Mobility & Transportation
Transition Policy Committee Summary of Findings
Committee Name
Mobility & Transportation Policy Committee
Committee Members
Jarred Johnson, Chair, Alex Epstein, Chair, Anand Patil, Intern, Alessandra Seiter, Brendan Kearney, Karen Molloy, Mark Chase, Maha Aslam, Samantha Silverberg
Key themes and trends:
Safety is the overarching priority.
Residents repeatedly cited unsafe crossings, speeding, and inconsistent winter clearance.
Seniors and people with disabilities emphasized missing curb ramps, sidewalk heaves, and snow/ice hazards.
Advocacy groups urged a renewed, citywide Vision Zero commitment and faster action on high-risk corridors such as Highland Avenue and McGrath Highway.
Residents want faster, more predictable project delivery—without weaker engagement.
Community members asked for quicker rollout of known solutions (traffic calming, bus lanes, protected bike lanes, ADA upgrades).
Parents, seniors, immigrants, and residents with disabilities emphasized the need for more in-person, multilingual, offline engagement.
Advocates expressed frustration with projects “stalling without explanation” and called for clearer communication about timelines and constraints.
Equity and accessibility gaps remain significant across all modes.
Routine barriers include heaved sidewalks, missing curb ramps, blocked walkways on trash days, and inconsistent snow removal.
Residents of Winter Hill and East Somerville highlighted inequitable transit access and unsafe pedestrian environments.
Community voices stressed prioritizing historically underserved neighborhoods in future investments.
Transit reliability is a major and persistent concern.
Residents noted GLX shutdowns, inconsistent service levels, and station-area safety and access issues.
Feedback indicated misalignment between the MBTA Bus Network Redesign and neighborhood travel patterns.
Riders want better lighting, wayfinding, snow clearance, and safer crossings near transit stops and stations.
Public conversation around mobility has become increasingly polarized.
Staff and residents described rising tension among people driving, walking, cycling, and using e-bikes, e-motos, and scooters.
Community members want clearer norms and expectations for micromobility behavior and facility use.
Advocacy groups encouraged the City to proactively lead on messaging to reduce conflict and build shared understanding.
Somerville’s strengths provide a strong foundation for progress.
High walking and biking rates, a skilled and respected Mobility Division, and strong advisory committees (PTAC, SBAC) support continued progress.
Advocacy groups such as SASS contribute technical expertise, accountability, and community mobilization.
Residents consistently expressed pride in Somerville’s culture of civic engagement and its commitment to multimodal transportation.
Existing initiatives:
A technically strong Mobility Division and trusted public servants
The Mobility Division is widely respected for its technical rigor, data-driven approach, and commitment to transparency, regularly grounding decisions in crash analysis, ATR data, community feedback, and national best practices—an approach that has earned them credibility with residents and peer cities alike.
Despite limited staffing and a large project pipeline, the team consistently delivers high volumes of multimodal improvements—ranging from quick-build safety fixes to major corridor redesigns—while maintaining steady public communication through newsletters, dashboards, SomerVoice updates, and in-person engagement that helps residents understand both progress and constraints.
Supported by highly engaged advisory bodies and advocacy groups such as PTAC, SBAC, and SASS, the Division benefits from partners who conduct ongoing project review, elevate corridor-specific concerns, and advocate for evidence-based investment in safety and transit. Their sustained involvement allows City staff to test ideas with informed collaborators, and their credibility strengthens broader engagement by reinforcing the value and necessity of Mobility’s work.
Robust, community-shaped plans that offer clear implementation pathways
Somerville’s Bicycle Network Plan—bolstered by the Safe Streets Ordinance—establishes a detailed, time-bound roadmap for a connected, citywide network of protected facilities, providing clarity about priorities and a shared expectation for annual progress that is both ambitious and achievable.
The Vision Zero Action Plan similarly offers a structured, data-informed framework that guides cross-departmental safety work, shaping where the City deploys traffic-calming interventions, evaluates intersections, and coordinates with Police, DPW, and Schools to reduce severe crashes and create safer routes for all ages and abilities.
The Parking & Curb Use Study, along with multiple neighborhood-specific streetscape plans, provides actionable strategies for curb reform, pedestrian improvements, public realm investments, and mode-shift support.
These plans reflect years of multilingual, multi-format engagement and give the new administration a set of ready-made blueprints grounded in community priorities.
Major mobility, safety, and transit projects already delivering impact
Recent and ongoing capital projects—including Western Washington Street, Pearl Street, and multiple redesign efforts around Union and Davis Squares—are modernizing the transportation network with upgraded crossings, protected bike facilities, improved sidewalks, and new transit-supportive street configurations that reflect Somerville’s commitment to multimodal mobility.
The City’s rapidly expanding traffic-calming program has installed raised crosswalks, speed humps, daylighting treatments, and signal improvements across dozens of neighborhoods, producing measurable reductions in speeding and improving safety outcomes that residents can see and experience directly.
The Green Line Extension has reshaped travel patterns and spurred pedestrian upgrades around stations, while new bus priority lanes—particularly on Broadway—have demonstrated the tangible benefits of reallocating road space, increasing reliability, and boosting ridership in ways that reinforce the value of continued investment in transit.
A citywide culture of support for walking, biking, and transit
Residents consistently express strong support for safer crossings, better winter sidewalk maintenance, more protected bike facilities, and more reliable bus service, viewing these improvements not as niche interests but as central to quality of life in a dense, walkable city.
Surveys, office hours, and advisory-body feedback point to a public that increasingly understands the benefits of mode shift—from environmental and safety outcomes to affordability and health—and sees these investments as essential to Somerville’s identity and future.
Advocacy groups amplify and sustain this momentum, helping translate technical concepts into community conversations, mobilizing residents, and broadening the coalition that supports redesigning streets for safety and multimodal mobility.
Momentum toward climate-forward transportation policy
Somerville’s Climate Forward implementation efforts create a strong alignment between emissions reduction goals and transportation investments, enabling the City to frame street redesigns, bus priority, sidewalk improvements, and curb reforms as essential strategies for reducing vehicle miles traveled and creating resilient, low-carbon mobility options.
This alignment also strengthens grant competitiveness, as many federal and state programs now explicitly reward climate-aligned projects, positioning Somerville to secure funding for major corridor reconstructions, stormwater-resilient streets, and expanded active transportation infrastructure.
