The redesign of the Powder House Boulevard and Alewife Brook Parkway intersection is expected to take place through the end of the summer. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Ryan DiLello

The City of Somerville held a public meeting last Wednesday to review plans for the redesign of the Powder House Boulevard and Alewife Brook Parkway intersection. Among the 70 residents in attendance, many were concerned about safety during construction.

The new intersection will feature a signalized T-shaped design with a side road for residential and emergency use only. Plans also include improvements to mobility, 22 new trees (following 6 removed trees), and better storm and sewer drain systems.

Crews are to begin work in less than two weeks with an expected completion date set for summer 2024. Streetscapes Senior Project Manager, Rebecca Wright, says some work is already underway, including tree removals and protections. “Next week, the team will be out to perform some test pits [and to set up] erosion control, followed by underground utility work,” Wright said.

The planned 24/7 Alewife Brook Pkwy. Southbound to Powder House Blvd. detour.

The project requires a 24/7 detour at the intersection of Alewife and Broadway, until the end of summer 2023. At one point, Powder House Boulevard will be completely closed in both directions. The city did not disclose a timeframe on the complete closure. Thoroughfares for bikers and walkers, however, will remain viable throughout the construction period.

Plans for the redesign come after city officials designated the intersection a high crash location, with 48 crashes occurring at the site between 2014 and 2021. And while the reenvisioned intersection is safer, many Somerville residents were concerned about safety in the interim period.

The 24/7 detour diverts traffic from the closed portion of southbound Alewife onto Broadway. At an intersection mediated only by a stop light, multiple residents asked whether the city was planning to add any auxiliary signals. Residents questioned whether the simple stoplight at the detour could handle the increase in traffic, turning left across Alewife onto Broadway.

Following this community input, the city will look at improving safety at the Broadway-Alewife Brook intersection, said Jesse Moos, construction liaison. Moos concluded the meeting encouraging residents to contact him and attend future community meetings to provide feedback.