The City of Watertown provided the following update about the road construction project on Mt. Auburn Street:
Weekend Work – March 8, 2025 – Pedestrian Signal Electrical Work
Saturday, March 8, 2025 Newport Construction and the City of Watertown will be performing electrical work to relocate pedestrian walking signals to prepare for signal preparation work at the Mount Auburn Street and Arlington Street intersection (see map below)
Traffic Impacts
Temporary lane shifts may occur and work will take place on the sidewalks, but will remain open and accessible.
Parking Impacts
No parking impacts
Drainage Installation Work Continues between Arlington St. and Bigelow Ave.
Newport Construction is continuing to complete the drainage installation work eastbound between Arlington Street and Bigelow Avenue. You can expect to see construction crews in this area from 7am to 5pm.
Traffic Impacts
There will be lane shifts and a potential lane closure during this work, which may also impact street parking in the immediate work area. Currently we do not anticipate any detours. Police detail and crew members will be on-site to help with traffic flow in both directions. Sidewalks will be narrowed, but not closed.
Parking Impacts
Street parking in the construction area on Mount Auburn Street during this phase will be restricted. Construction crews will post parking closure signs in those areas starting at 7am and will be removing them from the area by 5pm each day. You can still find metered parking in the municipal parking lot on Wells Avenue.
Traffic Signal Electrical Installations
Newport Construction will continue installing electrical conduits (a tube for protecting electric wiring) and pull boxes (utility boxes that provide easy access to underground electrical systems) at traffic signal locations. Work will occur along Arlington Street between Mount Auburn Street and Grove Street. Construction crews will be present in the area from 7 AM to 5 PM.
Traffic Impacts
Temporary lane shifts will occur in the area during conduit installation. Electrical pull box installation will take place on the sidewalks, which will remain open and accessible.
Parking Impacts
No parking impacts
Tree Protection Installation
MON Construction will continue installing tree protection along Mount Auburn Street between School Street and Summer Street. Work will take place from 7 AM to 5 PM and will be confined to the sidewalks. The sidewalks will remain open and accessible. This work will not affect traffic or parking.
(Note: All dates are approximate and will be dependent on weather conditions and any testing yet to be performed.)
Update: Due to alterations, there will be no bus stop closures for route 71 on the week of March 8-14, 2025 at Mount Auburn St and Bigelow Ave. We appreciate your understanding with scheduling changes.
Resources from the City’s Economic Development Team
During construction in the Coolidge Square area, Watertown’s Economic Development team developed the below graphic to help residents get around Coolidge Square, whether by car, bike, bus, or walking. Keep up-to-date with any road closures, bus stop impacts, or parking limitations in the work detailed above! A larger version of this map can be found at Mount Auburn Street’s project website.
About the Project
The Mount Auburn Street Project will transform the corridor into a Complete Street, providing safe and accessible options for all modes. This project will also provide increased efficiency on the MBTA Bus Route 71, improve traffic operations and pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, improve accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and improved aesthetics.
We will post construction schedules and other work notifications consistently on the project website, and via the City’s social media accounts. You can sign up to receive project email updates here. For questions, please visit the website’s FAQ or email the project team directly.