Solid record of regional coordination and successful funding applications
Over the past decade, Somerville has leveraged federal and state funding to advance safety, transit, and climate-aligned projects, supported by strong applications and the ability to move work from planning into construction. This track record has made the City a competitive applicant and a reliable steward of multi-source funding, even as State funding from the Millionaire’s tax appears more likely than federal funding over the next few years. There is also opportunity to leverage parking reform and using parking pricing for either meters or permits to help fund local projects
Somerville has partnered with neighboring municipalities and regional agencies on projects that cross city boundaries, including joint planning with Medford, shared funding and advocacy with Cambridge to advance the Green Line Extension, and long-standing participation in regional programs such as Bluebikes. Continued coordination with the MBTA and MassDOT on corridor and station-area improvements underscores the City’s role as a credible regional partner.
Gaps:
Slow project delivery and limited City capacity
Many safety and multimodal projects take years to move from planning to implementation, even when community support is strong.
Residents and advocates expressed frustration that familiar, proven interventions such as raised crossings, protected bike lanes, and bus lanes often face long timelines due to design reviews, procurement, utility coordination, and staffing constraints.
Capacity limitations across the Mobility Division and Public Works constrain responsiveness.
A relatively small staff is responsible for planning, engagement, design, construction oversight, maintenance coordination, and seasonal operations, making it difficult to scale up implementation or quickly respond to emerging safety issues.
Internal coordination challenges slow delivery further.
Transportation responsibilities are spread across multiple departments, creating handoffs and unclear ownership that can delay decisions and stretch timelines, particularly for quick-build projects intended to be fast and iterative.
Jurisdictional challenges and state/federal capacity
Major thoroughfares not under city control.
Somerville’s neighborhoods are divided by four state and federal highways: Interstate 93, State Route 28 (McGrath Highway), State Route 38 (Mystic Avenue), and State Route 16 (Mystic Valley Parkway / Alewife Brook Parkway). While the City and State have led and are leading critical projects to improve corridor safety and reconnect communities, these high-speed roads remain the most dangerous in Somerville and the most challenging to transform.
An uncertain and constrained state and federal funding environment complicates long-term planning.
State transportation funding remains limited and highly competitive, with no clear consensus on sustainable long-term funding for transit or active transportation. At the federal level, policy shifts, including opposition to transit, active transportation, and equity-focused programs under the Trump administration, add uncertainty, particularly for progressive jurisdictions like Somerville, making careful prioritization and realistic sequencing essential.
Insufficient tools to address dangerous driving and curb misuse
The City lacks full authority to use automated enforcement for speeding, red-light running, and other moving violations – but hasn’t used existing authority to the fullest.
Residents consistently cited speeding, failure to yield, and red-light violations as major safety concerns, yet state restrictions and limited police capacity constrain Somerville’s ability to address these behaviors at scale. Camera-based, non-automated enforcement for moving violations has remained an untapped opportunity, even after the City Solicitor indicated the City can legally use this tool.
Manual enforcement alone is not meeting safety needs.
Police staffing limitations and competing demands make it difficult to sustain high-visibility enforcement in school zones, senior areas, and high-injury corridors, leaving many dangerous behaviors unaddressed. There is also evidence suggesting this style of enforcement does not result in fewer crashes or less dangerous driving behavior.
Curb violations remain widespread and undermine safety and transit reliability.
Double parking, blocking bike lanes and bus stops, and “blocking the box” were frequently mentioned as daily problems that create unsafe conditions and slow buses, particularly in commercial districts and near transit hubs.
Transit reliability and access gaps
Green Line Extension reliability issues have weakened public confidence.
While GLX expanded access dramatically, riders expressed disappointment with shutdowns, inconsistent headways, and poor communication, especially for daily commuting and school trips.
Station-area access and maintenance remain inconsistent.
Residents noted missing lighting, long or uncomfortable crossings, poor winter maintenance, and unclear wayfinding around several GLX stations, limiting the benefits of the investment.
Bus service does not fully align with neighborhood travel needs.
Despite improvements through the Bus Network Redesign, residents, particularly in Winter Hill and East Somerville, described remaining gaps in north–south connectivity, frequency, and reliability.
Persistent accessibility barriers
Sidewalk conditions remain uneven across the city.
People with disabilities, seniors, and parents described routine barriers including heaved panels, missing or misaligned curb ramps, cross-sloped driveway aprons, and narrow sidewalks that become impassable.
Trash day and winter conditions exacerbate access challenges.
Residents frequently mentioned sidewalks blocked by trash bins or rendered unusable by snow and ice, particularly affecting those who rely on mobility devices or strollers.
Key destinations remain difficult to reach safely.
Access to GLX stations, schools, senior housing, and bus stops was repeatedly cited as inconsistent, undermining the City’s equity goals and discouraging walking and transit use.
Growing conflict between modes and unclear norms
The rise of high-speed micromobility devices has introduced new safety concerns.
Residents expressed uncertainty and frustration about where e-bikes, e-motos, and scooters should operate, especially on the Community Path and in dense commercial areas.
Speed mismatches create tension and perceived danger.
People walking and biking reported feeling unsafe due to fast-moving devices on shared facilities, while others noted inconsistent behavior by cyclists on sidewalks and crosswalks.
Lack of education and clear guidance contributes to conflict.
Several residents suggested that clearer rules, signage, and youth education could reduce friction and improve safety for all users.
Outdated parking policy and unmanaged cut-through traffic
Parking management has not kept pace with safety and climate goals.
Residents and advocates noted that recommendations from the Parking & Curb Use Study remain largely unimplemented, limiting the City’s ability to manage demand, reduce conflicts, and reclaim curb space for safer uses.
Oversized vehicles create visibility and safety risks.
Large SUVs and pickup trucks were cited as blocking sightlines at intersections, encroaching into bike lanes, and increasing the severity of crashes when they occur.
Cut-through traffic degrades neighborhood safety.
Navigation apps and congestion on arterials push drivers onto residential streets, contributing to speeding, noise, and unsafe conditions near schools and parks.
Polarization and communication challenges
Public discourse around mobility and parking has become increasingly polarized.
Residents and staff described debates framed as drivers versus cyclists versus pedestrians, which can slow projects and heighten tensions even when safety benefits are clear.
