Hello, everyone.

My name is Naima Said.

She her pronouns from the World Five Counselor and your traffic and parking chair.

I would like to call to order today's traffic and parking committee meeting of the Somerville City Council.

First, they will read the legal notice that allows us to have this meeting on Zoom.

Pursuant to chapter two of the act of 2023, this meeting of the city council committee will be conducted via remote participation.

We will post an audio video recording transcript and other comprehensive record of these proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting of uh on the city of Somerville website and local cable access government channels.

Uh Clerk, could you please call the role to establish a quorum?

Yep.

This is roll call.

Counselor Wheeler.

Here.

Councilor Mbaugh.

President.

Chair Said.

Here.

All right.

With that, we do have all members present.

So we have quorum.

Okay, great.

We will start uh by approving the minutes from uh the last meeting on October 27th.

Of last year, Clerk, could you please read the minutes and call the role on that?

Yep.

On agenda item one, ID number 25-1707, approval of the minutes of the traffic and parking committee meeting of October 27th of 2025.

On approval of the minutes.

Counselor Wheeler.

Yes.

Councilor Mbaugh.

Yes.

Chair Saeed.

Yes.

All right, with that does all those in the affirmative.

And can we approve the minutes for the November 17th, 2025 meeting?

Yep.

Um agenda item two, ID number 25-1777, approval of the minutes of the traffic and parking committee meeting of November 17th, 2025.

Counselor Wheeler.

Yes.

Counselor Mbaugh.

Yes.

Chair Sae.

Yes.

All right.

With that, that is all members in favor again.

Thank you.

Oh, and uh Clerk, if you could read item three and six, we'll take those together.

All right.

Agenda items three and six.

Um item three, ID number 26-0086, pedestrian and transit advisory committee sub submitting comments regarding McGrath Boulevard, as well as agenda item number six, ID number 26-0060.

Um, that the counselor of direct that the director of engineering and the director of mobility work to block off the end of Virginia Street and Aldridge Street to through traffic.

Um sorry, Clerk, I think I'm going to correct that.

Um, so uh the McGrath is item four.

Um these are all related, they think for the public communication.

We usually place that on file.

Um item three placed on file.

So uh if we can read four um that we will take with six.

Got it.

Okay, so to confirm item number three, ID 26-0086 will be placing on file.

And then we'll be taking up items four and six together, correct?

Yes.

Okay, so item number four, ID number 26-0070.

That the director of mobility discuss with this council the recommendations of the pedestrian and transit advisory committee regarding the 25% design documents of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, McGrath Boulevard project.

Um, and this will be taken up with item number six as well.

I will turn it to Director Ross and evening, Chair.

Good evening, committee.

My name is Brad Ross and I serve the city as director of mobility and OSPCD.

And I'm joined tonight by senior planner Justin Schreiber from OSPCD Mobility Division.

Uh we appreciate the committee's attention to one of the most critical and transformative transportation infrastructure investments that Somerville has ever contemplated.

Um, right there behind the Green Line Extension and the community path chair.

We are so excited about the progress that our partners at Mass DOT are making on the McGrath Boulevard project.

We recognize that we are 20 years into this journey.

Um, and we've still got a couple to go.

And yet we are feeling a real degree of confidence at the staff level.

And we appreciate the public comments from our advisory committees and our advocacy partners, our state delegation and city council partners who are also expressing that optimism that our state agency partners are moving this project forward, that they're being responsive to community feedback, um, and that we are really making meaningful strides towards transforming McGrath.

So, Chair, if it's okay, um, we would love to recommend that um you know we proceed through the advocacy letters in whatever order work for you.

Um, Justin serves as our technical lead uh working with the state agency partners as well as a whole variety of city departments.

Justin and I are meeting regularly with our official advisory committees, not only the pedestrian and transit advisory committee that has given this letter for tonight's agenda, but also Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee, which filed a similar letter, and then a broader group called the McGrath Coalition that's really spearheaded by the Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets, Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, and many others.

They also have submitted similar letters.

So some of the key questions and design improvements that we are all working toward are common throughout those all those comment letters.

Um so happy to take your lead, Chair.

Um, if you would like additional context about you know the path forward, to provide that now.

Uh, or if you prefer to get into some of the technical details, uh we're we're here to assist your discussions.

Uh yeah, thank you, uh, director.

Just um for like the procedure, because I know it's part of it, like all these items are related.

So three, four, and six, right?

We place that one in file.

So just should we cancel that so we can actually discuss it?

Um sometimes it's confusing when it's a public communication as opposed to an order.

So in order to discuss it, let's put it on the table again.

But yeah, just what's the procedure, Clerk?

Um, we're referring to the public communication.

Yeah, so we can we can take that back up since there wasn't like an official vote on it at your discussion as chair.

Okay, great.

Um, so yeah, great.

Uh then colleagues, do you have any preference uh in terms of how we're gonna project discussion um first discuss next steps and then the content?

One possibility um through the chair.

Uh I don't feel strongly about this, but there are these numbered bullets in the PTAC letter that could be a way to begin the conversation.

Okay.

Then it's the first item.

And um, if uh director is okay with that, let's do that.

Thank you for putting that on the screen.

Madam Chair.

Uh yes, counselor, counselor.

Yeah, so uh thank you.

Um I would like to, you know, suggest, or maybe think I was coming as expecting uh a presentation because this has been going on, you know, like for a while, maybe since 2012.

So many things have changed.

I'm expecting to see what are like the updated information on updated data, then before we go to address the specifics of the letters from PTAC.

So I'm not sure why addressing a letter without a comprehensive context of where the plan is at the moment.

Okay, thank you for making that point.

Um, Councilor Mbaugh.

Um, Director Rossin, can you share if there will be any visuals?

Um just like that will summarize where things are at.

Um, Chair, thanks for uh the clarification.

Thank you, Counselor.

Um, no, it was not staff's intention to bring any new presentation to you all.

If you all find it helpful, though, Chair, we are happy to work with the clerk to bring up the Mass DOT public presentation from December 2025, on which PTAC letter is based.

The presentation is very, very helpful and provides um specific site plans and diagrams or some of the design elements that we will discuss tonight.

It also includes high-level schedule milestones to Councilor Mbaugh's question about where are we in the overall process and where are we going from here?

That would be my recommendation if visuals are helpful.

Um, okay.

Um, I mean we know from the agenda that there was no presentation as this agenda has been posted uh for a few days now.

Um could you, director, then refer, just give us a summary.

Um brief summary if possible.

Absolutely, Chair.

Um, and thanks for your patience, everybody.

So kind of just bringing everybody up to speed.

Our partners at Mass DOT are at a little bit beyond the 25% design milestone for this 130 million dollar four-year construction project that we call McGrath Boulevard.

The scope of the project runs from the Broadway intersection on the East Somerville Winter Hill border, southward along Route 28 to the Squires Bridge, approximately near Somerville Avenue and Poplar Street, uh, near the Brick Bottom and Union Square neighborhoods.

The project intent is to really knit the neighborhoods back together, improve safety for all users, have a slower, safer, smaller McGrath Boulevard, and tear down the elevated McCarthy viaduct that has separated our neighborhoods since the mid-1950s when the when the old parkway was expanded.

