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MassDOT Advises Travelers to Plan Ahead for Busy Fourth of July Travel

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The following announcement was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising travelers to plan ahead and expect increased volumes of traffic for the Fourth of July holiday period.  If traveling, MassDOT recommends utilizing “real time” travel tools, checking holiday schedules for public transportation, and planning trip departure times and routes based on available information.    

“With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday approaching, we’re encouraging drivers to plan ahead and make use of MassDOT resources when planning holiday travel,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Travelers should also be aware that the monthlong closure of the Sumner Tunnel will begin on Friday, July 5, and are encouraged to consult MassDOT materials on detours and mitigation options. All of us at MassDOT wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday.”  

All Commonwealth of Massachusetts offices are closed on Thursday, July 4, including Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) customer service locations. Many RMV transactions can be done online:  www.mass.gov/RMV.  In addition, any resident who is a member of AAA can also make appointments at AAA locations for some Registry transactions.  

The Sumner Tunnel in Boston will be closed seven days a week, from Friday, July 5 to Monday, August 5. During this time, traffic will be diverted through other signed detour routes.  This information can be found on the project website at  www.mass.gov/sumner-tunnel 

Using traffic data, MassDOT has created a traffic forecast for the holiday weekend.

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Watertown Girl Scout Given Award for First Aid Instruction

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The following announcement was provided by Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass.:

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA), the largest girl serving organization in Massachusetts, is proud to recognize Bianca Sciocchetti of Watertown with the GSEMA President’s Award for the GSEMA First Aid Instructors. GSEMA recently celebrated the dedication and skills of its 4,000 active volunteers at its annual Volunteer and Donor Recognition Celebration, which took place on Sunday, May 19, 2024. The 2024 class of GSEMA Volunteer Recognition Honorees included over 130 volunteers. Bianca was awarded with the GSEMA President’s Award for the GSEMA First Aid Instructors. The GSEMA President’s Award recognizes the efforts of a service team, committee, or volunteer team whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpassed team goals and resulted in significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals.

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LETTER: Reflections on Deliberations by City Council & Planning Board on Watertown Square Area Plan

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I’ve participated in every public meeting since October 2023 and I have publicly supported a renaissance for our city center through the Watertown Square Area Plan … both the 4 Corners streetscape and the proposed zoning changes to enable new housing of at least 3,300 unit capacity. I call these “imaginary units” because the concept of unit capacity assumes that existing landowners will tear down whatever exists on their property today and build housing up to the plan limits (an unlikely scenario at best). I strongly oppose the suggestion to limit “imaginary units” to 1701, either as a so-called “Phase1” or as a final number. The phased approach suggested by one Planning Board member seemslike a thinly veiled attempt to kick the controversy down the road in hopes that a highernumber will ultimately be rejected. However, the 1,701 number is too low to achieve our goalsto make Watertown Square a vibrant, attractive city center and an economically viable place forsmall businesses.

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Watertown Senior Services Receives AARP Community Challenge Grant

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The City of Watertown provided the following information:

Watertown’s Department of Senior Services is thrilled to announce they have been selected to receive a 2024 AARP Community Challenge grant. They are one of only 343 grantees selected (out of 3,300+ applications!) from across all 50 states, Washington D.C, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Watertown Department of Senior Services for this investment to make Watertown a more livable for residents of all ages,” stated Lydia McCoy, Watertown’s Director of Senior Services “AARP is a nationwide leader in making communities more livable and we are honored that they see the tangible value this project will bring to our area.”

Tenancy Preservation and Community Support Program for Older Adults in Watertown, MA

The City of Watertown’s Senior Service Tenancy Preservation and Community Support Program is a compassionate initiative dedicated to providing crucial support to seniors and their families in Watertown, MA. Our mission is to ensure that older adults aged 60 years or older can age in place with dignity and security, fostering intergenerational, livable communities where residents of all ages and backgrounds thrive together. This program will be run out of the City of Watertown’s Department of Senior Services.

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LETTER: Charles River Chamber Supports Watertown Square Plan

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Dear City Councilors and Planning Board:

The Charles River Regional Chamber enthusiastically supports the Watertown Square Area Plan. This refreshing reimaging of Watertown Square was created through a remarkably collaborative public process and positions the square to become something we can all be proud of. This plan transforms the square’s most frustrating and unwelcoming traffic patterns, replacing it with a vision that welcomes pedestrians, cyclists, bus commuters, and drivers. 

This plan greatly enhances our existing restaurants’, retailers’, and other merchants’ long-term viability while opening new opportunities and a desirable environment for new businesses.  

This plan smartly unlocks opportunities for multi-family housing, addressing a desperate need for employers struggling to hire, young professionals and their families to live, and for seniors looking to downsize. And this plan creates new open public spaces, transforms the Delta into a desirable destination, and opens access to our favorite river. While there may ultimately be a need to adjust particular building heights or the angle of an intersection, those are deliberations for a later time through the zoning process, streetscape evaluations and other subsequent steps.  We also are concerned that the ultimate execution of this project is carefully managed to minimize disruption to existing businesses.

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Progress in Restoration of Historic Paintings from Watertown City Hall

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City of WatertownOne of two historic paintings in Watertown’s City Hall being cleaned using funds from the Community Preservation Act. By Joyce Kelly

As we have reported, the geographical paintings that usually flank the foyer at the main entrance to City Hall are currently in the studio of conservator Louise Orsini being refurbished. In 2022, the Historical Society of Watertown received a grant from the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for the conservation of the two geographical paintings. The 5 ½ x 7 ½ foot paintings were installed when the building opened in 1932. One painting represents a map of the town in the early years (1630 is the year of its founding) and the other painting is a depiction of an aerial view of Watertown in 1930 (our Tercentenary year).