Government

Athenahealth Hosting Info Meeting on Joint Effort to Improve Roads, Paths Near its HQ

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Find out more about the I-Cubed program that the Town of Watertown, Athenahealth and the Department of Conservation and Recreation are exploring, and would result in improvements to the public roads and infrastructure near the Athena headquarters. The state would contribute $25 million to improve infrastructure around the Arsenal on the Charles, which is home to Athenahealth and other businesses, as well as the Mosesian Center for the Arts. The money comes from tax revenue created by new jobs added by Athenahealth. The proposed work would improve the roadway, intersections, streetscapes, and increase connectivity of public transportation, pedestrian paths and bicycle routes. In February 2016, Athena said the following improvements would be included in the I-Cubed projects:

Arsenal Street – streetscape improvements, bus stop and shelters and improved crosswalks
North Beacon Street – improvements at the intersections at Greenough Boulevard and Charles River Road (including a traffic signal at Greenough), cycle tracks, streetscape and stormwater improvements
Squibnocket Park – parking, pedestrian access including paths and boardwalks along the river, river overlooks, canoe and kayak launch and storage house
Arsenal Park and Commander’s Mansion – improvements to Talcott Avenue, a path through Arsenal Park and the Commander’s Mansion

According to the state’s website, I-Cubed projects must include an economic development project approved by the municipality.

Around Town

Learn About Efforts to Revitalize a Park on the Banks of the Charles River

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Find out about Herter Park, the DCR property across the Charles River from Watertown in Allston, and the efforts to revitalize it during a Meet and Greet on Wednesday night. 

The Friends of Herter Park will host the On Site Meet & Greet Open House on Wednesday, May 3 from 6-7:30 p.m. – drop in anytime. The rain date is May 10 at the same times. Meet at the Herter Park Amphitheater, 1155 Soldier Field Road, Allston (next to the Herter Park Community Gardens and Artisani Park Playground and Wading Pool). Find out about the Friends of Herter Park. Volunteer to join one of the committees: programming, fundraising, site improvement, or communication & outreach.

Government

Duct Work on North Beacon Street Will Narrow Road This Week

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North Beacon Street in Watertown will be narrowed during installation of power ducts beginning Monday, State officials announced. The Department of Conservation and Recreation released the following information:

Beginning Monday, March 27, 2017, and continuing through Friday, March 31, 2017, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will implement a single lane closure on North Beacon Street (eastbound) between Charles River Road and Nonantum Road in the Cities of Watertown and Boston from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to accommodate power duct installation work. Two-way traffic will be maintained. Additionally, the adjacent sidewalk will be closed, and pedestrians are encouraged to use a detour across North Beacon Street at existing crosswalks. Traffic routes will be clearly marked and a police detail will be on site.

Around Town

Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River in Watertown Being Replaced

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The Joseph Thompson Pedestrian Bridge over the Charles River, west of Watertown Square, is out of commission for a while as the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) constructs a new span. 

The new bridge will be less sloped than the present one, so that it meets ADA accessibility requirements, according to the DCR. Construction will be completed by the end of 2017, depending on weather and other factors, a DCR release said. The final work may not be finished until the spring of 2018. The total cost of the project will be $1.5 million, which includes fabricating a new bridge, remove the old bridge and construct a new supporting substructure elements – such as footings, abutments, and retaining walls.

athenahealth

Athenahealth, Town Applying to State for $25 Million in Improvements

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The Town of Watertown is teaming with athenahealth to try to take advantage of a state program that would send tax dollars back to town to improve parks, roadways and other resources in town. 

The work would be done in conjunction with the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The town and athenahealth have taken the first steps toward applying for $25 million from the I-Cubed program (The Executive Office of Finance and Administration’s Infrastructure Investment Incentive Program). The money comes from the new payroll taxes that would be generated by athenahealth’s expansion of its campus located in the Arsenal on the Charles complex, said Michael Crowley, athenahealth’s vice president for Real Estate and Facilities at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. “It will provide funds that will transform areas of Watertown in ways that really improve the quality of life for those who work here everyday and for those who live here,” Crowley said. The funds must be spent on areas adjacent to the campus, and a number of projects have been proposed, including adding traffic signals, creating cycling paths and improving the path along the Charles River.

Environment

DCR Unveils First Draft of the Community Path in Watertown, Cambridge

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Residents wanted to see more access points to the bicycle and pedestrian path from Watertown to Cambridge and some worried about the safety of the path along the former railroad line at night. Dozens of interested residents from Watertown and Cambridge packed a room at the Atrium School Monday night to learn about what the Phase 2  of the Community Path (also called the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway) from Arlington Street to Fresh Pond will look like. Officials from the Department of Conservation and Recreation showed their preliminary plans for the new section of the path, which starts at Arlington Street near Nichols Avenue and Crawford Street, runs into Cambridge and ends at Fresh Pond. “People will be able to get around between Cambridge and Watertown a lot better,” said Dan Driscoll, director of Recreation Facilities Planning for the DCR. “There are still a few issues to work out but it is going to be a great project.”

Charles River

Pedestrian Bridge Over Charles River Will be Replaced

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The pedestrian bridge over the Charles River west of Watertown Square will be replaced by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The bridge will be completely replaced so it will be accessible by people with disabilities, said Dan Driscoll, DCR’s Director of Recreation Facilities Planning and Design. “The current bridge does not meet ADA requirements,” Driscoll said. The new bridge will be a prefabricated one, but for a short time there will be no pedestrian access at that point in the river, Driscoll said. The project will be bid this fall, and work will be done in the spring of 2016, he said.

Environment

Residents Worry About Fate of Trees During Greenough Greenway Work

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A recent tour of the renovation of Greenough Boulevard brought up some concerns for advocates for trees and the environment. 

The Department of Conservation and Recreation teamed with the Solomon Foundation to install a new, wider bicycle and pedestrian path, and reduce the width of the roadway from Arsenal Street to Cambridge, near the Eliot Bridge and Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School (BB&N). The Solomon Foundation provided $500,000 to help make the Greenough Greednway improvements a reality along with $700,000 in public funds. Herb Nolan, deputy director of the Solomon Foundation, said the work is beginning to shape up well. “I am very excited about this,” Nolan said. “Looking at the scale of the space (of the path) compared to what was here before is a breath of fresh air.