Road work on Mt. Auburn Street continues with drainage work in Coolidge Square, and tree protection installation near Walnut Street. The City of Watertown provided the following update on the Mt. Auburn Street Project.
Drainage Installation Continues Between Arlington St. and Bigelow Ave. on Eastbound Side
Newport Construction will continue their drainage installation work on Mount Auburn Street between Arlington Street and Bigelow Avenue on the eastbound side of the roadway. You can expect to see construction crews in this area from 7am to 5pm.
Traffic Impacts
Expect lane closures and lane shifts in this area, but no detours. 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 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 outside the immediate construction zone on Mount Auburn Street, as well as on Wells Avenue and in the Wells Avenue municipal parking lot.
Tree Protection Installation
Newport 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. A police detail will be on-site to assist pedestrians around the work areas. 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.)
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.