This project is complete. There will be no more updates to this page.
Construction Update: 11/5/2021
The roadway has been paved. Crews will continue working on installation of brick sidewalks and crosswalks for the next 2-3 weeks. Crews will then remain on the street to address any punch-list items. Thanks for your patience as we work to complete this project.
Update: Final Roadway Paving Postponed Due to Weather Conditions
The roadway paving operation scheduled for October 28th and 29th has been postponed due to weather conditions. The paving will now take place on Monday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 3rd. Please find updated work schedule below. Please note there will be no work on Tuesday November 2nd due to Election Day.
Wednesday 10/27: Milling roadway
Thursday 10/28: Curb work at Magazine and Landsdowne
Friday 10/29: Ramp work at Magazine and Landsdowne
Monday 11/1: Paving
Tuesday 11/2: No work - Election Day
Wednesday 11/3: Paving
Construction Notice: Final Roadway Prepping and Paving Scheduled to begin October 27th
The City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will be prepping and paving Franklin Street beginning on Wednesday, October 27th.
This roadway milling operation at each location is expected take one day followed by paving of the roadway on Thursday, October 28th and Friday, October 29th, weather permitting. If conditions are wet on the day of scheduled paving, work will be delayed until the next day. Please visit the project page for any updates regarding rescheduling: www.cambridgema.gov/franklinst
Vehicle access in and out of properties will be restricted during work hours while crews perform the paving. Please plan vehicle trips accordingly.
Any additional restoration items related to the project, including back of sidewalk work and pavement markings, will be completed by the contractor in the coming weeks before the end of construction.
What to Expect during Paving
• General work hours will be 7 AM to 4 PM.
• Vehicle access in and out of properties will be restricted. Please plan vehicle and parking trips accordingly.
• “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times.
• Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles and City services.
Information & Assistance:
Questions regarding this project? Contact Kristen Kelleher, Project Administrator - Community Relations, at 617-349-4825 / kkelleher@cambridgema.gov or Melissa Miguel, Supervising Engineer, at 617-349-9351 / mmiguel@cambridgema.gov. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
Construction Update, September 7, 2021: Odd-Side Sidewalk Reconstruction Continues Pearl to Brookline, Sidney to Landsdowne.
Crews will continue odd-side sidewalk and curb reconstruction from Pearl St. to Brookline St. and Sidney St. to Landsdowne St. The area around University Park Commons will be cleared and accessible to accommodate the Cambridge Carnival on 9/12.
Construction Notice: Franklin St. Reconstruction Project: Curb and sidewalk work beginning July 21st
As part of the ongoing street and sidewalk reconstruction work on Franklin St., the City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will mobilize on Wednesday, July 21st to begin curb and sidewalk work. Crews will begin at Pearl Street and work their way towards Brookline removing the sidewalks, removing and resetting curbing, and then installing new sidewalks.
This work is expected to take approximately 4 to 6 weeks to complete, weather permitting.
Final roadway paving will occur at the end of the Franklin Street project and will be announced via an additional notice in the coming months. Detours will be in place during work hours. Please look for Detour signs, Road Closed signs, and No Parking signs as they will be changing frequently during the work.
At the end of each day, the contractor will clean the work site to allow for motorists to utilize the roadway.
What to Expect During Construction:
• General work hours will be 7am – 4pm, Monday-Friday.
• Please check posted No Parking signs.
• Please follow pedestrian detour signs.
• Access to properties will be maintained, when possible.
• Access will be maintained for emergency vehicles and City services.
Information & Assistance:
Questions regarding this project? Contact Kristen Kelleher, Project Administrator - Community Relations, at 617-349-4825/ kkelleher@cambridgema.gov or Melissa Miguel, Supervising Engineer, at 617-349-9351/ mmiguel@cambridgema.gov. For more information about the project and to sign up for the project email list, visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/FranklinSt. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
June 2021
Week of June 1: crews mobilize, electrical utility work on Franklin between Brookline and Sidney.
Week of June 7: electrical utility work on Franklin between Sidney and Landsdowne.
Week of June 14: full depth roadway excavation of Franklin between Brookline and Sidney.
Week of June 21: full depth roadway excavation of Franklin between Sidney and Landsdowne.
May 2021
Week of 5/17: begin full depth road reconstruction on Franklin from Pearl to Brookline.
