After months of talk, two important decisions were made this month in the ongoing re-design of Cummins Highway in Mattapan, including a lane reduction and a new roundabout at Weybosset Street.
A meeting held last week (March 29) was the latest in a 10-month series to discuss the $24 million reconstruction of Cummins to improve pedestrian safety, bicycle infrastructure, and traffic flows at signals – with a eye toward later improvements at Mattapan Square.
Construction could begin this fall or next spring.
Project engineer Jeffrey Alexis – a Mattapan native – said the city-led project team has arrived at final decisions on traffic lanes and adding a roundabout along the corridor.
“What we’ve been looking at is to try to maintain efficient flow of traffic along the corridor not just for vehicles, but also for pedestrians and cyclists,” he said.
Part of the decision to reduce the highway to one lane each way in most areas, and then to widen it at intersections, is to slow down traffic at all times. One of the biggest concerns of residents since meetings began in 2018 was how fast cars are going during off-peak hours, and even sometimes during peak traffic.
Keeping two lanes each way throughout, Alexis said, would not accomplish that goal. “What we’re seeing is cars are still able to speed…along the corridor,” he noted.
The news was well received by the online audience of about 75 people – though there were some who did not agree with everything, with the bicycle infrastructure a particular problem.
A common theme throughout the meetings, as well as those for nearby American Legion Highway improvements, is that introducing robust bicycle lanes will hasten gentrification and displacement of the existing community.
That said, the bulk of the plan analyzed on March 29 looks at intersections and pinch points along the corridor, including: Harvard Street/Wood Avenue;
Greenfield Street/Weybosset Street; Itasca Street/Ridlon Road; Woodhaven Street; Rexford Street/Rockdale Street; River Street/Blue Hill Avenue intercept with Mattapan Square.
Many of the intersections include new left-turn lanes, such as at Harvard Street, and wider sidewalks with separate bicycle lanes throughout the length.
Another hallmark is the shortening of crosswalks and adjustments of signals so that pedestrians aren’t crossing when drivers are turning.
The biggest infrastructure change is the addition of a roundabout at Weybosset and Cummins, introducing a totally new feature along the corridor. Alexis and other city officials said the new configuration will allow for safer driving speeds, a continuous flow of traffic, increased pedestrian and bike safety, and fewer conflicts at the five-pronged intersection.
The roundabout was considered earlier in the process alongside a traditional traffic signal setup. In the end, many in the area – including the funeral home abutting the roundabout – felt it would work better.
“With the traffic numbers on Cummins Highway east and west, a signal wouldn’t have helped reduce speeds because Cummins gets the green light,” said Alexis. “Signals are not as efficient for crosswalks. We didn’t get any big opposition to the roundabout and so we are moving forward with it.”
Some neighbors feel the roundabout could be an opportunity to beautify the corridor with landscaping and public art in the center – perhaps signage welcoming people to Mattapan.
Changes at Woodhaven Street will allow a new left-turn lane and introduce two lanes of vehicular traffic into Mattapan Square to handle heavier traffic loads. Crosswalks will be shortened, and another will be added, all to accommodate easier pedestrian access to the commuter rail stop under the bridge at that intersection.
One important thing that will not change is the parking situation along the highway. Unlike other road reconstruction projects, the city team indicated, this wasn’t a place where they were looking to change the parking situation or parking regulations. Aside from losing a few spots for enhanced sidewalks, most all the parking spots that exist will be retained.
“We are taking a different approach because it’s not downtown Boston, so we’re not looking at timed meters or introducing parking regulations that would make it difficult for a caregiver or family member to come and park on Cummins Highway and visit residents that live there,” said Stefanie Seskin, active transportation director at Boston Transportation Department (BTD).
Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Chief of Streets for Boston, said this week the Cummins Highway redesign is a test case for how the city will navigate planning for all large road projects.
“This is going to be one of the largest and biggest investments in a street reconstruction project in Boston, aside from Blue Hill Avenue,” he said. “I think this is going to be a showcase. Hopefully residents will look at it and say they are glad they have this in their neighborhood as a street to travel on.”
The next planning meeting will take place on April 26 at 6:30 p.m. and will focus on Age Friendly Street Design.
