Leadership on Transportation & Mobility
Mayor Katjana Ballantyne has led Somerville on public transit improvements, such as the GLC Green Line Extension and the Community Path, for decades. She led Somerville on access and safety for pedestrians, such as bike lanes and the redesign of major highways, earning Somerville the ranking as one of the top 10 most walkable cities in the U.S. Mayor Ballantyne will continue enhancing the quality of public transit, including adding dedicated bus lanes, implementing traffic calming measures, and improving connections across the city.
Transportation and Mobility
To create safe, "complete streets" that serve Somerville residents and businesses as a priority, Mayor Katjana’s administration
- Is creating safe, accessible, complete streets that prioritize residents and local businesses so they can move around Somerville safely instead of prioritizing commuters who are just driving through
- Is rebuilding streets to accommodate multiple transportation modes including bus and bike lanes, shared curbs, traffic calming, and hands-free pedestrian signals. These features make moving around Somerville safer and more efficient for everyone, including children, mature adults, and people with disabilities.
- Rebuilt Eastern Pearl Street, Powder House Boulevard, Holland Street, and more, to improve traffic flow, safety, and sustainability, and we’ve completed Phase 1 of Highland Avenue’s repaving
- Installed nearly sixty traffic safety treatments each year, more than 150 treatments in total, including life-saving bike lanes, improved crossings, and speed humps
- Provided more than 9,000 rides to access food resources and health services with our Taxi to Health program
- Is creating affordable, sustainable ways for our residents to get around from equity work on new bus routes and free T pass programs for students, staff, and low-income families; to safer streets for walking, rolling, and biking
- Worked together with Safe Streets (SASS) and as a member of the Somerville Bike Advisory Committee (SBAC), and the Somerville Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PTAC). Together, we have made these and more important and highly visible improvements
- Is working to make Somerville a leader in encouraging appropriate, new modes of efficient, economic, user-friendly urban transit options, including bike-sharing and autonomous vehicles
Streets, Sidewalks Recently Completed
Mayor Ballantyne's administration has completed many new road and street improvement projects throughout the city. These projects include:
- Eastern Pearl Street: This project focused on traffic calming measures, pedestrian safety improvements, and green infrastructure elements.
- Powder House Boulevard: This project involved roadway resurfacing, sidewalk repairs, and accessibility upgrades.
- Holland Street: This project included roadway reconstruction, new bike lanes, and improved pedestrian crossings.
- Highland Avenue (Phase 1): The first phase of Highland Avenue's repaving was completed, with a focus on improving the road surface and addressing drainage issues.
- Highland Avenue Redesign: Recognizing the need for a comprehensive redesign of Highland Avenue, the city is planning a major overhaul of this critical corridor. The redesign will prioritize safety for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, and will incorporate sustainable design elements to reduce the street's
Click to learn more about Mayor Katjana's many new infrastructure investments
As a Resident and City Councilor
For more than twenty five years, Katjana has worked and advocated for basic transit infrastructure to enable walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use development in Somerville, increasing access to jobs while decreasing traffic and emissions. She:
- Volunteered in the 1990s and 2000s with the Mystic View Task Force and the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP), which brought walkable, mixed-use development and a new Orange Line MBTA stop to Assembly Square
- For decades has advocated for MBTA and MPO improvements including the Green Line Extension
- Successfully advocated for Somerville Community Path infrastructure improvements; drainage, pavement, and markings along the community path and west gateway entrance to our city
- Advocated no decrease in cross town 89/80 bus services, a change that would undermine the connections between East and West Somerville necessary for transit justice and equity
- Petitioned for and accomplished the intersection redesign for pedestrian safety at Alewife Parkway and Powderhouse Boulevard, a state roadway
- Supported dedicated bike lanes on Powderhouse Boulevard
- Advocated for a vision of streets that will work for 100 years into the future, rather than using the infrastructure from 100 years ago to dictate our plans
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