City Receives MassDOT Grant to Expand Bluebikes in Watertown

The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Great news – the City of Watertown has won a Shared Streets and Spaces Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) that will help pay for operations costs for Bluebikes! This grant will help Watertown fund our public bikeshare system (Bluebikes) to continue to be a resource for the region for years to come. The grant will compliment a system expansion that will serve more people and, in more areas not currently served by the existing system. It will boost our bikeshare system (Bluebikes) in providing more and better connections to the MBTA transit system, so Watertown’s residents & visitors can hop on & off a bike to get closer to their destination or home. Bluebikes is a bedrock of our environmentally-sustainable goals, and this grant will help make our investments in Bluebikes to be more financially sustainable, with a new avenue of funding unlocked.

MassDOT Expects Busy Memorial Day Weekend, Encourages Travelers to Plan Ahead

The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is encouraging individuals who plan to travel during the Memorial Day holiday weekend to plan, expect increased travel volumes, utilize MassDOT’s “real time” travel tools and resources, and take public transportation as much as possible to help get to planned destinations.   

“We are expecting a very busy travel weekend for this upcoming Memorial Day,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “Traffic congestion is expected to grow on Thursday afternoon and will be much heavier than normal early Friday afternoon. Drivers should leave extra time when making travel plans, consult MassDOT resources, and always drive sober and undistracted. We at MassDOT wish everyone a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.” 

Construction operations for the Sumner Tunnel Restoration Project are not occurring this weekend. The tunnel will remain open for travel during the weekend of Friday, May 24 through Monday, May 27.  

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

Hear from the State Transportation Secretary at Charles River Chamber Event

Hear about addressing the region’s transportation needs when the Charles River Chamber hosts host a conversation with MassDOT Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt in Watertown. The event will take place on Tuesday, May 14, 9:30-11 a.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 25 Bond Street, Watertown. Cost is $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers

The Chamber provided the following information:

It’s not possible to meet our region’s housing, climate, and workforce challenges without a safe, reliable, and accessible transportation system that meets the needs of all users whether they walk, bike, take public transit, or drive. Join us for a conversation with Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbits-Nutt for an overview of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s plans for improving the state’s transportation system and the role we all must play in supporting this effort. 9:30 a.m.: Registration and Networking

10 a.m.: A Conversation with Secretary Tibbits-Nutt

Tickets are nonrefundable but may be transferred to another guest. 

RSVP HERE

Solar Powered Info Kiosks Coming to Watertown

The electronic information kiosk, made by Soofa Sign, was recently installed near Town Hall. New digital signs have started popping up on the streets of Watertown that will provide emergency messages, bus schedules, information about local government and more. The information kiosks are called Soofa Signs and are the creation of a startup run by MIT grads. They are solar powered and use e-ink. One has been put up near Town Hall/Saltonstall Park.

See How MBTA Projects Will Impact Subways, Trains in 2020

The following piece was provided by the MBTA and MassDOT:

Today the MBTA announced its plans to accelerate infrastructure projects for several subway lines and the Commuter Rail during calendar year 2020 to improve service, safety, and reliability on a faster timeline. These projects will include additional diversions of weekend service on all rapid transit lines and several Commuter Rail lines. In addition to a number of weekend diversions on the Green Line, the MBTA is planning for two one-month shutdowns on the Green Line: the C Branch in July and the E Branch in August. 

The 2020 Infrastructure Acceleration Plan will deliver these projects eight years faster than originally planned, and will result in track replacement, upgraded intersections, and station improvements. In 2019, the MBTA executed a plan to expedite projects for customers, delivering projects 2.2 years faster than originally planned across the Red, Orange, and Green Lines. Much of this work was completed through ten weekend shutdowns on the Red and Orange Lines through the core of downtown Boston. During those shutdowns, the MBTA was able to accelerate improvements by expanding traditional work windows and increasing the number of work activities that took place.

Sen. Brownsberger Hosting Town Halls on Transportation, the Census

State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following announcement was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who represents Watertown, Belmont and parts of Boston:

Senator Brownsberger is hosting a series of Town Halls for each community in January – February 2020. These town halls will focus on Transportation, as well as the 2020 Census. Logistics about the upcoming town hall taking place in your community can be found below:

Watertown

Date: Tuesday, January 28thTime: 6:00PMLocation: Watertown Free Public Library (123 Main St, Watertown, MA 02472), Savings Bank Meeting Room

Fenway & Back Bay

More information about the January 22nd Town Hall can be found here: https://willbrownsberger.com/january-22-back-bay-transportation-2020-census-town-hall/

Brighton & Allston

Date: Tuesday, February 4thTime: 6:00PMLocation: Presentation School Foundation Community Center (640 Washington St, Brighton, MA 02135)

Belmont

Date: Tuesday, February 11thTime: 6:00PMLocation: Belmont Public Library (336 Concord Ave, Belmont, MA 02478, USA), Assembly Room