Drainage Installation Continues on Mt. Auburn St. & Bigelow Ave., Expect Detours

Print More

The City of Watertown provided the following update about the construction on Mt. Auburn Street, which is taking place in East Watertown during the week of March 31-April 4, 2025. See details in the announcement below.

Newport Construction will continue installing drainage on Bigelow Ave. between Mount Auburn Street and Wells Ave, closing this section to traffic. Construction crews will be working in this area from 7 AM to 5 PM.

Traffic Impacts
The construction area on Bigelow Avenue, between Wells Avenue and Mount Auburn Street will be closed to traffic. Vehicles traveling eastbound on Mount Auburn Street and turning onto Bigelow Ave will be redirected via Arlington Street, then Wells Ave. Vehicles on Bigelow Ave heading toward Mount Auburn Street will be redirected to Merrifield Ave. and Arlington St. to reach Mount Auburn Street. Detour signs and Police details will be present in the area to help navigate (see map below for detour details). Sidewalks will be narrowed but remain accessible, and business entrances will be maintained.

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. 

Map of the Mount Auburn Street area, depicting detours and Bigelow Ave construction area.

The map above shows the area on Bigelow Ave. that will be impacted due to construction work, and the resulting detours for those traveling on Mount Auburn Street trying to access Bigelow Ave. (yellow) and those traveling on Bigelow Ave. trying to access Mount Auburn Street (red).  

Westbound Drainage Installation on Mount Auburn | Bus Stop Relocation Planned

This work will begin when the above drainage work on Mount Auburn St. and Bigelow Ave is completed. Newport Construction will be continuing drainage on the westbound side of the Mount Auburn St intersection between Kimball Rd. and Irma Ave. Construction crews will be operating in this area from 9 AM to 5 PM.

Traffic Impacts
Expect lane shifts in this area. Traffic will continue to flow in each direction, though narrowed to one lane in each direction.  Police details will assist to maintain the traffic flow in both directions. Sidewalks in the construction area will be narrowed, but remain accessible. 

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 prior to beginning work in the morning and will be removing them from the area by 5pm each day. You can still find metered parking outside the immediate construction zone on Mount Auburn Street, as well as on Wells Avenue and in the Wells Avenue municipal parking lot. 

Bus Stop Impacts (Map below)
The bus stop for Route 71 at Mount Auburn St and Bigelow Ave will continue to be temporarily relocated during the construction period. We ask that you board on the southeast corner on Mount Auburn Street and Arlington Street (as depicted below). This bus stop is anticipated to be relocated through April 4. 2025. We will share an update about this bus stop relocation on Friday, April 4. For more details on Route 71, visit the MBTA’s schedules and maps.

Due to construction, the bus stop at Mount Auburn Street and Bigelow Ave will continue to be temporarily to the southeast corner of Arlington Street and Mount Auburn Street.

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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *