Somerville Axing Washington St. Parking Spots For Bus, Bike Lanes

SOMERVILLE, MA — A series of roadway changes on western Washington Street will be installed in mid-November in an effort to improve mobility on Somerville's heaviest-used bus corridor.

The first phase includes converting 55 parking spaces between Dane Street and Webster Avenue to improve pedestrian safety, speed up buses to reduce transit time and provide protected lanes for bicyclists.

New pavement markings will be painted after the updated parking regulations have been installed. Next spring, additional changes are anticipated to be added between Dane Street and Line Street.

The project is considered a pilot and is supported in part by the MBTA's COVID-19 safety initiative to reduce commuters' exposure to the coronavirus. Changes can be quickly modified, and the most successful elements may be incorporated into long-term changes on Washington Street in the future.

Washington Street is a priority for bus transit improvements to support riders during the pandemic and beyond. While the bus lane initiative is funded by and grew out of MBTA efforts to reduce COVID-19 risks for bus riders, the changes are also designed to make the roadway safer for everyone. The new bike lanes will create safer facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, and narrower travel lanes will discourage speeding.

The city is undertaking a number of similar quick-build bus and bike improvements across Somerville as part of its response to COVID-19. For more information, visit bit.ly/BusBikeLanes.