Government

Watertown Declares Snow Emergency for This Weekend’s Storm

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A snow plow clears snow from a parking lot. The Town of Watertown has declared a snow emergency beginning Saturday evening. See details below. The following announcement came from the Town of Watertown:

A winter weather event is predicted with 8-10 inches of snow accumulation in our area. The Superintendent of Public Works has declared a snow emergency effective 6:00 p.m. Saturday January 19, 2019, and will remain in effect until further notice.

Government

See Which Watertown Roads Will be Repaired in 2019

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Eight Watertown roads will undergo full repaving in the 2019 construction season, while others will get a new top layer on the the worst sections of the roadway. 

Each year the town sets aside $2.5 million in its budget for road repair. The Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee approved the recommendation of the roads to be repaired next year at a meeting Tuesday night. The list, presented by the Department of Public Works, still must get approval of the full Town Council. The roads that made the list are:

Bellevue Road, from Channing Road to Common StreetAvon RoadChandler StreetBurnham StreetBridgham AvenueNichols Avenue, from Dexter Avenue to Boylston StreetBartlett Street, including Everett Avenue

District C Councilor Vincent Piccirilli, chair of the subcommittee, wondered if the double yellow line would remain on Nichols Avenue. 

“The reality is people park on both sides and people drive straddling the double yellow line,” Piccirilli said. “Under traffic laws it is illegal to do so.”

Government

Sidewalk, Street Construction Around Hosmer School to Continue Through Fall

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The Watertown Department of Public Works provided this update on the construction on the sidewalks and streets around Hosmer School. 

Work has progressed on the MassDOT Hosmer School Safe Routes to School Project. The majority of work on the west side of School Street and in front of the Hosmer School has been completed. A section of the intersection at Chauncey Street has been left in a temporary condition as we continue to await Verizon and Eversource wire transfer. The focus of construction will now shift to the east side of Boylston Street, towards Fairfield/Dartmouth Street. Construction will continue during the fall.

Around Town

Main Street to Remain Closed for Oil Spill Cleanup, Will Reopen This Weekend

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The spill of mineral oil over the surface of Main Street will take a few more days to clean up, meaning the stretch of road will remain closed through Saturday at the earliest, said Watertown Public Works Superintendent Gerry Mee. 

The oil must be cleaned off the road surface, and the remaining oil (from the casing of an Eversource electrical line) must be removed before the line can be repaired. The process is a lengthy one, Mee said. “They have to freeze the line above and below the point where it broke to stop the last oil from leaking out,” Mee said. “The freezing process takes 24 hours.” To clean the road, sand is put down followed by Speedy Dry, which soaks up the oil, and then the area must be power brushed and swept up, Mee said.

Government

Parts of Common Street Closing for Construction Starting This Week

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The Watertown Department of Public Works announced that the construction project on Common Street will soon begin, and the street will be closed much of the day. 

The project includes creating a roundabout at the intersection of Common Street, Orchard Street and Church Street. Also, the intersection with Spring Street will be redesigned. The DPW sent out the following announcement:
Beginning Monday, July 23, Common Street will be closed between Mt. Auburn Street and Orchard Street between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with local access provided to abutters and Middlesex Road residents only. The closure will also include the intersection of Spring Street — there will be no access to Common Street from Spring Street.

Government

DPW to Present Proposed Plan to Redesign Watertown Square at Meeting

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A proposed plan to redesign Watertown Square and the roads around it will be presented during a meeting hosted by the Department of Public Works on July 10. 

When: Tuesday, July 10, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Where: Watertown Free Public Library, Watertown Savings Bank Meeting Room, 123 Main St., Watertown

The Town of Watertown is redesigning Watertown Square to improve mobility and safety for all users (including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and vehicles). At this interactive Open House, staff will present the Complete Streets concept plan for Watertown Square and its transportation and environmental benefits. We will also share the results of traffic data collection and analysis completed since the October 30, 2017 Public Works Subcommittee meeting, and the concept plans and alternatives for Charles River Road. Staff will be available to answer your questions and listen to your feedback. Please stop by anytime between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. to learn more and provide comments.

DPW

See the Latest Designs for Mt. Auburn Street at Meeting Hosted by DPW

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The latest plans for how Mt. Auburn Street will be renovated will be on display at a Department of Public Works meeting on May 14, 2018. The Town of Watertown is redesigning Mt. Auburn Street with a “Complete Streets” approach, which seeks to to improve safety and better accommodate all users: vehicles, transit, bicycles, and pedestrians. The meeting will be similar to the one held in February, but while that meeting focused on Coolidge Square, this one will encompass the entire length of the Mt.