Mobility

Somerville’s early system of rail and trolley stops and dense development have helped make the city the most compact in New England. This density of residential and commercial development enabled efficient mobility across neighborhoods. But when the Interstate Highway System was constructed in the mid-1900’s, many of the city’s transit routes were removed or relocated, replaced with high-speed roads made only for vehicular traffic.

STRENGTHS

The City of Somerville benefits from continued investment in transportation infrastructure from internal and external sources. The City’s financial strength, in the form of a AA1 bond rating and robust record of financial stewardship, is an advantage in seeking funding for capital and operational planning and construction projects. This was most recently demonstrated by Federal and State funding commitments to the Green Line Extension (GLX), which will add five new stations in the city and offer a one-seat ride to Downtown Boston, extend the Community Path, add 11 miles of new stormwater drainage, and put 85% of Somerville residents within a half-mile of a subway station (currently at 15%).Somerville has the physical foundation for improving access to multiple modes of transportation, including a pre-car layout, dense housing and employment centers, and connected neighborhoods. Most, but not all, of Somerville residents have convenient access to high-growth job centers and leisure activity districts through a variety of transportation modes both within and adjacent to Somerville, at nearby Alewife, Kendall Square, and Downtown Boston. Somerville residents enjoy strong connections on bus and rail networks running east/west and have access to an increasing number of mobility modes, including several bus lines, rail connections via the Red and Orange Lines, almost 30 BlueBikes stations, and bicycle infrastructure including painted and protected bicycle lanes. In particular, new bicycle lanes continue to grow in response to demand.Somerville is home to strong networks of engaged residents and public officials who advocate for increased access to transportation, including groups such as the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP) and the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee (SBAC). Somerville residents are also vocal outside of organized groups in calls for increased transportation equity and access. Based on the 2017 U.S. Census American Community Survey, more than half of Somerville residents use sustainable modes of transportation to travel for work. Based on data collected by the City and its partners (including this Committee in SomerSuppers and other efforts) Somerville residents express a strong desire for safe, convenient access to sustainable transportation options for the majority of their trips. Residents want reliable public transportation access, safe bicycle lanes, and freedom of movement within the city with decreased congestion. This support encourages the City to make necessary investments in mobility planning and infrastructure.In step with this desire, the Administration committed to Vision Zero in 2017 and the Mobility division has created a Vision Zero Action Plan. Vision Zero aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on Somerville’s streets. The SBAC is also working on a Bicycle Network Plan which will help the City plan infrastructure and investment in the facilities needed.

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES

Somerville has a wide variety of opportunities and challenges related to mobility. The transportation network within Somerville allows the population to be mobile and brings people and business into and out of the city. Residents and businesses are seeking out Somerville partly because of its ease of access. However, transportation capacity and infrastructure has not kept pace. Buses and trains in Somerville are over capacity during rush hours. Buses are stuck on congested streets and run infrequently during off-hours. Cyclists and micro-mobility users share space with motor vehicles. People feel frustrated, angry, and sometimes unsafe during commutes. While most of Somerville residents enjoy access to multiple modes of transportation, not all do. The city lacks strong north/south transit connections. In addition, the topography and lack of north/south bicycle lanes can make cycling a challenge. The Assembly and Davis Square Neighborhoods have more transit and mobility options with train, bus, and multi-use paths than any other neighborhoods in Somerville. The City must recognize that the same convenient service is desired and necessary throughout Somerville. Historically, many groups have been left out of the transportation planning process, which results in the inequitable distribution of resources. Communities of color, seniors, people with low-incomes, youth, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by transportation decisions but are often not at the table when those decisions are made. It is critical to move forward acknowledging this deficit in order to increase equitable representation and participation surrounding transportation and infrastructure decisions.The City of Somerville must seize the growth opportunity for new and improved infrastructure. Increased housing, transportation, utility, and other needs due to increased population and job growth necessitates developing, updating, and/or changing infrastructure. Somerville has started to reassess the best use of the public rights-of-way. The recent conversion of Webster Avenue and Prospect Street to two-way roads successfully reduced car volume through the heart of Union Square by a third. Overall traffic on Prospect and Webster decreased by 10%. This is a significant opportunity to implement a large-scale mode shift in Somerville and increase both mobility and safety for all road users.Residents of Somerville, particularly East Somerville, suffer two-fold from roadways like I-93 and McGrath Highway. I-93 and McGrath cut off neighborhoods from other parts of the city and create high particulate rates from vehicular emissions. This results in increased health care costs and a higher risk of developing illnesses. While emissions are a large concern, noise pollution also has negative impacts on health and quality of life. There is an urgent need to reduce emissions in Somerville and to also make Somerville more resilient to transportation-induced public health concerns.While the infrastructure needs for some new transportation innovations are unknown, other infrastructure needs are easy to identify. Many sidewalks, crosswalks, and bus stops across the city are not fully accessible. This challenge is exacerbated by winter weather, overgrown shrubs, extreme heat, and flooding. Somerville’s ADA backlog is estimated at $75 million just to bring existing infrastructure up to standard. Vulnerable transportation users like seniors, persons with cognitive disabilities, vision, and mobility-impaired persons must be included in creating and improving safe methods of transportation. Improving safety for vulnerable road users will improve safety for everyone. For example, retiming Davis Square’s main intersection gave pedestrians 8 more pedestrian signals over the course of an hour. Despite some advances in safety, people are still being killed or seriously injured in crashes. Others feel limited in choice because of fear for their safety. Vision Zero is the City’s pledge to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on our streets. It is imperative that the City create ambitious plans to address dangerous behavior and infrastructure on our streets. This is particularly salient for safe routes to school planning, because of the vulnerability of the road users. Traffic enforcement or infrastructure improvements would improvesafety for students and others because of the unique vulnerability of children crossing the street. In data collection efforts for this report, some Somerville residents also remarked that a high percentage of grade school and high school students are being driven to school. While the cause is difficult to ascertain, residents agree that there are no completely safe routes for children to get to school via walking or biking. The Community Path Extension is an opportunity to increase safety for students traveling to and from school and encourage families to walk or bike. It is important for the City to ensure safe and easy access to the Community Path from many different neighborhoods.The City must be proactive in responding to new and future transportation-related challenges. Innovations in transportation technology and delivery present both challenges and opportunities. These include automated vehicles, micro-mobility, and ride-sharing programs, also known as Transportation Network Companies (TNC) For example, the City must prepare for automated vehicles (AVs) and must proactively plan for automated technology – not passively accept how automated vehicles are marketed. Some additional points of note:

• Automated delivery vehicles may be the first deployed.
• While the focus of automated technology generally revolves around personal vehicles, there are opportunities for transit as well.
• Automated vehicles are a single mode; their integration should be approached as part of a comprehensive network of walking, bicycling, transit, motor vehicles, and other transportation.