If you live anywhere near Ball Square, or drive through it, get ready for a year of traffic nightmares starting Nov. 2018. As part of the Green Line Extension (GLX) project, the Ball Square Broadway Bridge will be completely closed for a year. No pedestrian or bike crossing either. The GLX Team is working with Somerville and Medford City officials on detour routes.
You can see the proposed detour routes here: https://www.somervillema.gov/sites/default/files/broadway-detours.pdf In my opinion, they are awful. The ped/bike detour is over a mile long & the motor vehicle detour goes through densely populated Somerville neighborhoods. If you are concerned or interested, you may want to attend the GLX General Public Meeting this Wed, July 18, 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Medford City Hall – Council Chambers, 85 George P. Hassett Drive. There is usually a public comment period at the end of the meeting so you can share your concerns with the GLX powers that be.
I am sorry to inform you that the impacts of this bridge closure will be extremely painful. I am doing everything I can to make a terrible situation the least bad possible. I am working with Somerville City officials and our state legislators advocating for adjustments to the detour routes & to set things up so the Ball Square neighborhood is not flooded with traffic. I am particularly concerned about Morrison & Lexington Aves.
If you live in the Ball Square neighborhood between Cedar St, Morrison Ave & Willow Ave, you should be concerned too. Please get in touch with me via email or phone if you are concerned or want to help advocate for steps that the GLX Team & the Somerville City government can take to minimize the negative impacts. If you want more information, the City has set up an excellent webpage, go to https://www.somervillema.gov/glx