Misinformation and uneven communication compound mistrust.
When project timelines or decisions are not clearly explained, small but vocal opposition can dominate public narratives, creating confusion and frustration among residents who support change.
Opportunities:
Clear mayoral and community momentum for safer streets and better transit
The Mayor-elect enters office with a strong public mandate to improve safety, accessibility, and transit reliability, reinforced by Transition Team survey results, Policy Committee Office Hours, and advocacy group input. Many residents expressed readiness for faster action and clearer leadership on mobility, creating a political window to advance projects that may have stalled in the past.
Engagement revealed broad agreement across demographic groups that safer crossings, calmer streets, and more reliable transit are essential to quality of life in Somerville. This alignment creates an opportunity for the administration to move decisively while maintaining trust through transparent communication.
A renewed Vision Zero framework to unify policy, staffing, and capital investment
Updating and relaunching Vision Zero as a core administrative priority presents an opportunity to better align Mobility, Public Works, Police, ISD, and Schools around shared safety goals. Residents and advocates consistently called for clearer accountability, annual targets, and visible leadership on traffic safety.
Somerville can and should lead the Commonwealth in rolling out non-automated camera enforcement as a new and more equitable safety tool, in which sworn officers verify video recordings of dangerous incidents such as distracted driving or speeding and then mail the violations to registered vehicle owners.
A refreshed Vision Zero strategy could also better integrate equity, accessibility, and climate considerations, ensuring that investments prioritize high-injury corridors, underserved neighborhoods, and routes to schools, senior housing, and transit. There is additional opportunity to regionally align the City’s action plan with the Boston MPO’s Vision Zero action plan.
Transit-oriented development and public-realm improvements around GLX stations
The Green Line Extension has unlocked significant potential to reshape travel behavior and land use, particularly in Union Square, East Somerville, Magoun Square, and Ball Square. Engagement highlighted opportunities to improve station access through better sidewalks, crossings, lighting, snow removal, and bike connections.
Coordinating TOD, mobility hubs, and public-realm upgrades around GLX stations can strengthen ridership, support local businesses, and ensure that growth translates into safer, more walkable neighborhoods rather than increased traffic.
Expansion of bus priority and reliability improvements
Successful bus priority pilots have demonstrated measurable gains in ridership and travel time, creating a strong foundation for expansion to additional corridors. Residents repeatedly emphasized the importance of reliable bus service for daily commuting, school trips, and access to services.
There is an opportunity to pair bus lanes with transit signal priority, improved stops, State-authorized automated enforcement, and clearer curb management, ensuring that bus investments deliver visible and consistent benefits.
Modernizing curb management and parking policy as safety and climate tools
The Citywide Parking & Curb Use Study and advocacy proposals from SASS provide a ready roadmap for reforming curb use, pricing, loading, and permit systems. Engagement showed growing public openness to changes that improve safety, reduce double parking, and better manage oversized vehicles.
Treating parking policy as a safety, accessibility, and climate strategy, rather than solely a convenience issue, creates opportunities to reclaim curb space for bus boarding, micromobility, freight loading, greening, and safer intersections.
Leveraging climate goals to accelerate street redesigns
Somerville’s climate commitments provide a powerful framework for advancing walking, biking, and transit investments as emissions-reduction strategies. Residents increasingly recognize the connection between street design, vehicle dependence, and climate resilience.
Aligning mobility projects with climate funding and resilience goals can unlock new resources and justify bolder design choices, such as shaded corridors, permeable surfaces, and low-stress networks that support mode shift.
Strengthening coordination with the MBTA and MassDOT
Improving relationships and alignment with the MBTA presents opportunities to address GLX reliability, station access, and bus network performance more holistically. Engagement highlighted the need for clearer communication and shared accountability for rider experience.
Similarly, advancing coordination with MassDOT is essential for progress on corridors like McGrath Boulevard, where state partnership is required to unlock safety, reconnection, and redevelopment opportunities.
Scaling project delivery through staffing and process improvements
Engagement and staff feedback pointed to clear opportunities to increase delivery capacity by adding planning, engineering, and community-engagement staff, as well as streamlining internal processes. Even modest investments in capacity could yield outsized improvements in speed and responsiveness.
Expanding the use of quick-builds, pilots, and phased implementation can allow the City to show benefits sooner while continuing to plan permanent capital projects in parallel.
Education, communication, and culture-building around mobility
Rising micromobility use and growing tensions between modes highlight an opportunity to lead on education, norms, and shared expectations. Residents expressed interest in clearer rules, signage, and youth-focused education to improve safety on streets and shared paths.
A proactive communication strategy, grounded in data, safety outcomes, and community benefits, can reduce polarization and help residents see mobility investments as shared wins rather than tradeoffs.
Potential state action on automated enforcement
Pending or future state legislation authorizing automated enforcement for speeding, red-light running, and blocking intersections could significantly expand Somerville’s ability to improve safety and transit reliability. Engagement revealed strong support for these tools as complements to street design.
Representative Connolly has, as part of the speed management program for the planned McGrath Boulevard, asked that MassDOT consider using McGrath as a pilot corridor for urban arterial traffic calming. The City can actively encourage this proposal.
Preparing now, through policy development, equity frameworks, and pilot planning, positions the City to move quickly if and when additional authority is granted.
Recommendations for action:
These recommendations are designed to deliver visible progress early, build momentum during the first year, and embed longer-term change within Mayor-elect Wilson’s two year term in office. They reflect community input, advisory committee guidance, and realistic constraints on staffing, procurement, and regional coordination.
Short term recommendations:
Low-hanging fruit that can be initiated quickly with existing authority, modest resources, or executive direction.
Publicly recommit to Vision Zero as a top Administration priority.
Relaunch Vision Zero with a clear mayoral statement, updated safety goals, and a short list of Year-1 focus corridors and intersections to signal urgency and accountability.
Launch a Vision Zero rapid response program working group.
Establish a formal rapid response protocol for when severe and fatal crashes occur. This was identified in the Vision Zero Action Plan. Convene an interdepartmental working group to have this be a priority for the new administration going into 2026.
Improve transparency around project timelines and constraints.
Establish a simple public dashboard or quarterly update that clearly explains what projects – including quick-build improvements – are advancing, which are delayed, and why, addressing widespread frustration about “projects stalling without explanation.”
