The city was asked update signs to use the phrase “no motorized vehicles,” all along the community path. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Cathleen Twardzik

The Somerville Traffic and Parking Committee regular meeting occurred virtually on November 4 at 6 p.m. At that meeting, safety was a paramount concern.

It must be noted that the police chief will be able to attend the next meeting and will discuss whether to “resume issuing” tickets, instead of warnings due to significant moving violations that put public safety at risk. That includes “running red lights” and speeding.

Along with Councilor Naima Sait, bicycle parking was finished adjacent to Neighborhood Produce after the Broadway at Boston Avenue intersection work was “completed.” In more detail, at that location, the committee wanted to ensure that a bike rack was constructed into the concrete and not into the pavement, which is the case.

“The administration” assists with bicycle parking for sizable “licensed” public happenings within Somerville.

Brad Rawson, Director of Mobility of Somerville was asked to put in signs for speed limits, and update signs to use the phrase “no motorized vehicles,” which includes mopeds and scooters – all along the community path, as well as at each of its entrances.

“It’s good to hear about the graphical thing being on the table here. I think that could make a big difference – because, in the order, it talks about scooters. There are two very different types of scooters, right? Think of your classic Vespa, Chao, you know, moped-looking scooter. There’s also the stand on electric scooter, right, that you see all around town. And I think it’s just really important that that’s where a graphical approach could bear fruit, where relying on words would not,” said Councilor Jake Wilson.

Further, Rawson is being asked to set up speed humps, as well as additional traffic slowing methods, along Bonair Street next to the Edgerly School.

Now, “We’re collecting some baseline data consistent with our standard operating procedures, making sure that we’ve benchmarked existing conditions for speed and volume. And then, the next start of our process is to move into the deciding conversations and public notifications. It is our expectation that this would be implemented in calendar 2025,” said Rawson.

However, “At this time, I cannot specify whether that would be spring or fall. We typically do a batch of speed humps in the spring, if contractor availability permits, and in the fall as well. And as you all know, we’ve just completed a part of our fall deployment. Schools score really highly in the city’s criteria for traffic calming,” he said.

What are the next steps in this process? “It is our expectation that Bonaire near the Winter Hill at Edgerly will score highly for those reasons, so we look forward to providing more clarity on next steps in the months ahead,” said Rawson.

“It is our expectation that this will score highly. We know that we have an increased volume of vulnerable road users as well as some cut-through traffic in the neighborhood. So again, we are observing these conditions,” he said.

The Council was updated on the situation of executing the Parking and Curb Use Study, and the July 2024 proposals of the Somerville Alliance of Safe Streets (SASS) were briefly discussed.

Of utmost importance, Rawson was asked to place “a raised crosswalk at the intersection of Boston and Kidder Avenues.”

There is “an interesting condition at the corner of Kidder and Boston, where Boston splits off as a one-way pair, running in both directions away from Kidder, whereas Kidder is a two-way street. Now, Kidder has received traffic calming, prioritized because of the proximity to the school,” said Rawson.

Importantly, “I can’t promise any specific intervention at this moment. We do have many locations around Somerville where stop sign compliance is a concern, with higher speed turns are a concern, and we also do know that there is some cut-through traffic that uses this Kidder to Boston, to Morrison, to Cedar connection,” he said.

The issue of the intersection of Broadway and Boston Avenue becoming less dangerous was discussed. Specifically, the Director of Engineering and Rawson – will “explore” ways to guarantee that the raised sidewalk in that location becomes safer.

“[That location] is opposite Kelly’s Diner at the other corner of Boston and Broadway. This location was built by Greenline Extension as part of their required ADA path of travel on that side of the Ball Square intersection,” said Rawson.

In more detail, “In order to make the grades work, they were forced to create some vertical curbs within the overall curb extension to try to achieve a level landing on the approach to the crosswalk along Broadway between this location and Kelly’s and ultimately the business district over towards Josephine. So, these types of ramps are a standard engineering technique. We have many of them around the city, but this one I think is causing more challenge in part because of its newness,” he said.

Finally, “I don’t have a specific remedy or a specific timeline for you this evening, but engineering, DPW, and mobility will be reviewing everything going into the wintertime, and I hope to have more specific information on this location soon,” said Rawson.