When we say 25% design milestone, Chair, we are referring to kind of the broad strokes of the design for this project.

What is the relative priority of walking, transit, biking, and driving?

What is the rough cross section?

How many lanes, what configuration is the right of way?

Where are the signalized intersections and what are the rough strategies for their signalization?

Beyond the 25%, the next stage is intended to get into really much finer green details about grading, utilities, drainage, uh, and detailed amenities.

But at this point, we know where the street connections are.

We know where the multimodal crosswalk and bike facility connections are.

Um, those high-level things that really resonate with a lot of our stakeholders and community members.

Um, so there's a lot of information that we have in terms of visualizing the future.

Um, and I'll just conclude, Chair, by offering kind of the next six to 18 month look ahead.

Large capital projects like McGrath Boulevard are scheduled for their construction financing, often about five years in advance.

Um, and so their statewide um capital planning is now really starting to come into focus.

And in federal fiscal year 2027, which roughly translates to calendar year 2028, um, we expect that Mass DOT would be starting construction and spending like 20 or 30 million dollars per year to ultimately build out this 100 plus million dollar investment.

Um, so we're just a couple of years away from shovels hitting the ground if everything continues to be on schedule.

Approximately one year from now will be at the next design milestone, which is around 75% or 100% design.

Um, so you know, we're off to the races, Chair.

Uh, we were really forward to this process, and yet there are still meaningful opportunities for public engagement or interdepartmental review um to help shape defined details as they go beyond 25%.

So I hope that's kind of a helpful quick summary.

Uh any questions about the summary, Conserva or comments.

Yeah.

Um thank you, Maranche.

And Director Rosen, thank you for for that high-level summary because I mean, it is also my recollection from that presentation.

You know, there was a lot of information.

Uh review it, you know, myself.

And also some high-level stuff that I uh high-level question that I had, you know, in that presentation, which I'm not sure.

We actually, you know, know where things are was the it would was missing in that presentation was about like that the parallel data about how the traffic flow, you know, will be changing on the ground level, you know, like to Washington Street, some of the uh Medford, Broadway, you know.

So that is something that was a little bit curious to know.

Since it's gonna, I think that data had indicated that there were about like 23,000 vehicles that passes on my drive.

And now they'll they're gonna go now in multiple different directions.

So I was mostly curious about how congested will each intersection be, like on the ground level, and how many right and left turns or other maneuvers will be required.

You see what I mean?

And then now there's like increasing bike pedestrians movement.

So, how will bikes and pedestrians move along the vehicle lanes?

Like to make sure that whenever the intersections, like with this intersection require multiple lint 10 directions, you know, or very long lights, like there's all these different things that I was really expected to see because I know that the data has changed because it they created this plan, I think since 2012.

You know, the conditions during that time have all changed.

So I mean, we are here to support you, you know, and city planners, you know, move this forward.

But as this has been several years ago, like what has changed, you know, there was also like the pre-pandemic, this pandemic, people walk from home.

Now Mayo is demanding that people come back to the office.

So all those data points, you know, I just want to understand how they are all connected and how you're integrating it as you move ahead with this new design plan.

Does that make sense?

Through the chair, yes.

And chair, if it's okay with you and the clerk, um, I I think um it sounds like opening up the publicly available presentations that Mass DOT has published would be helpful for this conversation.

And I'm happy to do a screen share if that's okay with you all.

Yeah, I actually have them up.

So it would be great if you uh we can uh have um you can share your screen, Clerk.

Could you please give Director Ross and the option to share his screen?

Yes, you should be able to request it, and then I'll approve the pop-up.

Well tempting to do so, Clerk.

Thank you.

Disabled message, disabled screen screen share message.

One second that's better.

Thank you.

Yep.

Also, if someone would be able to just share a copy of that with the clerk so we can get that uh posted publicly for everyone else as well.

Understood, thank you.

Can you see my screen chair, which is a um title slide for the publicly available Mass DOT slide presentation?

Thank you.

Yes.

So, although the advocacy letters um are very specific, again, I think Councillor Mba asked a question about historical context.

And with that in mind, uh, this is one of the slides that Mass DOT has made available.

And I think again, just contextualize for the committee for the public.

Um, we have observed substantial decreases in driving behavior on the Route 28 corridor over the last decade and a half.

And this can be counterintuitive to many of our constituents.

Staff live in these neighborhoods as well.

We we observe these conditions, and it is interesting to really think about um traffic congestion, long cues at signals, and actually then compare that against the historical record where we're at two-thirds of the you know, car traffic that we had uh a decade and a half ago.

Um but count chair uh to the counselor's question, Mass DOT and agencies like it will use data like this to help inform their designs.

And data like this give the traffic engineers at DOT confidence that designing a slower, more people focused McGrath Boulevard is feasible, safe, and appropriate.

And so again, I just paint this picture to kind of set the stage for the design intent, which is to have shorter crossings, safe crossings, pedestrian priority, bike priority, transit priority rather than suburban cut-through traffic priority.

I hope that's helpful.

Chair, the second question that Councilor Mbai asked was an example at one specific intersection.

I want to be cautious with bringing these slides up because we can go down lots of rabbit holes.

These are very dense information slides, but just to illustrate the point that the counselor made, this is a current concept for the big intersection of McGrath and Washington Street on the top of your screen would be uh Washington westbound towards Union Square on the bottom of your screen would be Washington Street eastbound towards Sullivan Square, and McGrath runs from left to right in this image.

This gives you a sense of the type of place that we can imagine once the McCarthy viaduct that overhead structure is torn down, and we actually have at grade crossings and at grade intersection.

And so it's relevant to the motor vehicle traffic volumes that we talked about a moment ago, because the traffic engineers will model conditions.

They will literally start to say, what is um you know the ideal signal timing?

Um, how many signal phases are required?

Um, how can you process not only drivers but pedestrians as well in a reasonable way?

And so NASDOT published all of this really terrific information uh for the public last year.

Um, and folks can access this by um searching McGrath Boulevard and this particular set, Clerk is from December um 20th, 2025.

So why don't I pause for a second there, Chair?

And maybe this is a perfect time to start to pivot to some of the technical questions that were raised in the advocacy letter from pedestrian and transit advisory committee.

Uh thank you, Director.

Umba, did you have any follow-up questions before we start?

No, Madame, this is excellent.

I just wanted to create that because again, this is the first time this committee is meeting.

I don't want to assume that Benwila knows all about this, or this is also my first time on the traffic and parking, but I know I'd review this stuff, and I have some looming questions.

I just wanted to bring that out, you know, just to set this stage.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Uh thank you, Counselor.

Uh Gonsal Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair.

Uh, I just wanted to share something that I learned in the course of of this process and and speaking to people at the uh presentation that happened back in December at the high school um per director Rosson's mention of the different ways that data is used in this design process.

I was really interested to learn, uh, and I didn't know about this before, that one of the tools that the traffic planners use is uh modeling software where they can have thousands of different simulated car trips happening so that they can then say, well, if we make this alteration or that alteration, does that cause uh backups that spill over?

Does that uh result in faster overall throughput of people?

Does that does that result in longer wait times for pedestrians before they can cross or shorter ones?

And it was very helpful to me to hear about the fine-grainedness of that modeling of really trying to find out what are the impact of these design decisions on the experiences of all the different ways these streets are used.