Week of 5/24: begin full depth road reconstruction on Franklin from River to Magazine.
Construction Notice: Franklin St. Reconstruction Project: Roadway reconstruction to begin the week of March 29th
As part of the Franklin Street Reconstruction Project, the City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will begin remobilizing on Franklin Street this week ahead of the continuation of utility work.
Newport has installed tree protection along the street and will be saw-cutting areas of the roadway, and delivering utility structures to the site this week.
In conjunction with the utility work, the City’s Contractor, Newport Construction., will begin to reconstruct the roadway on Franklin St. (between Pleasant St. and Landsdowne St.) beginning the week of March 29th. This work is anticipated to last for approximately five weeks, weather permitting.
To ensure that the roadway conditions will be favorable for many years to come, crews will engage in full-depth reconstruction. At the end of each day, the contractor will clean the work site to allow for motorists to utilize the roadway. We kindly ask that motorists drive through the construction zone slowly outside of general working hours.
Work will begin on Franklin St. from River St toward Magazine St. The contractor plans to complete 1-2 blocks of full-depth excavation, then perform base paving in that area before moving on to the next 1-2 block section. This pattern will continue down Franklin St.
Detours will be in place during work hours. Please look for Detour signs, Road Closed signs, and No Parking signs as they will be changing frequently during the work.
What to Expect During Construction:
•General work hours 7am-4pm, Monday through Friday.
•Please check posted No Parking signs.
•During this work, the roadway will be lower, making the curbs higher for parked cars. Please use caution when opening car doors as to not damage them on the curbs.
•Access will be maintained for abutters whenever possible.
•Access will be maintained for City services and emergency vehicles.
Final roadway paving will occur at the end of the Franklin Street project and will be announced via an additional notice in the coming months.
For Information and Assistance During Construction:
Questions regarding this project? Contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, at 617-349-4870/ kriley@cambridgema.gov or Melissa Miguel, Supervising Engineer, at 617-349-9351/ mmiguel@cambridgema.gov. For more information about the project and to sign up for the project email list, visit www.CambridgeMA.gov/FranklinSt. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this construction.
Franklin Street Reconstruction Project: Crews to re-mobilize the week of March 21st
Beginning in early Spring, the City's contractor, Newport Construction, will return to Franklin St. to install tree protection and continue drainage work. The contractor expects to begin roadway and sidewalk reconstruction work in May/June with an anticipated completion day in Fall 2021.
Crews to re-mobilize on Monday, December 7th to begin drainage work.
Beginning Monday, December 7th, the City's contractor, Newport Construction, will return to Franklin St. to continue to drainage work. This work will greatly improve drainage along the street. This work is expected to last through the winter and spring, weather permitting. The contractor expects to begin roadway and sidewalk reconstruction work in June/July with an anticipated completion day in fall 2021.
What to Expect During Construction:
- Work hours will be 7 AM to 4 PM, Monday-Friday.
- “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times.
- Vehicle access in and out of properties will be maintained, but may be restricted for short periods. If you need access and your driveway is blocked, please speak to a crew member on site and they will make accommodations for you.
- Emergency vehicles will have access at all times
Information and Assistance
For questions regarding this project, please contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, at 617-349-4800 / kriley@cambridgema.gov or Emily Paulsen, Engineer, at 857-233-8878 / epaulsen@cambridgema.gov. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
The following email was sent on May 28, 2020
Dear Neighbor,
On March 18th, Cambridge issued a Temporary Emergency Construction Moratorium to limit construction in the City to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Last week, the City issued an Amended Temporary Emergency Construction Order to allow construction to restart in a phased approach in the coming weeks.
What does this mean for construction in my neighborhood?
Beginning this week, you may start to see some construction activity related to site safety preparations, including installation of hand wash stations and other site modifications related to COVID-19 safety precautions. Beginning June 1st, you may start to see increased activity on your street related to the re-starting of construction. We will be in touch via additional notices with a schedule and information specific to the project on your street.
Residents should be aware that No Parking signs will start to appear in relation to construction activity. Contractors will make every effort to provide 48-hours’ notice, but please check the street frequently.
Help Us Spread the Word!
We will not be distributing paper notices to each location at this time. Please encourage your neighbors to sign up to receive email notifications about projects around the City at cambridgema.gov/subscribe.
