Around Town

Public Hears About Narrowed List of Projects to Improve Roads, Bicycling, Walking in Watertown

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A variety of projects – from the Community Path to crosswalks to traffic calming – made the first cut in the creation of Watertown’s Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. Town officials, however, still seek input about which should make the final list of 15-20 projects. Wednesday night, consultants hired by the town to create the Prioritization Plan discussed why some of the projects made the grade and others did not. The town will be able to apply for funding from the Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for projects on the Prioritization Plan.

Government

Find Out About Improvements to Public Transit Planned for Mt. Auburn Street

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The Town of Watertown will host a public meeting on planned improvements to public transit on Mount Auburn Street, including new technology for traffic signals and piloting a bus-only lane for the 71 and 73 buses on a stretch of the street. The Department of Public Works sent out the following information:

Please join the Town of Watertown for a Mount Auburn Street project meeting to discuss bus transit planning along the corridor. We will also discuss potential technologies and amenities that could be incorporated into the project to improve bus service and reliability for the more than 5,000 daily riders. At the meeting, we will touch upon an exciting joint bus rapid transit (BRT) pilot project with the City of Cambridge and the MBTA to improve Route 71/73 service between Belmont Street and Fresh Pond Parkway. Although the pilot project will proceed independent of our Mount Auburn Street Complete Streets project, we hope to use the results and data collected from the pilot to inform our design.

Government

Watertown Gets Grant to Test Dedicated Bus Lanes on Parts of Mt. Auburn St.

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Watertown officials announced Wednesday that the Bar Foundation, as part of its BostonBRT initiative, has awarded the community a grant to conduct a pilot project testing bus rapid transit (BRT) features in collaboration with the City of Cambridge and the MBTA. The pilot will seek to create a faster and more reliable commute for more than 12,000 daily bus riders on routes 71 and 73. The pilot, which will take place during 2018, will take bus riders out of car congestion through the creation of all-day dedicated bus lanes for significant segments on Mount Auburn Street between Belmont Street and Fresh Pond Parkway. It will also include inbound “queue jump” lanes to give buses
priority in intersections on Mount Auburn Street and Belmont Street near where they meet, and timed traffic signals where feasible so that buses get more green lights. The pilot is a temporary demonstration.

Government

Watertown Officials Hoping Watertown Yard Can be More Rider Friendly

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The MTBA’s Watertown Yard is the starting point for several bus routes, including the express buses to Boston, and Watertown officials believe it can be improved to make it a nicer place to catch the bus, and perhaps someday the Watertown TMA Shuttle. In September, MBTA officials lead a tour of the facility located on Galen Street, just south of the Charles River from Watertown Square, for Town Councilors, State House representatives and Town officials. Some of those on the tour that day met Thursday evening for the Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation. The general feeling was that Watertown Yard is a large facility that is not being used to its greatest potential. “What struck me is the tremendous opportunity to improve transportation in Watertown,” said Town Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli.

Government

Watertown Exploring Testing of Self-Driving Vehicles for Public Transit

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Sometime in the future, self-driving shuttles could be transporting people around Watertown, and that future may not be that far down the road. 

The Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation asked Town officials to look into opportunities for grants and pilot programs to test autonomous vehicles to provide public transportation in Watertown. The town would not be the first community to test such self-driving shuttles. Las Vegas and London have started programs and Columbus, Ohio, is exploring the idea, according to this report by CNET. They can also be seen on campuses and as inter-terminal trains at airports. In October 2016, Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order promoting the testing and deployment of automated vehicles.

Government

Watertown Shuttle Could Start Running in Fall, or May Wait Until Spring

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Watertown’s first shuttle will likely run down Pleasant Street to Watertown Square and could start as soon as this fall, but may have to wait until the nice weather arrives in 2018. On Wednesday night, members of the Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation were eager to find out when they could see Watertown’s first shuttle. The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) will run the shuttle, and if all goes right the first shuttles could start rolling this fall, said Allison Simmons, a consultant from Ease Consult hired by the Town to form the TMA. However, it may have to wait until spring. To get the shuttle started this fall, Simmons said, the Watertown TMA board would have to approve the shuttle pilot at its August meeting and get members to agree to fund it soon after.

Government

State Looks for Ways to Improve Traffic, Transportation on Arsenal Street

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Residents attending the MassDOT’s community forum Tuesday night heard some things they already knew – traffic and bus service is bad on Arsenal Street – and other things they didn’t want to know – it will get much worse unless something is done. 

The Department of Transportation’s consultants from VHB told residents that traffic could increase significantly the next 25 years and that will result in more crowded and more late MBTA buses. They also discussed ways to improve public transportation and traffic on the Arsenal Street Corridor during the second community meeting on improvements to the area. Traffic will increase 17 percent in the morning peak traffic hour and 21 percent in the evening peak traffic hour, said Laura Castelli, a consultant from VHB. Looking at traffic flow, most of the congestion currently is at the two “gateways” to the Arsenal Corridor: Watertown Square and the Western Avenue/Soldier Field Road interchange on the other side of the Arsenal Street Bridge, Castelli said. Currently, 15-35 percent of stops are above capacity the way the MBTA measures it – all seats are full during non-peak time and in peak times, the bus is at capacity for sitting and standing.

Government

State Transportation Officials Start Study of Arsenal Street Corridor

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The Mass. Department of Transportation (MassDOT) began looking at ways to improve the Arsenal Street Corridor with a stakeholder meeting last week. Working with Watertown-based engineering firm, VHB, MassDOT will evaluate existing and future multimodal transportation conditions along the Arsenal Street corridor in Watertown and also regionally, according to Town Councilor Cecilia Lenk, who attended the first meeting. The study will develop alternatives to improve transportation conditions with a primary focus on the bus service along Arsenal Street. Transportation alternatives will also be examined and evaluated, Lenk added.