(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

By Jack Connolly
Jackconnolly422@gmail.com

Honestly, as you drove up and down College Ave. In the last couple of weeks, did you have a clue what that concrete sidewalk slab was near the corner of Francesca Avenue?

Since the city has been reconstructing the sidewalks on College Ave. for the past couple months, I went right to their Transportation and Mobility Improvement Team with an email inquiry. Almost two days later, I received an email response and was informed that the concrete slab was a “bus island.”

As someone who lives near and works on College Ave., I am up and down the street three to four times a day. Rarely have I seen more than one individual waiting for a bus which used to be on the corner of Hall Ave.

Speaking to a resident abutter (across the street), there have already been two vehicle crashes into the slab, with cars, buses, and trucks bobbing and weaving around the island. How safe is that for any means of travel?

Can someone answer why this “bus island” slab was needed at that particular location?

Would you stand on an elevated platform in the middle of the street with vehicles less than 10 feet away (traveling around 20 miles an hour) waiting for a bus, which as of now comes infrequently at best?

With a new mayor and city administration, and new city council about to be sworn in the first week of January 2022, a lot of questions need to be answered by the City of Somerville’s Department of Transportation and Mobility Improvement.

Back in July, they recommended to the Traffic Commission (five members, only one elected) to “restrict” (actually meaning “remove”) parking on College Ave., removing dozens of spaces between the College Ave. Red Line T stop and Morrison Ave.

No notice to Property owners. No notice to residents. No notice to several churches. No notice to dental and health care practices with dozens of patients needing short-term parking to access their healthcare providers. No notice to business owners and their employees (who survived the Covid pandemic), desperately trying to attract customers for pick-up and delivery services.

What is most puzzling is that the city is currently doing a citywide parking study that began back in August. Why is the city in a hurry to remove parking from one of the most heavily utilized streets in and out of Davis Square?

 Time for reelected and newly elected city councilors alike, along with the new mayor and her administration to do a deep dive on what is – or isn’t – happening in the Department of Transportation and Mobility Improvement.

Coming out of the Covid crisis, businesses, churches, and elderly residents in public housing on College Ave. (many with therapists and personal care specialists in and out of these buildings all day) are barely keeping their heads above water. Why is the city making it more difficult for all of these folks to provide services?

Let’s hit the pause button on parking removal on College Ave. until everybody can be at the table after the citywide parking study is completed, mid-year 2022.

Editors’ note: Jack Connolly is a native Somervillian, a Davis Sq. resident and insurance agent: He is also a former Somerville Ward Six and At Large Alderman (known now as City Councilor).