COVID-19 Control Plan for Construction:
In addition to the stringent safety guidelines required by the State, all contractors will need to submit to the Inspectional Services Department or Department of Public Works, as appropriate, a COVID-19 Control Plan for Cambridge on permitted projects. This plan will require:
- A cleaning and decontamination checklist; The number of workers expected on the job site; and
- No non-essential personnel may be present at the worksite.
- Additionally, contractors will be encouraged, and in some cases required, to conduct a site-specific risk analysis and enhanced COVID-19 safety plan for more complex projects.
As previously announced on May 18, the City of Cambridge will expand currently allowed construction activity in the City in four phases:
- Phase 1, beginning May 25, will add site safety prep work for projects previously permitted by Inspectional Services (ISD) and Public Works (DPW). Forthcoming amendments to the City’s Temporary Emergency Construction Order issued on March 18 will modify the definition of essential construction to include work associated with COVID-19 restaurant modification needed to allow them to safely reopen;
- Phase 2, beginning on June 1, will add horizontal construction, city building projects, 100% affordable housing developments, larger buildings (over 25,000 square feet) previously permitted by ISD or DPW;
- Phase 3, tentatively beginning on June 15, will add all remaining existing construction previously permitted by ISD and DPW; and
- Phase 4, tentatively beginning on June 29, will add new permits. Permits can be submitted, and pre-reviews will occur at any time, but permits will not be formally accepted or issued until this date.
For additional details on the Amended Temporary Emergency Construction Order, please click here.
Construction Notice: Franklin St. Reconstruction Project- Drainage work to begin week of February 3rd
As part of the Franklin St. Reconstruction Project, the City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will begin mobilizing on Franklin St. this week ahead of the start of drainage work.
Newport has installed tree protection along the street and will be performing survey and layout work, saw-cutting areas of the roadway, and delivering drainage structures to the site this week.
On or about Monday, February 3rd, weather permitting, Newport will begin the installation of several catch basins along the curb line to improve drainage along Franklin St.
The Franklin St. Reconstruction Project is part of the City’s 5-Year Plan for Street and Sidewalks and will include paving, sidewalk work, and pedestrian ramp installations.
What to Expect During Construction:
- Work hours will be 7 AM to 4 PM, Monday-Friday.
- “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times.
- Vehicle access in and out of properties will be maintained but may be restricted for short periods. If you need access and your driveway is blocked, please speak to a crew member on site and they will make accommodations for you.
- Emergency vehicles will have access at all times.
Information & Assistance:
Questions regarding this project? Contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, at 617-349-4870/ kriley@cambridgema.gov or Melissa Miguel, Supervising Engineer, at 617-349-9351 / mmiguel@cambridgema.gov. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
Notice: Chapter 90 Contract 23B Reconstruction Project - Franklin Street (Pleasant St to Landsdowne St), Sixth Street (Cambridge St to Bent St), St. Mary Road (Inman Street to Prospect Street) Work beginning over the next month
As part of the Chapter 90 Contract 23B Reconstruction Project, the City’s contractor, Newport Construction, will begin mobilizing in the coming days.
Newport will begin installing tree protection along the street, performing survey and layout work, saw-cutting areas of the roadway and delivering drainage structures. They will also begin digging small test pits to evaluate subsurface conditions. DigSafe markings will also begin appearing on the sidewalk and roadways.
This project is part of the City’s 5-Year Plan for Street and Sidewalks and includes paving, sidewalk improvements and utility installation. The contract is valid through May 2021 for all three streets and while work is scheduled to begin on Sixth St., work on the other streets may take place concurrently. Residents may experience periods of time where the contractor will move crews to another street in the contract before returning to complete the work due to the use of specialty crews to perform different aspects of the project.
What to Expect During Construction:
- Work hours will be 7 AM to 4 PM, Monday-Friday.
- “No Parking” signs will be posted; please be sure to check dates/times.
- Vehicle access in and out of properties will be maintained but may be restricted for short periods. If you need access and your driveway is blocked, please speak to a crew member on site and they will make accommodations for you.
- Emergency vehicles and City service vehicles will have access at all times.
The addition of street trees is also part of this project and planting will take place at the end of the project during either the fall or spring planting season.