Focus existing traffic enforcement where automated tools are not yet available.
Coordinate with Police to focus enforcement on most-likely-to-kill behaviors, like speeding, failure to yield, and distracted driving at school zones, near senior centers, and on high-injury corridors.
Announce and expand internal safety tools for City vehicles.
Publicly launch the previously initiated Intelligent Speed Assistance pilot and begin phased rollout of telematics and other key safety tools across City fleets to improve accountability, safety culture, and cost control.
Begin targeted winter and sidewalk accessibility pilots.
Identify priority pedestrian routes—near schools, senior housing, GLX stations, and bus stops—for enhanced snow clearance and sidewalk maintenance, acknowledging capacity limits while demonstrating responsiveness. Streamline and pilot an expansion of the teen shoveling program to all residents who may need assistance. Proactively conduct outreach to repeat offender property owners in advance of the snow season to increase compliance (as modeled by Cambridge).
Medium term recommendations:
Actions to prioritize during the first year that require planning, staffing, or procurement but can deliver measurable results.
Update and operationalize the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Refresh the plan to incorporate equity, accessibility, and micromobility considerations, and align capital planning, enforcement, and engagement around a small set of measurable annual targets.
Pilot red-light, speed, distracted driving, crosswalk failure-to-yield, and “blocking the box” safety cameras, and use existing authority to mail officer-issued moving violations
Create and use a new toolbox of camera-based enforcement in coordination with SPD to address the highest-risk behaviors of cut-through motorists and to help keep buses moving through intersections.
Expand bus priority and reliability improvements.
Build on successful pilots by adding bus lanes, transit signal priority, and upgraded bus stops on additional corridors, paired with automated curb enforcement to protect bus operations.
Advance key corridor projects with clear timelines.
Advance Union Square Plaza and Streetscapes through final design and into construction readiness and start overdue projects such as Highland Avenue with defined milestones that the public can track.
Implement priority recommendations from the Parking & Curb Use Study and 2024 SASS proposal.
Begin citywide permit system modernization, pilot loading zones in commercial areas, and introduce citywide pricing or management tools that increase vehicle safety, intersection/crosswalk visibility, and curb turnover. Prioritize public parking spaces for those who need it most, such as seniors and those with mobility impairments. Consider a pilot program for a parking benefit district or “neighborhood imagination fund,” to empower neighborhood-level buy-in for which residents and/or businesses could vote on how to spend raised funds.
Pilot School Streets and school-area safety programs.
Launch 1–2 School Streets pilots with close coordination with SPS, parents, and disability advocates, prioritizing safety, health, and access.
Increase delivery and engagement capacity.
Add or reallocate staff roles focused on project delivery, interdepartmental coordination, and in-person, multilingual community engagement to address persistent bottlenecks.
Long term recommendations:
Initiatives to embed into strategic planning and deliver within the first term.
Advance the McGrath Boulevard project through coordinated state partnership.
Use the Mayor’s convening power to strengthen coordination with MassDOT, align City priorities, and move the project through planning and environmental review milestones within the term. Advocate for using McGrath as a pilot corridor for urban arterial traffic calming, including with automated enforcement.
Implement and enforce clear corners at every feasible intersection.
Establish and deliver on a 2–3 year implementation plan for clearing the approach side of every intersection corner and crosswalk.
Complete a connected bike network build-out of highest-priority gaps.
Focus on Winter Hill, east–west connections, and links to GLX stations to create a more continuous, all-ages network.
Scale curb management and parking reforms citywide.
Expand pricing, loading management, and parking benefit districts based on pilot results, with explicit reinvestment in neighborhood safety and public realm improvements.
Develop GLX station-area mobility and public-realm frameworks.
Coordinate TOD, access improvements, and public space upgrades around stations to maximize the benefits of the GLX investment.
Prepare for automated enforcement if state authority expands.
Develop equity frameworks, site selection criteria, and implementation plans so the City can act quickly if legislation enabling speed, red-light, or “blocking the box” cameras is adopted.
Not Included in the 2-Year Recommendation Window —
The following ideas are important but were excluded because they are unlikely to be fully delivered within a two-year mayoral term due to cost, legislative dependency, or scale:
Full citywide build-out of an all-ages safe streets network
Bus Rapid Transit–style corridors requiring major capital investment
Large-scale car-free district or low-traffic neighborhood (LTN) conversions
Comprehensive climate-resilient street reconstruction citywide
Fully integrated, long-range multimodal plan with the MBTA beyond near-term coordination
These items should remain part of the City’s long-term vision and capital planning but are not framed here as deliverables for the first term.
Appendix
Table of Contents
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Engagement
The transition team survey was distributed by the committee to the following committees and community groups:
PTAC
SASS
SBAC
Somerville Road Runners
WalkMassachusetts
LivableStreets Alliance
Somerville Commission for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD)
Massachusetts Senior Action Council
Padres Latinos
Somerville Council on Aging
We received 107 responses through the community engagement survey.
Held two online Office Hours with 5-10 participants each
Met with representatives from the Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets (SASS), Somerville Pedestrian & Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC), Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee (SBAC), Somerville Commission for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD), and Council on Aging.
Reviewed findings from the community engagement processes of 14 mobility and transportation projects conducted between 2020 and 2025. These processes engaged hundreds if not thousands of Somerville residents, representing all wards.
Survey Responses Summary #1
The following is a summary of the 107 responses received to the survey
Overview
46 respondents directed their insights to the Mobility & Transportation Committee. Responses consistently focused on pedestrian safety, reckless driving, protected bike networks, MBTA reliability, sidewalk and curb-cut accessibility, snow removal, and gaps in infrastructure that make non-car travel difficult or unsafe.
Key Themes
Pedestrian Safety, Crosswalks & Reckless Driving (19/46)
Respondents repeatedly described dangerous intersections, lack of enforcement, and widespread speeding that endangers walkers.
“Cars blowing through crosswalks constantly.”
“Speeding everywhere, no one stops at red lights.”
“It’s unsafe to walk with kids — drivers don’t care.”
“Crosswalks faded, drivers don’t yield.”
Bike Infrastructure & Protection Gaps (17/46)
Many respondents emphasized the need for continuous, protected bike lanes and described unsafe conditions for cyclists.
