Dispose of Styrofoam & Tires, Shred Paper at Special Recycling Event

Recycle your Styrofoam at the special DPW event. The Watertown Department of Public Works is hosting a special recycling event where styrofoam and tires will be collected. You can also shred papers. WHEN: May 4, 2019 Recycle Event, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Recycle Center on Green River Way

DIRECTIONS: West on Pleasant Street from Watertown Square, North on Bridge Street and West on Waltham Street to Green River Way. Details

Watertown residents only!

Soil Borings to be Taken on Multiple Watertown Streets

Multiple streets in Watertown will be impacted by exploratory boring beginning April 22. The Department of Public Works announced that Pine Street, Essex Street, Nash Street and Oak Street will be the locations of bore drilling beginning Monday, April 22, at 7 a.m. Work, to be done by New England Geotech, is expected to last until 5 p.m. and occur over two days. “Disturbances to residents are anticipated to be minor, but residents may notice elevated short-term noise levels and equipment working,” according to the DPW announcement. Two-inch bores will be taken to test soil. Each bore takes between 1-3 hours to complete.

Roadwork Project Will Impact Multiple East End Streets

A road work project that will impact multiple streets in the East End begins this week, Department of Public Works officials announced. The project includes installation of the “final asphalt wearing surface” on Edgecliff Road, Woodleigh Road, Westland Road and Templeton Parkway. According to the DPW announcement, work will begin on Wednesday, April 17, weather permitting. “The area will be closed to motor vehicle traffic during the paving process,” the announcement states. “Please park your motor vehicles out of the construction area on the intersecting side streets if necessary.”

Watertown Declares Snow Emergency for This Weekend’s Storm

A snow plow clears snow from a parking lot. The Town of Watertown has declared a snow emergency beginning Saturday evening. See details below. The following announcement came from the Town of Watertown:

A winter weather event is predicted with 8-10 inches of snow accumulation in our area. The Superintendent of Public Works has declared a snow emergency effective 6:00 p.m. Saturday January 19, 2019, and will remain in effect until further notice.

See Which Watertown Roads Will be Repaired in 2019

Eight Watertown roads will undergo full repaving in the 2019 construction season, while others will get a new top layer on the the worst sections of the roadway. 

Each year the town sets aside $2.5 million in its budget for road repair. The Town Council’s Public Works subcommittee approved the recommendation of the roads to be repaired next year at a meeting Tuesday night. The list, presented by the Department of Public Works, still must get approval of the full Town Council. The roads that made the list are:

Bellevue Road, from Channing Road to Common StreetAvon RoadChandler StreetBurnham StreetBridgham AvenueNichols Avenue, from Dexter Avenue to Boylston StreetBartlett Street, including Everett Avenue

District C Councilor Vincent Piccirilli, chair of the subcommittee, wondered if the double yellow line would remain on Nichols Avenue. 

“The reality is people park on both sides and people drive straddling the double yellow line,” Piccirilli said. “Under traffic laws it is illegal to do so.”

Sidewalk, Street Construction Around Hosmer School to Continue Through Fall

The Watertown Department of Public Works provided this update on the construction on the sidewalks and streets around Hosmer School. 

Work has progressed on the MassDOT Hosmer School Safe Routes to School Project. The majority of work on the west side of School Street and in front of the Hosmer School has been completed. A section of the intersection at Chauncey Street has been left in a temporary condition as we continue to await Verizon and Eversource wire transfer. The focus of construction will now shift to the east side of Boylston Street, towards Fairfield/Dartmouth Street. Construction will continue during the fall.