I just just wanted to share that.

I was really really happy to hear about that.

Uh, thank you.

Thank you, uh, Counselor Wheeler.

And uh yeah, with that, I think we can have the letter up and um use those bullet points.

Excellent, Chair.

Thank you kindly.

Appreciate your patience here.

So, Chair, if it's okay, um, I've been talking a lot already in this meeting, and it's probably a great time to ask Justin, uh, our incredible senior planner project manager uh to start taking the committee through um some of these technical questions that were raised by PTAC and many others in the community, including the bike committee and the McGrath Coalition.

Um so Justin, if you're willing, and you can totally direct me.

I'm happy to toggle back and forth um in this letter if that's helpful.

Um, sure, Chair through you.

Um Director Ross, if you don't mind just sharing, I'll I'll be happy to um take the committee through the letter.

Um just a question before we get started, Justin.

Thank you.

Uh so we'll have the letter up.

Will there be um any other visuals like when there's a point, like show us maybe on maps or exist in the presentation?

This is what we're talking about.

Yes, Chair, and just to confirm you're looking at my screen right now, which is the PTAC letter, correct?

Yeah, correctly.

Yes.

Excellent.

So my recommendation, Chair is that uh as we deal with this first technical example here, the ODIS street intersection, um, we will bring up the Mass DOT pages from the presentation in December.

Sound good?

Okay.

Thanks, everyone.

Thank you.

Um, sure.

So Chair Three, the the first point from the committee letter is a request to reinstate full signalization of the OTA street intersection.

Um, this is where there is a pedestrian overpass that exists today.

And the previous public information meeting ahead of the 25% design um proposed a standard red, yellow, green signal there.

And then in the updated presentation by Mastot.

Um in December, it was explained that there were challenges with providing a full standard signal due to um regulatory restrictions that Massachusetts has.

So whenever um whenever traffic engineers are proposing a new traffic signal, they have to meet um one of the warrants that are in the MUTCD, which is the manual on uniform traffic control devices sort of national level standards.

And then each state um in the US has their own amendments to these.

So one of the Massachusetts amendments is that you can only really use one of these warrants to add a new traffic signal, and it's primarily around having a certain amount of traffic volume, both on the main line and on the side streets within an eight-hour period during the day.

So there's a number of slides on this in the presentation, but the key takeaway is the project team presented that they you know they were prohibited from adding a full signal and were instead proposing either a RFB, um, which is the flashing yellow lights that are flashing when you push a button, or they're also we're proposing one another option.

It could be a hawk, also known as a pedestrian hybrid beacon.

That's a signal similar to what is at the Kensington crossing that's dark that flashes to toggles between two red lights when pedestrians push a button and then becomes a solid red um during the walk phase and then goes back to a flashing during the don't walk phase and then turns off completely.

Um the the source to summarize the request from Pete was to advocate for the full signal.

Um and on the city side, um, we continue to push for full signalization, but we also understand that this may not be a decision that the project team is able to make themselves.

Um there's a long and not so great history of hawks being proposed in the city, including a death that we had on Mystic Avenue.

And we strongly prefer and strongly encourage the the project team to opt for the the RFB if full signalization is not an option.

Um we're also working with peers, you know, peers in other cities around the country to try to understand what other options could exist.

Um every you know, I think every state has their own amendments to when you're allowed to add an add a new traffic signal and trying to learn what other options could be possible while continuing to push Mastot to really clarify their guidance and really consider whether they can make an exception given that this is today a fully separated pedestrian overpass.

Yeah, thank you.

See, Council Wheels, hands up.

Thank you, Chair.

Um, thanks so much for that explanation, uh, planner.

And uh I'll add a couple follow-up questions.

One thing I'm curious about um a lot of these terms and their histories are new to me, but I've gathered that there's a lot of weariness among advocates for safe pedestrian uh travel, a lot of weariness about hawks uh hawk crossings.

And one of the things that I've been curious about is if a hawk crossing does allow a pedestrian to produce a full red that as I understand it kind of looks just like any other red light, it becomes solid.

Um what's the problem?

Why are they perceived by many to be more dangerous?

Are they more dangerous?

Um I'm trying to sort of get a better understanding of of what it is that that creates the distinction in terms of safety.

Share through to counselor Wheeler.

Uh, there are I think two main objections that we have both heard and have at staff as staff.

The first is that the signal is dark when it's not activated.

So, you know, particularly at locations that don't have a lot of pedestrian volume, people driving get very used to not stopping there.

Um, they it this is a this is really the hawk was invented on like very large arterial roads in the southwest where they needed a new device to stop traffic that was never used to to stopping before.

Um it really was not ever designed with an urban context in mind.

So I think one issue is the fact that it's not green, but it's just off.

So there's some sort of there's concern around people not identifying that there could be a red light um ahead.

The second major issue that we hear about, and that we also have concerns with so it flashes red during, you know, when the button is pushed, it goes to a solid red and the walk signal comes on.

But then during the countdown timer, the flashing don't walk and the countdown timer, it starts to flash red back and forth again.

And there's a sign that says, you know, you're you're basically allowed to proceed if the crossing is clear during the flashing don't walk phase.

And I think again, as a planner and not a traffic engineer, that goes against what a lot of people think should be happening during a pedestrian phase.

Um we know that people think the countdown timer means I have time to cross, and in fact, may hurry up to cross the street when they see the countdown going.

And particularly in a you know, multi-lane environment, there's real visibility concerns with people crossing at the end of a countdown and folks in the furthest away lane really not having any chance to see them and also knowing that they're allowed to proceed during that time.

Um that that reason for that reason we actually change the programming for our hawks on Beacon Street.

They they do that flash just for a moment at the very end of the flashing don't walk um rather than the full countdown.

So those those are the main two issues that we have with with the hawks.

Um and then just I guess one more piece is again why we're pushing more towards the RFB, which is the flashing yellow lights that we have on Washington Street and Union Square.

It is a treatment that may feel less safe intuitively because it's not a walk signal, but I think that is exactly what we want to make sure pedestrians are aware of that cars could proceed.

And we there's there's some concern with the feeling of safety being provided by the hawk that may not actually exist in the real world.

Thank you.

Uh thank you.

Uh Counselor Wheeler.

Is the council bot's hands up?

Yeah, no, thank you, Chair.

Uh say so uh uh Justin, there was also like uh a suggestion to narrow the lane.

Is that something that was under consideration?

Can you speak to that?

Um sure through the counselor and by yes, we we are asking them to narrow them as much as possible.

They they do have a mass dot design guide that you know limits the extent to which they can do that.

You know, typically they're they're not going to go below 11 feet with a small shoulder.

Um we've asked them to consider whether they could go narrower just visually with paint or consider other vertical elements.

Um they are going to include you know a big overhead mastarm.

It'll be designed to just like a traffic signal it for all defensive purposes, it'll have all of that equipment.

Um but they don't have us as much flexibility as we do locally to narrow lanes at like a pinch point, you know, much further than what they're already showing.

Because I mean, as you can imagine, you know, this is about preventing, you know, like because of this, you know, children crossing at a stop just to reduce some dangerous, you know, like behavior from drivers.

