Dear Editor,
One of the issues I hear most about around Watertown is problems with too much traffic. This problem will most likely get worse with the new projects on Arsenal St. and Pleasant St. While we will most likely never completely solve traffic problems considering our proximity to Boston and the population density in the Boston Metro Region, there are possible ways we could alleviate the traffic issue. One possibility is to bring The Hubway BikeShare program to Watertown.

Government

Council Subcommittee Searches for Ways to Cut Down on Use of Cars

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A Town Council subcommittee searched for ways to cut down on the use of vehicles in Watertown, particularly driver only trips, to reduce the traffic in Watertown as town grows. For future development projects, and some recent ones, the town will require a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan, but councilors on the Transportation Committee struggled with ways to encourage businesses and large residential complexes to reduce their use of vehicles at their meeting last Tuesday. A TDM can have many features, including having an on-site manager to oversee the program, discounted transit passes, car and van pools, guaranteed rides home for those using transit or carpools, flexible work hours and contributions to a shuttle bus. The TDM numbers are based on the traffic studies done by developers before the project is approved. Director of Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon said the traffic created by a project rarely exceeds the numbers in the study.

Government

Seniors Can Sign Up for their MBTA CharlieCards in Watertown

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger is sponsoring a Senior CharlieCard Day on Wednesday, May 11, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Watertown Senior Center, 31 Marshall Street, Watertown, the senator’s office announced. Seniors age 65 or older can save a trip to the MBTA offices in Downtown Boston and apply for a Senior CharlieCard at the Senior Center on this one day. Staff from the office of Sen. Will Brownsberger will be on hand to take a photo and process applications which will be provided. Seniors will need to bring a valid, state-issued photo ID that includes date of birth. No advance sign-up is needed.

Transportation

MBTA Hosting Series of Meeting to Get Input on Improvements in Next 5 Years

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will have a series of public meetings – including in Boston, Chelsea and Framingham – to get input on their proposed improvements over the next five years. MassDOT released the following information:

In the fall of 2015 MassDOT held Capital Conversations throughout Massachusetts to solicit public input for the preparation of the MassDOT 5 year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) for fiscal years 2017-2021. This multi-billion dollar program makes long-term, multi-modal investments across the Commonwealth and covers all MassDOT highway and municipal projects, regional airports, rail and transit, including MBTA and Regional Transit Authorities as well as the Registry of Motor Vehicles. MassDOT will hold a series of public meetings across the Commonwealth to present and discuss the Draft 5 year Capital Investment Plan. Please join us as we present the Draft CIP plan, seek additional public comments and answer your questions.

Government

Hear About Progress on the T’s Green Line at Meeting This Week

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MBTA Officials will present an update on Green Line service on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 in Brighton. State Sen. Will Brownsberger will host the meeting, which runs from 6-8 p.m. at the Brighton Elks Lodge, 326 Washington St., Brighton. MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola will present an update on Green Line service and the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Also attending the meeting will be William McClellan, Assistant General Manager, Rail Operations; Trish Foley, Legislative Liaison, MBTA; Rep. Kevin Honan (D-Brighton); Rep. Michael Moran (D-Brighton); and Boston City Councilor Mark Ciommo (District 9).

Arsenal Street Corridor

State Study Finds Buses Overcrowded, Traffic Slow on Arsenal Street

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The buses that serve Arsenal Street are overloaded at peak times, and are delayed by traffic gridlock in Watertown Square and going over the bridge into Brighton. 

These are a couple of the findings of a study of Arsenal Street currently being done by the Massachusetts Department of Transit (MassDOT) in an effort to improve the corridor that will add many more jobs, housing units and retail stores in the next several years. The area is served by the MBTA’s 70 and 70A buses. MassDOT officials recently came to Watertown to present their preliminary findings (see the presentation here). The Arsenal Street Corridor is served by the 70 and 70A buses and includes 5,710 residents, 2,740 households and includes 6,630 jobs, according to the study. The study looked at commuting patterns, and found:

Watertown residents commute to: Boston (27%) Watertown (18%) Cambridge (11%) Waltham (6%) Newton (5%)
Those working on the Arsenal Street Corridor come from: Watertown (17%) Boston (16%) Waltham (8%) Newton (4%) Cambridge (4%)

Buses
In prior public meetings about the area, many have complained about crowded buses and transit running behind schedule.

Entertainment

One Book One Watertown Underway, Still Plenty of Events About “The Race Underground”

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The Watertown Free Public Library’s annual One Book One Watertown program kicked off with a community discussion of the book “The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry that Built America’s First Subway” by Doug Most on Wednesday, but there are many events still to come. The Watertown Library sent out the following information:

This March, the Watertown community is invited to a series of events relating to this year’s selection, culminating in a visit from author Doug Most. Documentary Marathon

Saturday March 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We’ll be screening films about the history of mass transit on our big screen all day long. Stop in for a quick peek, or plan to spend the whole day – the choice is yours. The Road Ahead with MIT SENSEable City Lab

Wednesday March 9 at 7 p.m.

The future is now!