Somerville and State Officials to Break Ground on $11 Million Beacon Street Project

An $11 million project that promises improved safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on Beacon Street will have a groundbreaking ceremony Monday.

On Monday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m. Department of Transportation Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin will join Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, members of Somerville’s legislative delegation and local officials at Durell Community Garden near the Kent Street intersection of Beacon Street.

The project, which stretches from Oxford Street and Somerville Avenue south to the Cambridge city line near Inman Square, includes new sidewalks, cycle track, curbing, and drainage and signal improvements. The two-year project will improve the lifespan of the road by rebuilding the sub-surface, grading the surface for positive drainage, and installing a new high-quality asphalt surface. Officials say the roadway design will improve the safety and flow of traffic, while dramatically improving pedestrian accessibility and bicycle safety.