So I'm not sure like if this is something that you want to express as a viewer and an opinion and then leave it up to another decision maker.

Oh, this is us making a statement and a stand that this is what we want to do if the if the alternative isn't possible.

Chair, and if I may, uh I do want to assure the committee and our constituents that city staff, mayor, current mayor, and past mayor have all been working to get NASDOT's attention and describe to them that we do expect more design treatments to ensure pedestrian safety and comfort at this location and others like it.

And um, if it's okay, Chair, one thing I'll point out while this image is on the screen.

Um this raised crosswalk is acknowledged in the PTAC letter.

It was not part of the original design that Mass DOT was exploring at this location because of community advocacy, because of advocacy by our state delegation, by our mayors past and present, by our staff.

And is uh another one as well by itself may not be enough.

And we will continue to advocate for more.

But I do want to make sure the committee knows that this would be a first in the state of Massachusetts.

And so I say this chair, uh, just to remind us all that our community advocacy works and our state agency partners are doing their best to be as responsive as possible.

We will not stop advocating.

In fact, we will continue.

And so that'll be probably part of the next conversation here in committee and beyond.

I just wanted to call committees' attention to it.

Thanks.

Uh, thank you, Director Consular Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair.

Um first, I just wanted to say I I really appreciate you know what I'm hearing about the the advocacy and the communication happening between the mobility department, between OSB C D uh for the city of Somerville and Mastodot.

One question I have is I'm just curious about what the nature of that of that collaborative relationship is.

Are there regular meetings where our staff are able to uh to give feedback and to to be part of a communication with MassDOT?

Is it more of a sort of as necessary thing of reaching out about specific things on a sort of one-by-one basis?

Chair, if I may, um, great question, counselor.

Thank you.

Um, so I want to give credit where credit's due.

Mass DOT has invited our staff into the room with them for routine regular, weekly and bi-weekly meetings with project managers and project consultants.

And that has been really, really helpful.

In addition to those regular and recurring meetings, which sometimes are truly on the on the weekly or biweekly rhythm, and then sometimes you don't quite need that level of visibility.

Um, then we'll have other specific design sessions.

And so, for example, as the project team is getting ready to publish its 25% design, city staff would work with Mass DOT to schedule subject matter specific topics, for example, on urban forestry.

We're on green space, we're on stormwater management, not just the traffic and the transit and the pedestrian safety elements.

Um, so Mass DOT has really been going above and beyond.

I've been personally working with them on this project for 18 years.

And this chapter of inviting city staff into the room as collaborative partners is the best I've ever seen it.

Um I believe it really does serve as a model for effective state local collaboration.

In addition to those staff meetings, Chair, one more thing I'd like to point out and give credit to the Mass DOT team.

We have recommended as staff that they extend the same opportunity to our community members.

So state delegation members, Senator Jalen, Rep Connolly, Rep Viderhoven have been in the room with them.

Uh, our advocacy partners uh at our advisory committees like PTAC, Bike Committee, Summerville Alliance for Safe Streets, um, and many others, the Winter Hill School community.

Those folks have formed this McGrath coalition and to Mass DOT's credit.

They've had multiple sit-downs with us over the last 18 months.

And I think that's another example of how public officials can slowly just show up in spaces where our community members are, answer questions to the best they are of their ability, and hopefully build a trust-based relationship.

And we're seeing some progress there.

And I guess I want to give a lot of credit to our volunteer community members as well as our state agency staff who who are kind of really um pushing hard to do better than our industries sometimes do.

Thank you so much for that.

Yeah, uh, thank you, Director.

That's great to hear.

Um, yeah, go ahead.

So, Chair, um, I think I got lost and didn't um talk to you all about the next steps.

So we did acknowledge a minute ago that city staff will continue to advocate for better treatments at this critical crossing.

Um, Mass DOT can and will continue to improve their design.

And we strongly believe as professionals that the signalization question can ultimately have a different answer than the answer we have today.

We just need more time.

Mass DOT needs more time.

Justin described how we are in contact with national peer agencies, figuring out what works in different states and then using that information to give our partners at Mass DOT a little bit more perhaps backing to continue to look for creative solutions here.

We cannot guarantee an outcome, but we will continue working on this and the standard project development process can accept that input.

So folks should continue to raise their voices, should continue to communicate with city staff, with our city council, with our state delegation, and with Mass DOT.

But we do just ask for grace that folks continue to do so knowing that community-minded planners and engineers and project managers are working through these processes, and we truly believe that we will come to even better solutions than we already have today.

Um yeah, that's great.

I love when we are told just like what you're doing is working, keep doing it.

So to all of us elected officials, community members, uh, it sounds like we just need to keep advocating for this and uh trust our staff and all the subject experts here.

Um are there, Director Ross and any other um points you wanted to mention about next steps before we get to the second point in the letter.

No, Chair, uh, for you.

I think that's uh a perfect segue, if that's okay.

Um so perhaps Justin Schreiber can describe um some of the technical background to how um target speeds and posted speed limits are modeled and set and where we go from here to continue pushing for the slowest, safest McGrath possible.

All right.

Thank you, Chair.

Um the next point from the the committee letter is advocating to reduce the target speed of the project.

Um that's the which is set at 30 miles per hour, and there was a push um with the previous design to lower that to 25, and then they're requesting again, you know, for that to be lowered to 25 miles per hour.

Um in terms of of our perspective, the city has also repeatedly advocated and asked a number of times over the last 18 months for the target speed to be set at 25 miles an hour.

Um our understanding is it's going to stay at 30 miles per hour for the time being.

Um that's something that gets documented in the functional design report, a big you know, hefty report that comes out at the 25% design stage detailing all of the design criteria they're gonna use as they move the design forward.

It does show the target speed at 30 miles per hour.

Um our understanding from the McGrath project team is they are concerned that they they don't they are not sure that they can achieve a target speed lower than that given the distance between the intersections and the nature of the roadway.

And although we will probably reach that or below at, for example, the the two sets of raised crosswalks.

Um, that does not quite qualify for having the whole corner be targeted at um 25.

The current speeds of McGrath are around, and when I say current speeds, I'm talking about the 85th percentile speeds.

So 15% of people are going faster, and and the other 85 are going slower.

Um the current sort of target existing speeds is around the upper 30s to 40 miles per hour.

So the 30 is a significant improvement over what exists today.

Um and like Brad mentioned, we're continuing to push for you know, rather than lowering the number in a report, which really I think has been set at this point.

I think our focus is pushing for specific elements to try to lower speeds like the raised crosswalks, like horizontal treatments to get drivers to slow down a little bit.

Um like signal strategies that really make it not worth it to be going much faster.

Um so that's that's really our focus, knowing that that this decision is pretty much set.

Um and then there also is an opportunity after construction as well to do a speed study and lower speed limits based on observed behavior if if we are able to achieve lower speeds um once the project is constructed.

Yeah, uh, thank you, Justin.

Oh sorry, just about that last point you made.

So after the project is completed, there will be a study.

And if that study shows that uh there's a data that yeah, okay.

So there's still like a chance there to make that point again.

Yes, sure.

Mastod has a they have a standard process for speed limits um that you know could be done by Masta or the city based on observed speeds.

That's just another avenue to try to lower what gets posted out there.