“We need physically protected bike lanes, not painted ones.”
“The bike network doesn’t connect — it just ends.”
“Cars park in the bike lanes all the time.”
“I don’t feel safe riding with my kids.”
Sidewalk Quality, Accessibility & Curb Cuts (14/46)
Sidewalk conditions were described as uneven, obstructed, or impassable, particularly for disabled residents, strollers, and seniors.
“Sidewalks are broken everywhere.”
“Curb cuts inaccessible or missing.”
“It’s impossible to navigate with a wheelchair.”
“Poles, trash bins, signs blocking the sidewalk.”
Winter Snow Removal, Ice & Year-Round Maintenance (12/46)
Snow, ice, and inconsistent clearing practices were frequently cited as safety hazards.
“Sidewalk snow removal is a disaster.”
“People don’t shovel and nothing happens.”
“Ice everywhere — dangerous for seniors.”
“Snow piles block curb cuts for days.”
MBTA Reliability, Access & Transit Connectivity (11/46)
Respondents highlighted transit delays, overcrowding, and gaps in bus and rail reliability that affect mobility.
“The T is unreliable — trains constantly delayed.”
“Buses don’t come when they’re supposed to.”
“The Green Line shutdowns have been brutal.”
“Transit isn’t dependable enough to rely on.”
Parking Pressure, Loading Zones & Curb Management (10/46)
Respondents described friction between different curb uses and unclear or inconsistent parking rules.
“Double-parking everywhere.”
“No loading zones, so delivery trucks block the street.”
“Too many cars circling for parking.”
“Parked cars block bike lanes.”
Traffic Flow, Congestion & Intersection Bottlenecks (8/46)
A smaller but consistent group highlighted congestion issues and difficult intersections.
“Davis Square is gridlocked every day.”
“Broadway backups are constant.”
“Intersections need redesign — too many conflict points.”
“Left turns block everything.”
Street Design Gaps & Missing Multimodal Infrastructure (8/46)
Respondents described incomplete or outdated roadway design that doesn’t support safe multimodal use.
“Streets aren’t designed for bikes or pedestrians.”
“No protected intersections.”
“Too many fast roads going through residential areas.”
“The street design is car-first.”
General Safety Concerns in Specific Locations (7/46)
Several comments identified particularly dangerous or stressful travel corridors.
“McGrath is terrifying.”
“Davis Square at rush hour is unsafe.”
“Highland Ave is too fast and too narrow.”
“Alewife Brook Parkway is extremely dangerous.”
Overall Tone
Respondents expressed urgency, frustration, and fatigue with unsafe travel conditions across modes. Many described everyday mobility as stressful or dangerous, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, disabled residents, and families. The tone reflects a strong, consistent call for safer design, better infrastructure maintenance, and more reliable transit options that make non-car mobility genuinely viable.
Survey Responses Summary #2
Overview
Between 12/2 and 12/10, 61 respondents directed their insights to the Mobility and Transportation Committee. Responses consistently described unsafe walking conditions, dangerous driving, gaps in bike infrastructure, frustrations with MBTA reliability, accessibility challenges, sidewalk quality issues, snow and ice problems, and difficulties navigating streets due to parking, congestion, or incomplete multimodal design
Key Themes
Pedestrian Safety, Dangerous Driving & Crossing Conditions (29/61)
A large portion of respondents described cars not yielding, unsafe crossings, and reckless driving that directly endangers pedestrians.
“Drivers have no regard for pedestrians.”
“More tickets - way too many people drive unsafely.”
“safer crossings everywhere.”
“People run stop signs, speed, and don’t stop for crosswalks.”
Sidewalk Conditions, ADA Barriers & Accessibility Gaps (22/61)
Respondents repeatedly mentioned uneven sidewalks, poor curb cuts, obstructions, and inaccessible routes for disabled residents.
“Sidewalks in poor conditions.”
“ADA compliance is super important.”
“clearing sidewalks of snow.”
“bump outs making it harder to navigate in winter.”
Bike Safety, Protected Lanes & Network Connectivity (21/61)
Respondents cited missing protected lanes, unsafe driver interactions, and discontinuous bike networks.
“More protected bike lanes.”
“bike lanes that randomly disappear.”
“Paint is not protection.”
“keeping bike lanes plowed.”
Speeding, Traffic Enforcement & Road Safety (19/61)
A substantial number of comments referenced widespread speeding and a lack of visible enforcement.
“Speeding is a serious issue.”
“Make people slow down.”
“Enforce traffic laws.”
“People drive too fast on residential streets.”
Parking Conflicts, Double Parking & Curb Management Gaps (15/61)
Respondents described friction between curb uses, unsafe double parking, and limited loading space.
“Double parking on Highland is a huge issue.”
“Cars park in bike lanes.”
“Need loading zones.”
“too many cars blocking visibility.”
MBTA Reliability, Bus Service & Transit Gaps (13/61)
Respondents pointed to unreliable transit, delayed service, and a lack of safe or accessible bus infrastructure.
“MBTA service is unreliable.”
“Better bus stops and shelters.”
“Green line reliability.”
“buses not coming on time.”
Snow, Ice & Winter Maintenance (12/61)
Respondents frequently described winter conditions making walking and mobility hazardous.
“Snow removal on sidewalks.”
“Icy bus stops.”
“plowing bike lanes.”
“snow piles blocking curb cuts.”
Street Design, Traffic Flow & Congestion (10/61)
A smaller but consistent set of comments referenced poorly designed intersections or difficult traffic patterns.
“McGrath remains a barrier.”
“Some intersections are too chaotic.”
“road design encourages speeding.”
Cross-Neighborhood Safety Hotspots (7/61)
Respondents identified specific locations repeatedly across comments.
“Davis Square feels unsafe for walking.”
“Highland Ave is dangerous.”
“Winter Hill needs safer crossings.”
Overall Tone
Respondents expressed urgency around safety concerns, frustration with dangerous driving, and consistent dissatisfaction with sidewalk conditions, bike safety, and winter maintenance. The tone reflects a strong desire for safer infrastructure, more reliable transit, and transportation systems that support walking, biking, and accessibility across all neighborhoods.
