Somerville Expands ‘Neighborways’ With The Goal Of Making Streets Safer

The project began in the summer of 2023 when city leaders solicited feedback from community members about safety concerns in the area.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Oct 20, 2026 10:53 AM EDT

SOMERVILLE, MA — The city is making changes to residential streets aimed at slowing drivers, reducing cut-through traffic, and improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The work includes the recently completed reconstruction of Tufts Street in East Somerville and a new traffic pattern on Mossland Street that took effect Thursday, Oct. 15. Both streets are designated as "Neighborways," residential roads designed to provide more comfortable walking and biking connections while reducing vehicle speeds and volumes.

According to the city, Neighborways can include narrowed street entrances, speed humps, raised crossings, landscaping, artwork, and changes to traffic patterns. They provide two-way connections for cyclists even on streets where motor vehicle traffic travels in one direction.

On Tufts Street, the reconstruction included repaving the roadway, rebuilding and widening sidewalks, adding landscaped areas, and installing raised crossings at Glen, Dell, and Cross streets. Portions of the roadway were narrowed into "pinch points" intended to slow drivers while maintaining two-way access for vehicles and bicycles. The street connects Cross and Washington streets near the East Somerville Green Line station.

"Our neighborhood streets should be built for our community, not someone passing through and looking to skip traffic on McGrath Highway," Mayor Jake Wilson said.

Officials celebrated the project with an Oct. 6 ribbon-cutting at Leonard Grimes Park. Construction began in late summer 2025 following community engagement, traffic analysis, testing of emergency vehicle operations, and design work.

Leaders initially considered a more extensively narrowed, meandering roadway before revising the design to focus on individual pinch points following public feedback. The final design also included four multipurpose parking spaces proposed for loading during the day and resident parking overnight.

The city's September announcement said approximately 45 new street trees would be planted in the following weeks. Earlier plans identified 21 trees for removal and nine for retention within the project area, with larger planting areas around remaining trees to support their growth.

On Mossland Street, drivers can no longer enter or exit through Elm Street and must instead use Somerville Avenue. Pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency vehicles retain access at both ends. The installation includes barriers, signs, pavement markings, and flex posts, along with a two-way bicycle connection to protected lanes on Elm Street and Somerville Avenue.

The work is part of the Elm-Beacon Connector Safety Improvements project, which covers portions of Elm Street, Somerville Avenue, and Beacon Street. The broader project includes protected bicycle lanes, intersection improvements, loading zones, bus-stop changes, and pickup and drop-off spaces near the Kennedy School. A raised crosswalk on Elm Street at Cherry Street near the school is expected to be constructed in 2027.

A city traffic study found approximately 80 percent of vehicles using Mossland Street continued south onto Oxford or Beacon streets. Drivers making those trips are expected to use Elm Street and Somerville Avenue to reach Beacon Street.

Nearby signal changes are intended to accommodate the diverted traffic, including additional green-light time for drivers turning left from Somerville Avenue onto Beacon Street. The overall signal cycle is expected to remain unchanged. Permanent signal equipment upgrades and timing changes are expected by November.

The installations are part of Somerville's Bicycle Network Plan, which envisions approximately 88 miles of connected streets and paths. Some projects involve full street reconstruction, while others use pavement markings, signs, and flexible posts that can be adjusted following evaluation.

The work comes as Somerville continues its broader Vision Zero effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. The city reached four years without a fatal crash in August, before the latest installations.

The City Council approved $255,045 from ride-hailing fees last month for design and engineering on three other street-safety projects. The city's 2026 Safe Streets Ordinance Annual Report identifies staffing, public engagement timelines, and funding constraints as challenges expected to push completion of the required protected bicycle lane network beyond 2030.