LivableStreets Hosts Info Session on Western Ave Reconstruction Project

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LivableStreets Hosts Information Session on Western Avenue Reconstruction Project
Presentation by Jeff Rosenblum, Community Development Department, City of Cambridge

Monday, June 7, 2010

6:30 - 7:30 PM

LivableStreets Office
100 Sidney Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

RSVP to Jeff Rosenblum at [email protected]

LivableStreets Alliance is hosting an informational session on the City of Cambridge’s Western Avenue Reconstruction Project. Jeff Rosenblum will be presenting several conceptual designs for the street, and results from our traffic analysis to evaluate the feasibility of reducing the street to 1-lane for part of the street. Please feel free to attend, and share this notification with your neighbors. A copy of the meeting announcement and agenda are below, as well as some other background information on the project. There are many resources on the project website, please feel free to browse.

If you cannot make the Monday meeting, feel free to attend the Riverside Neighborhood Association meeting on Tuesday June 8 from 7-9pm at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender Street (off of Howard Street, off of Western Avenue).

Agenda

  • Project overview, scope, and schedule
  • Community goals for the project
  • Results of traffic analysis for possible reconfiguration (the Advisory Committee requested that the city conduct some feasibility analysis for the following: Change street to 2-way? Change street to 1-lane for part of the street?)
  • Presentation of the 5 conceptual design options
  • Discussion

More Information
http://westernavenue.info

Project Overview
Western Avenue is scheduled to be fully reconstructed beginning in summer 2011. The underground stormwater system, utilities, the roadway, and the sidewalks will all be replaced. The redesign will consider all street users: walkers, bicyclists, bus riders, and drivers. The redesign process will consider traffic patterns, lighting, trees, and green space. The community design process will run from Jan. through June 2010, followed by engineering design. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2011. There will be advisory committee meetings, community meetings and neighborhood walks to discuss the project. This is an opportunity for the community to discuss changes that would make Western Avenue more neighborhood-friendly.

Project Schedule
Dec. 2009 .......... Initial survey work complete
Feb. 2010 .......... Begin community process
Jun. 2010 .......... Complete conceptual design
Apr. 2011 .......... 100% design complete
Jul. 2011 ............ Construction begins
Nov. 2012 ......... Construction is completed

Surface Design: Project Goals

  • Ensure corridor is safe for all users
  • Maintain adequate traffic flow
  • Reinforce residential character
  • Appropriate traffic speed
  • Improve conditions for walking, bicycling, and transit riders
  • Provide disability access
  • Improve access to businesses
  • Help meet stormwater environmental goals through “low impact designs”
  • Provide adequate parking
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Improve landscaping