Key Themes from Community Engagement Reports
Safety is the top priority, especially reducing vehicle speeds. There is a strong desire to reduce dangerous driving behavior and create slower, calmer streets especially near schools. Widely supported design tools include narrowed lanes, raised crosswalks, speed humps, daylighting, and improving pavement conditions.
The walking experience should be safer, more comfortable, and more connected. There is a strong desire for more and safer crossings, improved and accessible sidewalks, and neighborhoods with walkable connections to community spaces. Widely supported design tools include bump-outs, rapid flashing beacons, and pedestrian refuge islands.
The biking experience should be protected, more comfortable, and suitable for families. There is a strong desire for protected bike lanes, minimized conflicts with drivers and a protected bike network that is well connected with schools, commercial areas, and other community spaces. However, there is some skepticism around whether the City should be prioritizing construction of protected bike lanes, based on a perception that they cater to a small group of people.
The transit experience should be frequent and reliable. There is a strong desire for improving bus travel times, adding amenities to bus stops (particularly shelters, benches, and real-time route information), and ensuring compatibility between bus and bike infrastructure.
Parking is the clearest point of tension with community safety and multimodal mobility goals. While many community members want to repurpose curb space for non-car uses, many others want to preserve or increase on-street parking for residents, seniors, persons with disabilities, employees, and customers. However, across all views there is a clear desire to mitigate double-parking, effectively manage rideshare pickup/drop-off and delivery vehicles, and adjust parking regulations to support community needs.
The driving experience should be clearer and more predictable, with fewer conflicts between users of different modes. There is a desire for less complex intersections and better sightlines of people walking and biking.
Somerville Ave Quick-Build Safety Improvements (2025)
Strong concern around speeding vehicles.
Desire for safer walking conditions, more and safer pedestrian crossings, better driving compliance at intersections, and improved sidewalk conditions.
Desire for safer biking conditions especially around the Market Basket driveway. Desire for better marked and wider bike lanes, prevention of cars parking in bike lanes, wide bike lanes, and better cyclist visibility.
Desire for clearer road markings for drivers and less complex turning situations, especially the turn from Somerville Ave onto Central St because people walking and biking are not very visible and there is pressure to turn quickly.
Concern around removing parking, especially for businesses. Additional concern around unmanaged parking, double-parking, and unmanaged delivery vehicles. Desire for pickup/drop-off zones.
Feeling that there are too many signalized intersections and support for replacing some of them with flashing beacons.
Desire for better pedestrian and bike signal timing, and clarification of whether bikes can cross on pedestrian signals.
Western Pearl Street Reconstruction (2025)
Concern about driver speeds and aggressive driving, especially with cut-through traffic due to nearby construction.
Desire for safer intersections and crossing conditions through improved pedestrian visibility, driver compliance at traffic controls, and prevention of vehicles blocking crosswalks.
Desire for improved sidewalk conditions, accessibility features, raised crosswalks, more crossing options, and traffic calming infrastructure.
Desire for better bike connections through the neighborhood.
Desire for street to continue accommodating larger vehicles including for business deliveries.
Desire not to mix bus and bike lanes.
Concern around floating bus stops creating traffic congestion and encouraging drivers to pass unsafely.
Tension between preserving parking and expanding bike infrastructure.
Elm-Beacon Connector (2025)
Desire for a safer corridor for walking and biking, especially by shortening crosswalks and slowing cars, particularly near the Kennedy School.
Desire for safer pedestrian conditions near the driveway to the Kennedy School by preventing double-parking and cars blocking crosswalks. Support for raised crossings, school zone signage and flashing lights, more crossing guards, and traffic calming infrastructure near the Kennedy School.
Desire for safer biking conditions, including for families with children. A key desire is to avoid conflicts between bikes and turning vehicles.
Desire to lower driving speeds by narrowing the roadway, daylighting intersections, shortening crossing lengths, and shortening crossing wait times for pedestrians.
Some concern around added signal complexity or turn restrictions worsening congestion and encouraging driver non-compliance.
Support for closing Mossland St to through-traffic.
Desire to close the slip lane at Elm St and Somerville Ave.
Desire for safer bus stops and automated enforcement of bus lanes.
Desire for formalized pick-up and drop-off zones at the Kennedy School.
Split between desire for enough parking for seniors and families who rely on cars, and those who want to prioritize curb space for walking and transit.
Brickbottom Neighborhood Plan (2024)
Desire for smaller blocks with active street frontages to improve pedestrian experience.
Prioritize quality-of-life improvements for residents that support safety and walkability.
Connect Brickbottom to the rest of Somerville by improving existing and establishing new pedestrian and bicycle connections within the neighborhood and to adjacent neighborhoods.
Somerville Bicycle Network Plan (2023)
Safety concerns were the top issue, particularly around vehicular speeds, lack of protection or separation of bikes, dangerous intersections, and poor roadway surface conditions.
Highland Ave, McGrath Hwy, Broadway, Davis Square, Powder House Square, and Porter Square were identified as the most dangerous corridors and intersections for biking.
Desire for safe travel options for biking with children and for older children to travel to school by bike (more protected lanes would help).
Desire for better visibility at intersections and traffic calming infrastructure to reduce vehicle speeds.
Desire to travel by bike to commercial areas, homes of loved ones, and grocery stores and farmers markets.
Union Square Plaza & Streetscapes Plan (2023)
Desire for ample crosswalks and safe pedestrian space.
Desire for better bus and Green Line access.
Desire for protected bike infrastructure.
Desire for traffic calming and intersection improvements.
Tufts Street Reconstruction (2023)
Desire for safer walking conditions including with wider sidewalks, improved sidewalk conditions, and more crossings.
Desire for safer biking conditions including with improved asphalt conditions, protected bike lanes, and protected left turns.
Concerns with vehicles speeding and poor asphalt condition.
Desire for enough on-street parking.
Desire for more street trees and green space.
Desire to improve the safety of the crossing at Washington St.
West Broadway Reconstruction (2023)
Desire for reconstructed sidewalks and pavement, improved bus facilities, slower traffic, safer crossing conditions, ADA-compliant infrastructure, and more bike infrastructure.
Desire to prioritize people walking, biking, and using transit rather than driving.
Desire for traffic calming to make walking safer and slow traffic.
Desire for better bus stop amenities and frequent bus service.
Some concern about driving on Broadway no longer being convenient with changes.
