If the new plan is selected it would create a very large amount of space for better pedestrian and bike flow within the square. ~Photo by Tom Nash By Ben Johnson The third community meeting concerning the Union Square Transportation Plan took place on Monday, March 1st 2010. The meeting convened at 6:30pm at the Argenziano School, near Union Square, in order for the City of Somerville and consultants to present and discuss updated proposals for future roadway construction in the Union Square area. About fifty residents showed up for the meeting, most of them residents from streets that could potentially be affected by the city's plans.

Senior planner Steven Houdlette opened the meeting with a note that conveyed he understood not everyone would be happy with these proposed plans, "Every place within this geographic scope can't be all things to all people."

Houdlette gave an overview of the proposed plan's goals, stating, "Enhancing the pedestrian realm is one of the main things. A lot of this design works to equalize traffic with bikes and pedestrians."

According to Houdlette, if the new plan is selected it would create a very large amount of space for better pedestrian and bike flow within the square. "Some of the improvements are on a large scale, like making better access for the green line, some are small scale, like more bike racks."

Keri Pyke, a lead consultant on the project, spoke about the existing conditions of Union Square. "I'm sure if you've driven through this area or if you're brave enough to bike, you've seen the traffic. The middle of Union Square is not doing so well."

According to Pyke there is currently 7,200 square feet in the plaza area, which inhibits and limits pedestrian mobility within the square. There are approximately 200 parking spaces within the Union Square area, mostly street parking, which also ties up the flow of traffic within the square.

The city's plans would seek to improve traffic service within the area. One of the big changes proposed in the plans would be to make Webster and Prospect Streets into two-way streets. "That rerouting helps a lot," notes Pyke, "Because drivers can go straight down Prospect. This significantly improves the situation."

Changing Webster and Prospect Streets into two-way streets would require no change in road width explained Pyke. The plan would even require the sidewalks on those streets to be widened. "This will improve the sidewalk experience which is essential for the T, which plans to have an entrance near Prospect Street," said Pyke.

Certain sections of Somerville Ave and Washington Street would also be changed into two-way streets. Near Washington Street there are also plans to make a Woonerf, a street where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists, a road concept popular in some parts of Europe.

The center of Union Square would be changed mostly by the creation of new plaza space for pedestrians. But some business owners worry that this additional plaza space will negatively affect their businesses due to a cut in parking space. "Parking is tough," admitted Pyke. The additional plaza will cut parking spaces within the center of Union Square from 60 spaces down to 30. To make up for this loss in parking, the City of Somerville has proposed construction of two parking garages near Union Square, which would add approximately 400 new parking spaces to the area.

A concerned resident asked if these parking lots would attract only T customers, to which Pyke responded, "We don't want to be providing parking for the Green Line, we want to provide parking for the businesses. Alewife in the middle of Somerville is what we don't want."

Some residents at the meeting seemed uneasy about the tentative plans. During the Q and A, one resident asked "Why are we trying to increase capacity in Union when the T will likely do this anyway?"

"It's improving the level of service not increasing capacity," responded Pyke. "The intent is not to provide more pavement but to take it back so to better direct traffic. People will be more sure of what lane to be in."

Others who attended the meeting seemed to think the updated plans were a great improvement over the last meeting's plans. The meeting ended with the closing words of Rob May, director of Economic Development, who said, "These are going to be things that phase in over a long time. We can't know how everything will work out right now."