Around Town

New Lights Being Installed Along Community Path Between Whites, Waverley Aves.

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{Updated on Jan. 4, 2018. Corrected the cost of the project to $70,000, not $300,00-$400,00}

A new set of decorative street lights is to planned be installed along the pathway that leads from Whites Avenue to Waverley Avenue, just west of Saltonstall Park. The project, along what is called the Community Path or Linear Park, would install 11 new lights on decorative light posts, that are about 12 feet tall, said Dennis Sheehan, the Department of Public Works Director of Administration and Finance. He presented the project to the Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee last week.

Arsenal Street

Town Working With Developers to Fix Issues on Arsenal Street

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Travelers of Arsenal Street will have noticed the sticking point as you head west toward Watertown Square near the Lexus dealer. Town officials are working with the developers of a nearby apartment complex to fix the situation. The problem has been caused by the new raised bicycle path that runs in front of the block of businesses on that area of Arsenal Street and stretches a bit too far. The extra section causes a choke point when drivers try to turn left onto Louise Street because cars have no room to go around, said Town Engineer Matt Shuman. “The bump out was supposed to end west of Louise,” Shuman said.

Community Path

Town Will Purchase House Near Library, Use it to Expand Community Path

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The Town Council voted Tuesday night to purchase a home in the center of town to help expand the Community Path through the center of town, but not all councilors agreed with the move. 

The owners of  house, which sits on Winter Street just off Church Street, approached the town to see if officials would be interested in purchasing the property, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll. After a few months of negotiations, the town agreed to pay $796,000 for the house at 10 Winter Street. The money will come from the town’s Free Cash funds. The land will help the town link the multi-use path, that runs along Arsenal Street and comes into Watertown Square, but stops before starting up in Saltonstall Park, across the field from the back of Town Hall. Councilor Aaron Dushku said the purchase of the home will help the town build the path, while not impact parking in Watertown Square.

Around Town

Future Direction of the Watertown Community Path to be Discussed

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The Town Council’s Public Works Committee and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee will talk about the designs for linking the Community Path in the Watertown Square area on Thursday night. 

Currently the path runs east to west from Arlington Street, behind the Watertown Mall, and onto School Street. From there it runs along Arsenal Street and will end at Irving Street after the new apartments are built on Arsenal Street. On the other side of town, the Community Path starts up again behind Town Hall and goes to Waverley Avenue and continues near Moxley Park. However, there is no direct link between the two sections. There are a few options for link, with scenarios focusing on the areas east and west of  Watertown Square.

Government

Town Looking for Routes for Community Path Through Watertown Square

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Bicyclists and runners already enjoy using parts of the Community Path, but they do not link up in one key area – Watertown Square. The Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee is exploring ways to create a link between the path that runs along Arsenal Street (and links to the path behind Target) and the one that goes through Saltonstall Park and extends to Waverley Avenue. East of Mt. Auburn Street
On the eastern end, from Irving Street to Mt. Auburn Street, there are a couple of options, said Councilor Aaron Dushku at last week’s Town Council Meeting.

Environment

DCR Unveils First Draft of the Community Path in Watertown, Cambridge

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Residents wanted to see more access points to the bicycle and pedestrian path from Watertown to Cambridge and some worried about the safety of the path along the former railroad line at night. Dozens of interested residents from Watertown and Cambridge packed a room at the Atrium School Monday night to learn about what the Phase 2  of the Community Path (also called the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway) from Arlington Street to Fresh Pond will look like. Officials from the Department of Conservation and Recreation showed their preliminary plans for the new section of the path, which starts at Arlington Street near Nichols Avenue and Crawford Street, runs into Cambridge and ends at Fresh Pond. “People will be able to get around between Cambridge and Watertown a lot better,” said Dan Driscoll, director of Recreation Facilities Planning for the DCR. “There are still a few issues to work out but it is going to be a great project.”

Government

Meeting Planned on Bike, Pedestrian Path from Watertown and Cambridge

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The Department of Conservation and Recreation will meet on Tuesday, June 9 to discuss the planned bicycle and pedestrian path linking Watertown and Cambridge. 

The meeting will be on Tuesday, June 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the West Cambridge Youth Center, 680 Huron Ave. in Cambridge. The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway is an effort recently launched with the joint purchase of a former B&M Railroad line, the Watertown Branch, by the City of Cambridge and the DCR to create a multi-use pathway and greenway. This purchase, which includes the former railroad right-of-way from Concord Avenue in Cambridge, through the Fresh Pond Reservation, under Huron Avenue, and into Watertown, will be developed into a pedestrian and bicycle path, helping complete the important regional connection linking the Charles River path system and the Minuteman Bikeway. At this meeting, DCR and the City of Cambridge will provide background information about the project, now at a pre-conceptual stage of design, and obtain public input.

Business

Three Groups Pledge Money for Community Path Extension

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The extension of Watertown’s Community Path could soon become a reality thanks to a pledge from three local businesses. The owners of the Arsenal Project (formerly the Arsenal Mall), athenahealth and Tufts Health Plan have teamed up to offer $25,000 to go toward designing the new section of path from Arlington Street in Watertown to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, said Bill McQuillan, principal with Boylston Properties – which bought the Arsenal Mall last year. The money will cover half the cost, with the Department of Conservation and Recreation covering the rest. “If there are funds for projects like the Community Path they need to be shovel ready – they need to have plans drawn up,” McQuillan said Thursday night. “The DCR doesn’t have the money, so we co-funded the project.”