Chair, another way to say that if I may, is that um we will focus our energy on physical design treatments that really influence driver behavior and get those operating speeds as low as possible.

And just like our local streets, we feel that that is far more important in terms of saving lives and reducing risk compared to an arbitrary sign.

Um signs alone do not change behavior in general.

Um, but things like raised crosswalks, curb extensions, um, and many other elements of the physical design are the things that really influence motorist speed.

Yeah.

Um yeah, thank you, director.

I think this is what I learned from my years here on traffic and parking.

Is that science do not change your behaviors?

Uh counselor Mba.

Uh thank you, Chad.

Uh to you to Justin and Guros.

And so are you committing to implementing traffic common measures?

You know, like I'm just wanna make sure they understand exactly, you know, yeah, the advocacy is that uh uh the advocacy group is asking for 25 because we have like citywide, you know uh 25 miles per hour.

And so this is about partnership.

I don't even think that is this irrational, there's why we are doing something, there's a methodology that you have.

And so they all we are partners, so there's a there's something that could be done.

Okay, so stay road, even we are implementing these measures, is still you're still implementing the in the state road.

So again, what is what is that, you know, uh uh that intersection where we can look at the financial feasibility and all these things that so that we don't go and start to re I've invest in something that we can just have like a handshake agreement and say this is about you know, this thing is cutting through a community, and so we just wanna, you know, this is not like some, you know, the standard of uh uh your metrics on the highway should be different from like this is as divided uh community in half.

And so we are trying to create a system where they're supposed to, you know, like the green line came as a result of all that compensating for everything that this highway is created.

So how do we use that logic, you know, to be able to make a case and say this is how we want to move forward, and how can you be a partner with us?

Chair through you, counselor, thanks for the question.

Um, let me try to provide a more specific example.

I apologize.

Um, so we spoke about the Otis Street crossing as an example a moment ago, and we described how in the original design there was no raised crosswalk at this location, and that out of response and respect for our community members and our staff, S DOT figured out a creative way to certify that they could actually add that element, which again is a first in the state of Massachusetts.

Um, to take that example forward, Chair.

One of the next things that our staff and our electeds and our advocacy community can and should focus on is asking whether a similar physical design treatment is possible.

For example, at the very next crosswalk upstream at Pearl Street.

We know from our local streets counselor that an isolated speed hump or an isolated raised crosswalk is far less effective at traffic calming than a regular rhythm of traffic calming treatments every 200, 300, 400 feet.

And so we have already asked our partners at Mass DOT to consider the same thing.

They may tell us that it is not possible at every location, but we will ask at every location, and we will expect them to kind of show their homework and prove to us that it's not feasible.

But we are cautiously optimistic that if it works in one location, it can work at a different one.

And Chair, if it's okay, I think this actually might be a great opportunity to segue to another one of the points on the technical letter, which is asking about the prospect hill avenue and cross street intersection uh intersection.

Um, because that's another example where a raised crosswalk has been proposed.

So this third point chair matches up with this visual in the public slide deck that Mass DOT published.

And folks will notice raised crosswalks again on that main line of McGrath Boulevard to help provide a safer crossing.

So we feel that this is a replicable playbook for our advocacy and and the technical work as Mass DOT advances this design.

I hope that's a helpful discussion.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Counselor Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair.

Um to slightly change the subject, but also on this uh cross-street crossing uh note.

At the December presentation, I I discussed for a while with some of the designers that crossing.

And for anybody who might be watching this later or now who's not familiar, it's this um Z-shaped pedestrian crossing, because the uh the two sides of McGrath there are at two different uh heights.

In order for people to be able to uh to go all the way from you know pretty far down to to pretty high up, especially if they're doing that in a wheelchair or have other mobility impairments, uh, we need a pretty long ramp.

Uh and it can't be uh a slope the entire way because that puts people in danger of falling, you know, the a wheelchair falling all the way down.

There have to be uh um horizontal levels periodically so that someone can get up to the next level, rest, get up to the next level rest.

All of that is is great, and I was so happy to see how much care and thought have been put into that.

One thing I did worry about looking at that design uh and discussed with some of the designers was uh for somebody without a mobility impairment who uh may be looking to cross McGrath as fast as possible, uh having to go this very long distance might be an impediment that would either uh encourage them to find some other crossing, um, perhaps a jaywalking one, uh perhaps squeezing through a fence or something, or to avoid the journey entirely to not think of the two sides really being uh passable by foot.

Um I wondered if it might be possible to put in uh stairs uh as well as the ramp, so that someone could could cross the crosswalk on one side of McGrath, walk up a flight of stairs, and then cross another crosswalk.

And uh the explanation I was told, and this may not be the entirety of the planning process.

I know there's lots of discussions that go into so many of these different aspects.

But what one planner, one designer told me was uh, well, that would sort of require there to be a crosswalk by those stairs and a crosswalk by the end of the ramp.

And we're not supposed to put two crosswalks in close proximity.

And that was surprising to hear for me.

So I I wanted to ask about that.

I wanted to ask if this is something where um where you see any possibilities.

Wanted to ask if there's any discussions around this.

I obviously am not a planner.

I can't say this is the way to solve it, but it did seem to me like there was a need there.

Chair, through you, um, counselor, thank you for those questions.

And again, I appreciate you and your colleagues attending some of the public open house events.

Um, I remember what you're describing, and I thought that was just a really excellent piece of civic dialogue to have all those project planners from S DOT available to speak with all of us in the high school back in December.

Um if it's okay to share, I think Justin could provide some helpful description of some of the design criteria that Mass DOT is working towards and how some of those challenges start to occur when you think about what Councilor Wheeler has described.

I suspect the answer is going to be no, counselor.

But again, um we're asking the right questions in terms of creating direct lines of travel for as many users as we can.

And I think that's the spirit of the P TAC letter, as well as the McGrath Coalition letter.

Um Justin, I'm sure you can provide a little bit more detail to what I'm describing.

Sure.

Uh chair, Counselor Wheeler, I think I don't know that there's a specific rule that you cannot do that, but I think it's definitely something that traffic engineers try to avoid having two too close to each other.

They they want to consolidate the crossings in one location and have especially on a roadway like this, have one place where cars are expecting um pedestrians to come from.

And it could complicate things a little bit with how they signal it and where the buttons are.

And you know, one of the, although it is a long walk there in the middle.

One of the nice things about this design is there are no conflicts with right turns coming out of Prospect Hill Avenue or coming out of Cross Street.

Um we do know the design team is still working on this, and they're exploring how to minimize that distance and whether it could be you know minimize significantly and minimize all the way, we don't quite know yet.

Um so I think we continue to push them in that direction, and we're hopeful that they're gonna come up with something that looks significantly better than it does today.

Um, but again, they they do, you know, like you mentioned, um, this is essentially on the side of Prospect Hill.

So they are trying to manage how to get people down to Cross Street and also provide an accessible crossing.

Um, this crossing actually was not here in the design, you know, as of 2013, 2015.

Um we continue to push them to see.

Thank you, planner Shriver.

Appreciate that.

Um further comments.

Um these crossing of you can uh discuss the next one.

Sure.

Thanks, Chair.

And again, I appreciate this discussion.

I hope this is helpful for committee members and for our constituents.