Businesses want more short-term parking and space for truck access and loading.
Divide between concern about losing on-street parking and support for reducing parking in favor of outdoor dining and space for walking and biking.
Pearl Street Reconstruction & Safety Improvements (2022)
Desire for street to feel safer for pedestrians including by creating additional crossings, improving sidewalk quality, and widening sidewalks.
Desire for street to feel safer for cyclists and to add more bike parking and Blue Bikes stations.
Desire to lower vehicle speeds, prevent cut-through traffic, and improve asphalt condition.
Most respondents said improving travel times for drivers was not important.
Desire to improve bus travel times and bus stop amenities.
Desire to modify parking regulations to better match demand (not necessarily to maintain existing on-street parking, especially when it competes with continuous bike lanes)
Desire for more street trees and greenery.
Western Washington Street Mobility Improvements (2022)
Desire for street to feel safer for pedestrians including by widening sidewalks, improving sidewalk quality, creating additional crossings, and improving safety near schools.
Desire for street to feel safer for cyclists, including with better management of parking and loading zone conflicts. Desire for more bike parking and Blue Bikes stations.
Concern around driving speeds and poor asphalt condition.
Split views around parking – some desire to remove to improve safety, other concerns around lack of on-street parking.
Desire for more frequent and reliable bus service, floating bus stops, and bus stop amenities.
Winter Hill Plan Implementation (2022)
Pedestrian access and accessible walking connections.
Making Broadway a pedestrian- and bike-friendly main street with active and inviting mixed-use development.
Prioritizing car-free development.
Holland St & College Ave Mobility Improvements (2020)
Streets should prioritize public transportation, biking, and walking for safety and climate reasons.
On-street parking should be deprioritized (though there is some concern about not having enough).
Desire for protected bike lanes and bus priority lanes.
Crosswalks should be designed for a safer pedestrian experience through bumpouts, better signage, and flashing beacons.
Car speeds should be reduced.
There is traffic congestion at Davis, especially with cars queuing to turn onto and off of Holland St and College Ave.
Community Space Planning (2020)
There is a need for community spaces within walking distance of neighborhoods, that are ADA accessible, and that have enough accessible parking, bike racks, and pick-up/drop-off areas for vans transporting seniors.
Assembly Square Neighborhood Plan (2020)
Desire for a strong multimodal transportation network prioritizing walkability and reliable public transit.
Desire to mitigate the impacts of I-93 on the neighborhood. The highway separates Assembly from the rest of Somerville and contributes to high vehicle emissions. It also makes the Assembly difficult to reach without a car.
Space in Assembly should be shifted away from parking storage and toward mixed-use development.
Detailed Recommendations
6.1 Short-Term (0–12 months)
These are actions that can begin immediately under the City’s control and show visible progress within the first year.
Street Safety & Enforcement
Reaffirm Vision Zero as a top administrative priority
Update and publicly relaunch the Vision Zero Action Plan with clear annual deliverables.
Embed Vision Zero responsibilities across departments (Mobility, DPW, ISD, Police, Schools).Publicly identify, prioritize resources, and deliver results on the top 10-20 quick-build safety locations leveraging existing Mobility data and community engagement
Prioritize high-crash corridors and locations with documented speed issues (based on ATR data).
Deliver 10–20 quick-build interventions in Year 1, focusing on intersections, crossings, and bike network gaps.
Deploy red-light, speed, distracted driving, crosswalk failure-to-yield, and “blocking the box” safety cameras, and use existing authority to mail officer-issued moving violations
Prioritize at school zones, parks and playgrounds, senior centers, and on the high-injury network.
Publish before/after metrics for speeding, red-light running, distracted driving rate, failure-to-yield rate, and associated crashes and injuries.
Focus “blocking the box” enforcement on intersections that impact bus reliability (e.g., Union Square, Broadway, Highland Avenue).
Engagement & Accessibility
Create a multilingual, senior-focused engagement strategy
More in-person sessions, neighborhood walks, and partnership-based engagement with CBOs.
Implementation of the equity plan currently under development by OSPCD, which focused on engagement with seniors, youth, and people with disabilities.
Ensure the presence of temporary pathways, crosswalks, signals that are well marked for both public and private construction projects that affect sidewalk accessibility.
Expand sidewalk snow-clearing services and accountability for winter safety
Revisit existing snow clearance ordinance.
Provide real-time snow clearing status to residents for streets, separated bike lanes, and municipally cleared sidewalks
Improve communication to private property owners around their snow clearing responsibilities. Proactively conduct outreach to repeat offenders in advance of the snow season to increase compliance (as modeled by Cambridge).
Expand the teen snow removal program, which is currently available to seniors and persons with disabilities, to make it available to any resident who is in need of snow removal assistance.
Consider expanding the municipal snow clearance program with additional DPW capacity prioritizing school routes, areas around senior facilities, and GLX station access corridors.
(A full-scale program is more appropriately a medium-term recommendation due to cost and staffing.)
City Fleet & Internal Operations
Announce and expand the Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) pilot
Start with 20–30 vehicles; evaluate for phase-in to full city fleet in 1–3 years.
Commit to a full rollout of telematics and other safety features on all City vehicles
Use telematics data for driver safety coaching and accountability, reducing idling pollution reduction, and potentially insurance/maintenance savings and follow through on establishing a safe fleet transition plan, per the Vision Zero Action Plan.
Parking, Curb Use & Safe Vehicle Policy
Implement key recommendations from the Curb Use & Parking Study and 2024 SASS proposal
Modernize permitting (plate-based system like what Medford has deployed).
Begin escalating permit fees for additional household vehicles.
Prioritize public parking spaces for those who need it most, such as seniors and those with mobility impairments (Potential Task identified by Somervision2040, p. 62).
Launch a pilot Parking Benefit District.
Establish a Safe Vehicle Checklist for residential parking permit eligibility (e.g., no lifted suspensions, bull bars, or obscured/ghost plates) and for any vehicle that is parked on City streets or in a municipal lot. Launch targeted enforcement.
Implement weight-based parking permit fee structure for oversized vehicles to encourage safer and more space-efficient vehicles.
Launch curb-use pilots and increase sidewalk accessibility and security
Paid loading zones in commercial districts, micromobility corrals, 15-minute pickup/drop-off zones.
