Congratulations!
We survived a particularly intense week of construction, proving that
our team is functioning as expected, and that the City possesses the
fortitude to endure life in the frying pan while we cook the omelet of
tomorrow’s infrastructure. The good news is that next week will be
relatively calm on the construction front. Major activities include:
Cedar Street Sewer Separation – P. Gioioso & Sons
* Due to the intense rain on Monday, base layer paving is delayed one
day. Paving of the northern portion including the Summer Street
intersection will be completed today, and the crews will finish the
effort tomorrow. The street will remain closed to through traffic
through the weekend. Abutters will be granted access, but everyone
should allow 4 hours for the pavement to cool to avoid damage to the
asphalt and/or tires. Next week will be relatively quiet with surveyors
laying out the new curb alignments, and a construction crew returning on
Friday to adjust catch basin inlets to the temporary road elevation.
Pavement Management Program – D&R Paving
* Sidewalk construction on Cedar Street between Broadway and Highland
Avenue requiring parking restrictions and partial closures of the
street. Now that the chicanes (curb extensions) are in various stages of
completion on both sides, it has become hazardous for two-way traffic to
coexist with the construction crews. More often than not, we will be
closing Cedar Street to southbound through traffic, but allowing
northbound and abutter access. Those allowances negate our control over
the Waze app, so please encourage people to heed the barricades and
avoid the area.
* Please note that the pavement completed this week on Lowell, Bolton
and White requires a minimum of three weeks to cure before paint can be
applied. Particularly on Lowell Street with the new chicanes, drivers
should use caution.
Beacon Street Road Reconstruction – MassDOT and Newport Construction
* Tree planting on Beacon between Oxford and Washington Streets
requiring parking restrictions and lane shifts.
* Preparatory work at the Beacon/Washington intersection requiring
parking restrictions and lane shifts. Full depth work at the
intersection will start after the end of school, at which time
significant traffic delays can be anticipated.
Gas Main Replacement – Eversource
* Eversource gas main replacement in Union Square including the Plaza
and Sanborn Court requiring parking and traffic restrictions.
* Eversource gas main and service connection replacements on Powder
House Blvd between Curtis Street and Alewife Brook Parkway requiring
parking and traffic restrictions.
* Eversource gas main replacement on Oak Street between Houghton and
Prospect Streets requiring parking restrictions and road closure to
non-abutters. Note that Eversource work on Oak Street will not start
until D&R Paving is complete with Bolton Street.
* Eversource gas main replacement on Francesca Avenue between College
and Liberty Avenues requiring parking restrictions and road closure to
non-abutters.
* Please note that Eversource gas main replacement on Meacham Road
between Buena Vista Avenue and the Cambridge city line is on hold
pending Historical Commission review of gas meter placement.
* Eversource gas main replacement at the intersection of Highland
Avenue and Cedar Street requiring parking and traffic restrictions.
Gas Main Replacement – National Grid
* National Grid gas main replacement on Brook Street between Cross
Street and Glen Street requiring parking restrictions and road closure
to non-abutters.
Somerville Avenue Utility and Streetscape Improvements – Barletta Heavy
Division
* Initiation of water and sewer in Somerville Ave between Bow and
Prospect Streets and in the Plaza requiring parking restrictions and
lane shifts.
Gore Street Cambridge Sewer – J. Derenzo
* Water and sewer installation in Medford Street between South Street
and the Cambridge city line requiring parking restrictions, and one-way
alternating traffic. The coordination of this work with GLX and
activities on Gore Street, Cambridge require extended working hours
including 7 to 7 on weekdays and 9 to 7 on Saturdays through next week,
after which time the hours will reduce to normal.
Sewer System Evaluation Study – Somerville Sewer Department, Weston &
Sampson, and NWMCC
· Sewer investigations in the area bound by Teele Square, Davis
Square and Tufts, requiring parking restrictions and temporary traffic
impacts.
If you foresee or encounter any issues with construction activities,
please contact Jesse Moos at 617.625.6600 x5419 or the main Engineering
Department line at x5400. The new email address
construction@somervillema.gov that goes to select staff in both the
Engineering and Communications departments is also proving useful for
quick issue resolution. Please let people know that this email address
is the best one for anyone with construction-related feedback or
questions to use.
As always, thanks for your attention and support as we build a better
Somerville!
Regards,
Richard E. Raiche, PE, PMP
Director of Engineering
City of Somerville
1 Franey Road, Somerville, MA 02145