Um the last two points in the great advocacy letter from our pedestrian and transit advisory committee are kind of interrelated.

Um if it's okay, I'd like for Justin to describe perhaps both of them simultaneously because medians and transit priority and transit functionality are have been really really closely integrated into the city staff's thinking and partnership and dialogue with NASDOT and MBTA.

Sure.

Um share through you.

So items four and five, four is about considering a further reduction in the median to support wider sidewalks.

Um the the advocacy committee is pushing for as narrow a median as possible to widen furnishing areas essentially on the sides of the roadway.

Um and then the final one is about supporting bus service along McGrath to make sure that although there's only limited service now that we're not precluding options in the future.

Um so maybe I think to start with, we should just talk about why why there should be a median on McGrath to begin with.

Um setting aside how wide it is at the moment, I think we there's been a lot of discussion about the median, and I think where we are at is we are in agreement with the project team that there absolutely does need to be a median on a grant highway.

Um it it is a regional roadway.

There are tons of driveways and business access and side streets, and one of the reason the median is there to is to make sure that people are not taking left turns into driveways or out of driveways um on a roadway like this, it really would be unsafe.

Folks may be familiar with the term astrode, which is some a street that's a roadway that's trying to be a street for accessing things, businesses, homes, and also you know, a roadway for vehicle throughput.

And you know, I think you may be familiar with these sort of two-lane in each direction roadways that exist in many, many communities, sort of like a post-road, which is a major route, but also has a ton of businesses on each side of the roadway.

They're one of the most dangerous roadways that exist because of people turning in the middle of the road, turning off from side streets.

So I think to start with, the median is there really to make sure that we're controlling where and when people can cross to the other side of the road, just given the nature of the roadway to begin with.

Um in terms of the width, um, it varies a lot.

I guess that the typical width is around 10 feet.

Um, and we've took a close look at this.

We've worked with our public space team to think about this.

Um there are some locations where it could make sense to move some space to the sides of the roadways.

However, I think in the locations you could do it where there's a feeling by us that there is a lot of space already on the side of the roadway, and we want to make sure that we can have large mature trees planted in the middle of the roadway.

For example, um, one of the widest areas of the roadways between Somerville Ave and Washington Street, and from the edge of the roadway curb to the back of the sidewalk, you're talking about between 40 and in some cases 70 plus feet of two-way bike lane, large, large landscape buffers, sidewalks, and a 10-foot median.

Um, and I guess our feeling is that taking a couple feet from that median to move to each side of the roadway really is not worth potentially having much smaller plantings in the middle.

Um our public space team really wants to go no lower than 10 feet in the middle of the roadway to make sure we can have large mature trees in the middle.

And you know, that is a a column of trees up and down the corridor from top to bottom.

If we narrow that and add, you know, two feet to each side of the roadway, we're not getting another row of trees on the sides of the road.

So there are a couple locations where it's a little bit wider than that, where we are asking the team, could you add some more space here?

There's also areas on the northern end, closer to Pearl Street and Broadway, where it is quite constrained, and we could use a couple more feet on the sides of the road.

And we're recommending, you know, we're asking in our comments for the project team to consider doing that.

Um, but in general, where there's where there's sort of the most opportunity to do this, we feel there already is a lot of buffer space on the sides, and we want to make sure that we can have as large and mature trees grow as possible in the middle.

Um, and to do that, we really need at the very least 10 feet um for like the kind of tree plantings that we want to see.

Um in terms of the sidewalks, they are eight feet pretty much throughout the entire roadway.

And that isn't trees or benches that is eight feet of of walkway plus more buffer space for furnishing street furniture um landscaping.

And you know, we we do feel that that is sufficient for a roadway like McGrath.

It's it's comparable to you know a summerville Ave and a Washington Street, uh, maybe even a little wider than those streets in some locations where the actual pedestrian walkway is around seven, eight, nine feet.

Um so and then the the relation to the bus service is at the intersections.

Um we want the median there because we want a pedestrian refuge in the middle of the roadway.

They are going to have a phase in every cycle where pedestrians can cross across McGrath entirely.

Um but we know that people will cross to the middle when they're able to.

So Mastet is allowing people to do that when there's not a conflicting phase.

And when folks do that, we want them to have a safe place to stand where they don't feel like they're really in traffic.

Having that 10 feet there is enough space for a handful of people for a family for strollers for wheelchairs to feel like you're not pressed up against traffic.

You know, in summer buildings are usually around six to eight feet.

So this is going to feel a little more comfortable than that.

Um, and again, there is going to be a phase where folks can cross all the way, but we know that people will go to the middle and we want them to feel comfortable when they're there.

In addition, you know, we are trying to make sure that we're preserving space again at the intersections for there in the future, there could be some sort of transit platform there.

And again, we really want about 10 feet.

Um, if in a future scenario, one lane, you know, the center lanes of McGrath could become a busway.

Um we don't want to have to reconstruct the entire roadway.

And we would want you know around 10 feet, and and even that is relatively tight.

Um, we looked at examples from Columbus Ave in Boston to get a little template of the space we would need, and just making sure that we have that space there preserved is important.

So to summarize, Chair, I think it's there are a couple targeted locations where we are also pushing in the same direction, but but on the whole, we we do want to sort of keep at least 10 to have you know the the main reason having those large tree plantings be able to survive in the middle of the roadway in what is a pretty harsh environment for them, um, other than the space they're given.

Um thank you.

Thank you, Justin, for this explanation.

Um what I'm hearing is that yes, this design 25% will handle transit um north-south transit phase one in the future, right?

We'll be a bit tight, but we're confident it will.

Yes, Chair.

We're the intent is I mean, there would of course have to be some construction, but we would not be you know significantly procluding and having to fully reconstruct intersections and that sort of thing.

Okay.

Uh Costello Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, planner Shrever.

Um about the bus service aspect, uh I know that the MBTA is in the process of doing a bus system redesign.

And I know there's also some different phases of when that's planned to roll out.

Um I spoke with an MBTA planner um a little while ago who was saying that there's a plan, I don't know what phase it's in, to run the 85 bus up and down McGrath.

And um, so I'm just I'm sort of curious if this project plan from Mastodot's uh perspective and you know, and with the communication that I imagine that they're doing with the MBTA periodically, if that's moving towards an understanding of there being some kind of bus service.

Uh I'm I'm I'm glad to hear that one of the factors that that's being considered is trying to avoid precluding bus service.

uh perspective and and you know and with the communication that I imagine that they're doing with the MBTA periodically if that's moving towards an understanding of there being some kind of bus service uh I'm I'm I'm glad to hear that one of the factors that that's being considered is trying to avoid precluding bus service um but of course the the earlier in the process that there could be a an expectation that there will be bus service you know the more I think you know I would expect that the the plan as it evolves will will accommodate it well uh share through yes we we've worked with the project team and then MBTA on bus stop locations both for existing service and planned service under the bus network redesign and then the 85 bus which is a consolidation of the existing 85 and the CT2 just going to go into effect on April 1st for now is running on Washington Street because there is no safe place for a bus stop on Southbound McGrath there's no sidewalk there between um between Highland Ave and Broadway but the META is their their public net still has a note that says you know ultimately the the Route 85 is intended to run via McGrath Boulevard and they're locating bus stops based on that assumption thank you.