Residents should also be aware of the following:
- Back of Sidewalk Tree Planting Program: The term “Back of Sidewalk" refers to the edge of the sidewalk where public way meets private properties. In the case of this program, the City will plant trees along the back of sidewalk, (up to 20 feet off the public way) on private property of interested, eligible owners.
- Sidewalk material options: It is the City’s policy to replace existing sidewalks with the same material (concrete with concrete, brick with wire cut brick). However, during this project, property owners will have the option of changing their sidewalk material for a fee if they choose. More information is available in the "Documents" section of this project page.
Information & Assistance:
Questions regarding this project? Contact Kate Riley, Community Relations Manager, at 617.349.4870/ kriley@cambridgema.gov or Emily Paulsen, Engineer, at 857-233-8878 / epaulsen@cambridgema.gov. If you have any special need or disability, please contact us to arrange for special accommodations that may be necessary.
Construction Update: Recommendation to Award Contract
A recommendation will be made this week to award the contract to begin construction on Franklin St. This street is part of a larger package, including Sixth St., St. Mary Rd. and Franklin St. and an overall schedule will be determined once the contractor is on-board.
NOTICE: Boring and Pavement Core Samples on Your Street - 5/2
As part of the design process for roadway reconstruction of your street, the City's consultant, through Carr-Dee Corporation, will begin subsurface investigations. The purposes of these investigations is to obtain existing pavement, soil and groundwater conditions. The results will assist in determining the type of roadway reconstruction that will take place on your street.
Boring locations have been selected in areas that will give the best representation of roadway conditions while minimizing traffic and parking disruptions. However, "No Parking" areas will still be designated and a detail officer has been requested to be on-sight to help direct vehicle and pedestrian traffic. "No Parking" signs will be posted 48 hours in advance.
The impacted streets are:
-
Highland St.
- Brewster St.
- Riedesel Ave.
- Huron Ave.
- St. Mary Rd.
- Franklin St.
- Sixth St.
In addition to these test sites, you may start to see utilities markings in the road and on the sidewalk. This is all part of the design phase. You will be notified in advance of any street and sidewalk construction as the project progresses.
Thank you for your patience as we work to improve your street.
Community Meeting on April 10th
Franklin Street, between Pleasant Street and Landsdowne Street, is scheduled for street and sidewalk reconstruction in 2018.
On Tuesday, April 10, from 6:00-7:30 pm, the Community Development Department and the Department of Public Works will be hosting a community meeting in the Community Room of the Alice K. Wolf Center located 5 Western Ave.
The focus of this meeting will be to hear neighbors’ concerns and review preliminary design options for the street. We encourage you to attend, as we value the feedback we receive from Cambridge residents and businesses.
Information and Assistance:
The City of Cambridge does not discriminate on the basis of disability. The City of Cambridge will provide auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative format, and reasonable modifications in policies upon request. To receive future updates via email, please contact Dan Riviello, Community Relations Manager, at driviello@cambridgema.gov / 617.349.4825.
February 2018:
Community Meeting on October 10th
Franklin Street, between Pleasant Street and Landsdowne Street, is scheduled for street and sidewalk reconstruction in 2018.
City staff would like to work with residents to discuss possible physical changes to the road that could be incorporated into this project to slow vehicles and increase pedestrian safety.
On Tuesday, October 10 from 6:00-7:30 pm, the Community Development Department and the Department of Public Works will be hosting a community meeting in the Alice K. Wolf Center’s conference room located at 5 Western Avenue.
The focus of this meeting will be to hear neighbors’ concerns and provide information about options for the street. We encourage you to attend, as we value the feedback we receive from Cambridge residents and businesses.
Information and Assistance
The City of Cambridge does not discriminate on the basis of disability. The City of Cambridge will provide auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative format, and reasonable modifications in policies upon request. For more information, please contact Juan P. Avendano, Community Development Project Manager, at 617. 349.4655 / javendano@cambridgema.gov. To receive future updates via email, please contact Dan Riviello, Community Relations Manager, at driviello@cambridgema.gov / 617.349.4825.
Franklin Street (Pleasant St to Landsdowne St), Sixth
Street (Cambridge St to Bent St), St. Mary Road (Inman Street to Prospect
Street)
Work beginning over the next month