Implement regular community walk audits to identify additional barriers to walkability and prioritize locations for curb cuts, shelter, and seating.
Expand the use of bollards to protect people standing on bumpouts, curb cuts, and other areas where drivers may jump the curb.
Establish a VMT reduction ordinance
Quantify and make enforceable through all City policies and programs the existing mandate of Somervision 2040 to reduce vehicle miles traveled. For example, target 30% VMT reduction by 2030 (“30x30”) from 2020 levels.
Align the ordinance with proposed state legislation S.2246, co-sponsored by Senator Jehlen, Rep Uyterhoeven, and Rep Connolly.
Transit & Bus Priority and Safety
Add/upgrade near-term bus lanes and bus stops
Fill small gaps with paint-and-post treatments.
Improve and add shelters, level landing pads, and accessibility at priority stops.
Implement bus lane, bus stop, and school bus cameras
Begin with bus lane cameras on Broadway and Washington St. corridors.
Work with the MBTA to determine which bus stops to prioritize.
Work with SPS to identify which school buses to prioritize.
6.2 Medium-Term (1–3 years)
Larger initiatives that require planning, procurement, capital dollars, or coordination with MassDOT/MBTA.
Streets & Safety
Build out the connected bicycle route network
Complete the top 3–5 priority segments annually.
Prioritize Winter Hill, Highland Ave connections, and east–west spine links.
Advance Phase 1 of the Union Square Plaza & Streetscapes Plan to 100% design and secure funding for Phase 1 construction and Phase 2 design.
Implement and enforce clear corners at every feasible intersection
Establish a 2–3 year implementation plan with DPW; complete 70–80 intersections per year.
Consider the use of colored curbs or other cheap and fast approaches to accelerate the rollout of clear corners.
Start towing to clear the clear corners of illegally parked vehicles.
Pilot and scale streets with schools
Begin with 1–2 pilots of car-free zones around schools so every student has safe space to play, learn, and thrive, working with willing schools; expand citywide with SPS collaboration.
Start the Highland Avenue project within this term
Advance to final design, secure construction funding, and begin phased buildout.
Pilot and evaluate speed cushions
Use on emergency response and bus routes where humps are not viable to reduce speeding.
Transit, Bus Priority & Signals
Expand transit signal priority (TSP)
Add TSP along the Broadway–Magoun–Highland–Union Sq. corridors and GLX connectors.
Advance major corridor redesigns
McGrath Boulevard (MassDOT coordination), Washington Street, Broadway, Somerville Ave Phase 2.
Land Use & Mobility Integration
Develop GLX station-area TOD frameworks
Union, East Somerville, Magoun, and Ball Sq.
Integrate housing, retail activation, public realm, and mobility hubs.
Curb, Parking & Freight
Begin full curb pricing and loading management implementation
Demand-based pricing in squares; commercial loading zones with sensors.
Develop a freight strategy and launch micro-freight pilots
Partner with MAPC and peer municipalities, including Cambridge and Boston.
Convene stakeholder meetings with local businesses, UPS/FedEx, and cargo-bike providers.
Staff, Capacity, and Governance
Expand project delivery and engagement staffing
Add engineering, planning, and community engagement roles.
Improve alignment between Mobility, DPW, ISD, and Capital Projects.
Consider whether to whether to consolidate or modernize certain transportation functions
Consider transferring snow removal enforcement from ISD to DPW.
Review the utility and purpose of the Traffic Commission in its current form.
Winter Operations
Begin targeted sidewalk and snow-clearing improvements
Expand DPW/ISD pilots; prioritize school routes, senior housing and routes to frequent senior destinations, GLX station access corridors.
(A full-scale program is more appropriately a medium-term recommendation due to cost and staffing.)
6.3 Long-Term (3+ years)
The following are more ambitious transformations requiring substantial coordination, capital investment, or legislative change. [Placeholder Text]
Build a fully connected, AAA-safe streets network citywide
Continuous protected bike lanes, raised crossings, and low-speed residential streets.
Develop bus rapid transit–style corridors
Dedicated lanes, platform stops, TSP, and signal re-timing on priority corridors.
Create north-south transit routes
Expand non-car access for seniors
MBTA and publicly accessible private shuttles (TMAs)
Expand transportation options for older residents, such as:
COA free taxi program.
Potential use of existing City vehicles (e.g., SPD van).
Pilot test a program like Go Go Grandparent to connect seniors with on-demand rides with reduced technology burden (a phone call).
Assess viability of continuing or expanding transportation partnerships with local healthcare or social service providers and colleges/universities.
Create car-free zones and low-traffic neighborhoods (LTNs)
Pedestrianize Davis Square (Elm Street).
Pilot and create a plan for expanding low-traffic neighborhoods (LTNs) using tools such as traffic diverters, bollards, and other modal filters.
Test seasonal or permanent pedestrian-priority spaces in other squares and major plazas.
Deliver large-scale public realm transformations
Union Square Plaza buildout, Davis Square redesign, McGrath Boulevard full conversion.
Construct climate-resilient mobility infrastructure
Shaded corridors, flood-resilient rights-of-way, permeable surfaces, and redesigned stormwater systems tied to mobility routes.
Complete comprehensive parking reforms
Zone-based permit caps, robust PBDs, full digital permit system, and integrated curbside pricing.
Charge market rates for resident and/or commercial curbside parking?
Develop a fully integrated multimodal plan with MBTA
Align bus lanes, GLX access improvements, commuter rail upgrades, and station-area TOD with MBTA capital cycles.
6.4 Process Recommendations
The following cross-cut all timelines and form the foundation for successful delivery.
Commit to transparency and predictable communication
Proactively share updates when project timelines slip, when design changes occur, or when staff capacity constrains progress.
Use monthly project dashboards, newsletters, and SomerVoice “status tags” to keep residents informed.
Embrace iterative delivery
Use pilots, quick-builds, and phased implementation instead of holding projects until 100% design.
Demonstrate benefits early and refine over time based on data.
Routinely collect economic data on businesses before and after streetscape projects to objectively document the economic effects and use these data when proposing and planning future projects.
Be willing to move ahead despite vocal minority opposition when broad support exists
Use data, surveys, and engagement results to guide decisions when 70–80% of participants support improvements.
Prioritize safety, equity, and Vision Zero outcomes over short-term controversy.