Thank you, Consul Wheeler.

I'm not sure how to phrase this question but I'm only asking it because it's something we have been entertaining for like other areas of our city uh scenario where in the next few years there's no bus uh there's no added lines uh north south and uh but we have an opportunity to do that through a project through a development so this is something we have discussed um or again we're entertaining like a city that we want to uh do as we are um you know approving big development uh do you like director with those buses again in this scenario these are not MBTA buses would they need all the bus infrastructure like the way a regular MBTA bus would need that and is it something that we can just do independently like as a city and like redesign some parts uh already designed by like just uh construct you know construct what needs what a bus stop whatever chair thanks for the question um if it's okay I'll offer just a couple of short thoughts here um since we're not prepared to fully talk about north south bus service this evening in the form that you are describing but your correct chair for many years city staff elected officials have described how we as a city could consider partnerships or even direct funding to provide smaller vehicles compared to the traditional 40 foot MBTA bus that we know has all sorts of challenges with steep hills, tight corners, narrow streets um and counselors will remember that the city has commissioned those types of shuttle services at various times in history including in this very neighborhood for the green line extension bridge closures so chair the the short answer is yes um the design criteria for more typical kind of small shuttle vehicles uh would be a little bit lower than the big MBTA buses and something that works for a big MBTA bus would of course work for a smaller shuttle vehicle uh accessible bus stops whether shelters all these sorts of things would be common design elements that would work for different vehicle types different service types um so I think that we would not be precluding any of those opportunities um with this design strategy I want to be clear that you know we do not have a business plan yet and hiring shuttles and operators is extremely expensive and we learned that through our bridge hopper shuttle in 2019 uh and yet it remains an unmet need in the community and so as you noted chair um private development partnerships regional district serving associations like the Assembly Transportation Management Association the Wanting Yards Union Square uh Brick Bottom Neighborhood Association for transportation management those are all partners that we could look into those issues with so I hope that's a helpful discussion.

Thank you thank you director um yeah I'm very satisfied with the answer again I'm only bringing it up because I think that we have more chance of getting something like that of making something like that happen than waiting for MBTA but of course we will continue our advocacy on that front um I see uh no further questions or comments from uh the committee uh are there any other things that would like to add um I think we were over all the bullet points in the letter I mean Chair I think I said this at the top but I just wanted to acknowledge the volunteerism that goes into these type of comment letters although the city has two critical standing committees that serve as advisory committees with mobility division as staff support pedestrian and transit advisory committee and bicycle advisory committee um you know both of them have you know volunteered their time they have regular monthly meetings they have um you know working groups uh that comment on technical designs like this and I just really want

I mean, Chair, I think I said this at the top, but I just wanted to acknowledge the volunteerism that goes into these type of comment letters.

Although the city has two critical standing committees that serve as advisory committees with mobility division as staff support, pedestrian and transit advisory committee and bicycle advisory committee.

Both of them have volunteered their time.

They have regular monthly meetings.

They have working groups that comment on technical designs like this.

And I just really want to give a round of applause to all of those community volunteers in our committees.

But I also want to spotlight the folks who are not formal committee members through Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets, Summer Transportation Equity Partnership, Roundwork Somerville Transit Matters, the Winter Hill School Community, so many others who have been doing similar work and submitting similar comments.

We're all missed together, and our collective advocacy makes us stronger and makes Somerville likely to succeed where other communities have been unable to succeed.

So keep it coming.

We are here as your staff support.

Just to kind of wrap up, Chair, here's the next steps slide that Mass DOT left us with.

That is the blink of an eye in the timelines that we work around.

And so we should all be really excited about the next generational investment in our community and commit ourselves to you know forceful advocacy, but also respectful dialogue between all of our uh relevant groups.

So thanks for the committee's time this evening.

Uh thank you, uh director.

And I appreciate you giving around the applause to all these community groups.

Um I've said it better than you.

And again, uh, just from me, thank you all.

We have an amazing community for all the advocacy work.

There's more work ahead.

And um, as you said, we're like all here on the same side advocating for the same things.

Um yeah, Consor Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair.

Just to echo what you said.

Uh, I really appreciate um, you know, I know we're seeing the tiniest, tiniest tip of the iceberg of all the work that our mobility department does.

Um, and also you know, as I appreciate you mentioning uh this this network of uh of deeply knowledgeable volunteer uh people in our community um working in nonprofits or working in these commissions or reaching out with feedback.

Uh there's a deep web of care going into how we are doing this.

And I know this is not a project that our city is managing, but it really sounds from what I've heard today that we're doing everything that we can to be advocating for our community's needs um as this project goes forward.

I deeply appreciate that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Counselor Consamba.

Uh thank you, uh it's always hard to follow Councillor Wheeler, but I just wanted to share you know all the sentiment that you guys have provided, just to say thank you to Director Ross and your team.

You know, it's this uh some of the work that is it's like there's so much behind this scene that nobody sees.

The advocacy group is the very unique piece of where we are today, and I'm grateful for everybody that is contributing because this is how government works.

F always at, you know, nobody, you know, is an island.

Like you kind of like come together with our own various thoughts and perspective and shape, you know, policy that benefits everybody.

We go into designing this route.

No design it with a community in mind.

You know, it was just you know, to transport cards for one person or another, but now you know cities are not created by accident.

It's like it was a design, you know, with the intention, but now you know people are becoming more aware and they want to build a community and they want to hold government accountable, and this is just part of the process.

And then the neat thing I see is just that collaboration between the you know, a municipal state and feds is it's neat, you know.

So I just want to say thank you for all the work you do and uh whatever we can do to continue to support you.

We are always here.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

Yeah, thank you, Kasamba.

And again, thank you, Director, for your leadership on this.

And uh thanks to all the team.

Okay, uh with that let's mark item two.

Sorry, I have only one screen.

So uh I'm item three, four, and six uh um were completed.

And then we'll move to the next uh counselor wheeler.

Sorry, Chair.

Um just per item six.

I don't know if we had the chance to talk specifically about this idea of blocking off Virginia Street and Aldridge Street.

Um I did I did see that's part of the plan for the McGrath eventually.

Um, but I'm not sure if there's any thoughts that um that Director Rosson might have about doing that before the McGrath redesign goes through.

Yeah, thank you for um oh pointing that out, Counselor Wheeler.

Um yeah, Director Rothson.

Would you like to speak to that before we um Mark yes were completed?

Yes, thank you, Chair.

I apologize, should have captured that before we wrapped up that phase of conversation.

As the good counselor noted, um the corner of Aldridge and Virginia is directly adjacent to McGrath Boulevard, just south of Pearl Street.

And Chair, I think it's important to note uh that we have heard from Councilor McLaughlin and several of his constituents questions and concerns about um about this exact location.

So then here is the image from S DOT's December 2025 presentation.

So the existing condition today, Chair, is that there is motor vehicle access from southbound McGrath available to enter into the neighborhood.

Um for Aldrich, which is a one-way southbound towards Gilman Street and towards Virginia, which is a two-way local street.

And it's been really interesting that we've heard from our constituents on both sides of this issue, where some constituents describe the burdens that cut through traffic create in terms of safety and quality of life.

And others have looked at Mass DOT's presentations here and said they're actually more worried about losing local access, because it's an important part of how they get to homes uh and and get around.

Um if it's okay, Chair, I could ask Justin, who's been our technical lead again to describe these pros and cons in a little bit more detail.

But the the punchline here is the city has not yet finished our technical review.

We want continued public feedback about these pros and cons because access restrictions definitely create unintended consequences as well as as positive benefits.

So perhaps Justin can chime in a little bit more.

Um chair three, I think thanks, Brad.

And you know, you know, much like Brad said, I think there could be a number of impacts when this change is occur change occurs.

And in general, we would not want to make additional changes to the neighborhood ahead of the McGrath project before we really understand everything that this change entails.

You know, these streets are accessible at this exit off McGrath today.

Um they're also accessible off Earl Street at Jasper Street.

So I think there are some concerns that this could direct more traffic to use that entrance.

I think that we are not quite so sure that necessarily will happen, given how out of the way it would be for folks to access from McGrath itself.

Um this kind of change could have different impacts on different blocks that are that are literally right next to each other.

Um this section of Aldridge Street access accesses blocks of Gilman Street for which there's no other way to access.

And you know, in general, although we we do support this change that we're showing here because we want to see less vehicular cut through in the neighborhood.

Aldred Street leaves leads to the Gilman Street neighborway, and that you know, having fewer cars on that street enhances the neighborway, enhances you know, one of the few streets that travels under McGrath instead of across McGrath.

Um in fact this this connection was considered as a part of our Western Pearl Street reconstruction project.

So like Brad mentioned, we we've heard folks that are supportive of this change that are not folks that think that this change requires further changes in the neighborhood to fully cut off any sort of um through access to the neighborhood.

And you know, much like we've done for other projects with that have created access changes.

And you know, much like we've done for other projects with that have created access changes, we really would um recommend a wait and see approach so that we can understand what happens.

Um and I think also uh counselor wheeler mentioned possibly doing this ahead of the project.

I think given that you know we're hoping shovels hit the ground in 24 months, and and this really is a mass on the road and really would be up to them to allow us to do so.

I think our you know our best chance for a good outcome is uh to let the project proceed and make this change and then evaluate and see if we should recommend further changes um to to address any anticipated impacts.

Um counselor weird, did you have any comment or uh no?

Thanks.

I appreciate that.

Uh your analysis makes sense to me.

Thank you.

Yeah, um, this is not in my wards, so uh forgive me if I'm just not aware of where things are at.

Are there any other public meetings scheduled or for this area?

Um just or does the city, does your department have all the information or the input needed from the the neighbors there.

Um chair, thanks for clarifying.

Um, at this time there are no specific neighborhood meetings planned.

And we would argue that given our staff recommendation is to not make any hasty changes in advance of the McGrath Boulevard project.

We would argue that there is not a need for any specific meetings on this topic um at this time.

We will continue to welcome constituent feedback, welcome feedback from the ward counselor, counselor McLaughlin, and any counselors at large who are working on these issues with residents.

But the answer is likely to be the same, Chair, which is we will push Mass DOT to assist us with modeling and thinking through these neighborhood travel patterns in the context of this big 2028 construction project that the mass DOT is pushing for.

We do not anticipate making any changes in the short term.

Okay.

Right.

Thanks for that.

Um, before we mark all the items that's got uh completed any other comments or questions.

Sorry, I only have one screen today, so keep going back and forth.

They also have the presentations from Mass D UT up.

So uh okay, so we're good uh to mark item three, four and six was completed.

Um with that, we'll have one item left.

Uh Clerk, could you please read the item number five?

Yep.

Item number five, ID number 26-0064 that the director of mobility install a no turn on red sign at the intersection of Bow Street and Warren Avenue to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and report back to this council on implementation timing.

Chair, thank you.

And I know that this council order was submitted back in the early winter, and because this committee has had a couple of consecutive snow cancellations, uh, it's been hanging out there for a little while.

So we appreciate everybody's patience.

Um, I do want to note for uh Councilor Ewan Camp and any other counselors who had worked on this original order.

Staff have been reviewing it, even though we didn't have a traffic apartment committee meeting to discuss.

We've done a technical evaluation by the city's engineering division, the city's parking department, and our mobility division.

Our assessment has concluded that this particular turn for westbound Bow Street, approaching the signalized intersection of Warren Avenue, can and should have a new sign installed, explicitly noting the prohibition for right turn on red, which would enter Warren Avenue.

Um we are currently working to get that work scheduled, Chair.

Staff, who, as you all know, have been working to get through a very snowy winter.

Um, so the best schedule forecasting that we can offer the committee at this time is a spring likelihood of sign installation.

Verifying details about is it up on the mast arm?

Is it up on a vertical traffic post or signal um uh post?

Um, but Suzanne's team, Jeffrey's team, and in DPW are collaborating.

And uh we feel good about this recommendation.

So appreciate all the counselors who worked on it.

All right.

Uh okay, that's great.

Uh that's a great update.

Um, it's great, you know.

And we're here moving things forward.

Yes.

Um, yeah.

Uh Counselor Mbaugh.

Yeah, no, thank you, Marancha.

Truyo to the good director also and I just want to appreciate you, especially.

I was surprised that I did not sign to this resolution because when a resolution comes from the desk of Councillor Link, it's always there's so much, it's like some deep thought.

You know, Councilor Link's a man of few words.

When he puts the resolution down, it means that it's actually you know, like assess the situation.

So I appreciate that is some swift action and implementation that will follow suit.

Thank you.

Counselor Wheeler.

Thank you, Chair, and just echoing what Counselor Mbass said.

Um, and just want to express my appreciation for Swift work on this and you know, careful attention to the matter.

And I wanted to note that this intersection is is just steps from Preparcy Manor, uh, where uh a large number of uh senior residents of Somerville uh and residents with disabilities live, and uh being able to have that added layer of security about knowing cars will stop while they're crossing an intersection.

Um, I I think that's you know it's something where uh it will make sense to do more in some places than others, and uh I think in this case it's gonna make a difference for people.

So I really appreciate it.

All right, uh, I love when we end the meeting on a high note like that.

Uh, we will mark item number five as completed, and um yeah, I think that will bring us to the end of the agenda.

And yeah, and my apologies always when we have new members in traffic and parking, they say welcome at the beginning.

But I just can't believe that this is our first meeting.

Usually Traffic and Parking meets on a monthly basis, but yeah, we had the with the with snowstorms we had both on Mondays.

Um, we had to cancel too.

But we are we will catch up with our well our items.

Um again, welcome, both counselors to traffic and parking.

Uh, this is a great first meeting of 2026.

And um, as always, uh Director Austin, thank you for your partnership for your advocacy and to same to all the team.

And I just want to acknowledge that we do have our advocates uh also at the or attending uh today's meeting.

Um thank you for all your advocacy work.

Uh would not have been able to do this without you.

And uh I uh clerk, if you could call the role to adjourn.

I think the items are all remarked completed.

No vote needs to be taken just for adjournment.

All right, on adjournment.

Counselor Wheeler.

Yes, Councilor Mbaugh.

Yes, please.

Chair Sae.

Yes.

All right, with that, it is 7 30 and we are adjourned.

Have a nice evening, everybody.

Thank you.