Description
Pleasant Street from Watertown Square straight out to where it changes over to River Street is an absolute disgrace. driving down the street turns into an obstacle course, some places are impossible to avoid.
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Pleasant Street from Watertown Square straight out to where it changes over to River Street is an absolute disgrace. driving down the street turns into an obstacle course, some places are impossible to avoid.
100 Comments
Keith (Guest)
CT Livable Streets Campaign (Registered User)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Keith (Guest)
one thing I had talked to the police about was the excessive speeds that some people use on the pleasant street now that it won't kill their cars. it is good to see that speed humps are being considered.
Jennifer McFadden (Registered User)
Great example of how SeeClickFix can be used to create community conversations. Thanks for the informed discussion!
Best,
Jennifer
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Anonymous (Guest)
Roland Adams (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Roland Adams (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Roland Adams (Guest)
T W (Guest)
I would like to know the GC from Walpole they used.
Live in west of 128 and would like a bid from them on some work I have.
Thanks
Matthew (Guest)
NEUCO- Gas
Feeny Brothers Excavation- Gas
Duramax Construction- Drainage
Priora Construction- Drainage
Dagle Electric- Traffic Signals
Rotondi & Sons- Conduit
The Main Contractor Newport Construction Corporation can do Pipe, Excavation, Retaining Walls, Asphalt Paving, Grading, Sidewalks, Granite Curbing, and Bridge Construction.
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
Keith (Guest)
I was wondering what was going on with that factory. its a real eye sore.
and no surprise on the flooding...I was actually anticipating it to be overflowing this morning.
Matthew, thanks again for all of the updates.
Roland Adams (Guest)
"...Demolition of the Old Abandoned Hartz Mason Buildings."
Building demo? Is there a set date for this?
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
Caution: in 2 Weeks Preperation for Final Paving will Begin. The Week of May 17th Crews will Begin Cold Planning From the Stop & Shop to the Waltham City Line. Crews will Also Begin to Raise Manholes & Catch Basins from the Waltham City Line to Bridge Street. Sidewalk Construction and Telephone Pole Relocation at Various Locations is Ongoing & will continue for the Next Month. Retaining Wall Construction from Myrtle Street to Conant Road will Begin Tuesday May 11th.
The Current Project Completion Date is Expected to be July 6th 2010. This is 13 Months Ahead of Schedule.
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
This is Still Ahead of the Contract Schedule of August 2011.
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
matthew (Guest)
Bumpy Road (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
roland (Guest)
Matthew thanks for your continued updates. I know the work is going slower than expected because of the hold up with the utility poles, but there's still no indication (like a sign, a flashing light, anything like that) that there is a crosswalk from the river path to Howard St. going east on Pleasant St. It can be difficult and dangerous to cross here. I know they aren't going to paint better crosswalk lines before paving, but do you know if there will be a better eastbound warning for the crosswalk to Howard St.?
Thanks,
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
roland (Registered User)
Matthew, it doesn't appear that a picture was posted, but there is definitely no indication that there is a crosswalk at Howard going eastbound. There is an old inoperative crosswalk flasher near the gray house, but that crosswalk is gone. Here is a google link: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=59+Lexington+St,+Watertown,+Middlesex,+Massachusetts+02472&ll=42.368205,-71.196725&spn=0.001245,0.002014&z=19&layer=c&cbll=42.368217,-71.196849&panoid=0UrIYKpzds_5BIcVxyC1nw&cbp=12,68.37,,0,10.1
Really, the problem is with the drivers. I walk along to river fairly often and I will watch a dozen or so people drive by towards Watertown Sq., when it is clear I am trying to cross the street... I suppose they think I am just jaywalking. Besides the fact that people tend to speed on this road and its a blind turn coming from the other direction, it really seems like a good idea to make the crosswalk more obvious. I will take it up in a separate entry here, and I guess move on to the town council, but thanks for your help and updates on the original topic.
Matthew (Guest)
Keith (Guest)
rofl (Guest)
run me down (Guest)
Who is responsible for #1 fixing the crosswalks and #2putting traffic lights or signs where there should be one ?
There is no cross walk at two spots where the reservation meets pleasant and everyone crosses. The one that that put with the flashing light is in the middle of nowhere.
There should be a light at pleasant and howard, or tear down the Newton Roofing building. You can not see to the right without coming half way into the oncoming traffic, which is coming at you at 40 mph.
I see an accident waiting to happen at both of these spots.
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
keith (Guest)
while i agree with the comment about excessive speeds, i also would like to know why the project is being run the way it is.
why are manholes being raised and then not being touched for weeks? there is no police to direct traffic, just a cone (if you're lucky, sometimes there are no cones, which makes the road quite an obstacle course). Pleasant street is a main artery for many drivers trying to get to and from Watertown Square. the fact that drivers have to dodge manholes, cones, and other drivers without any direction and sometimes no notification is extremely frustrating.
I mentioned this before, but the manholes were raised from Bridge Street to the Waltham line from early July until just a couple weeks ago. unacceptable. i'm paying taxes to have a road be half finished for the better part of a year. (this is not to mention the day that they closed bridge street during rush hour after it had been opened all day, only to not even pave the road.)
i don't understand why manholes cannot be raised the same day, or even just 1 day prior to paving being completed. I've never seen anything like this before. The manholes in the vicinity of my house have been raised for at least a week.
Also, the sidewalk in front of my house and driveway was recently dug up. i was given no notice of this happening, other than the 10 minutes from when the worker knocked on my door and told me i had to get my car out of the driveway. My neighbors upstairs had already left for work, and one of their cars was stuck in the driveway for the next 3 days.
I was unable to park in my driveway starting on Thursday, November 10th. But they didn't pour the cement until Friday. then the cement dried and the tape was taken down on Sunday. however, i still can't get into my driveway because they haven't filled in the gaps from the road and where they ripped up the driveway, (which they said would be done yesterday, Monday Nov. 14th).
I've called Watertown Public Works who have been quite sympathetic, as this is a state run project that they are frustrated with as well. Calls to MassDOT have not been returned. I'm not sure where the blame falls (contractor, or State) but whoever is in charge really is clueless. I was told by public works that the paving will be completed on this Saturday, but i seriously have my doubts as no additional paving was done yesterday and there were no workers on the road this morning when i drove in.
Roland (Guest)
Responding because I appreciate Matthew's updates on the project, I also have to add, your updates are the best part of this sprawling, epic construction... really the only communication I've found. I can't excuse aggressive driving near construction but on the flip side, this is a 10 year long project with this phase going on for half a year, with random cones going up and moving around, makeshift signs being propped up, and finally a rush to get it done before winter. Although it was altogether a much simpler project across the river, California street was milled and repaved in about a week. As Keith notes, the Pleasant St. project does not appear to be well coordinated or communicated, and if it was more coordinated the driving behavior would probably be better. After 10 years of this, people just want to get through it.
As much as I appreciate the updates on seeclickfix, I wish there was some central point of communication for this project, at least the official plan. And though I'll probably never get to hear it but I'm sure I'd enjoy the behind the scenes look at how many things got in the way of the final pave. And believe, me, since I cross that road pretty much every day at Howard St., I'm very aware of the aggressive driving, and I'm hoping that the final design will make it difficult to speed around the corners. It's dangerous for everyone.
Thanks,
Roland
Dan (Guest)
Agree with Roland and Keith. This is a very poorly run project. No communication or even following the deadlines that they set. They park anywhere, almost ran into one of their trailers, parked on Howard, within 5 feet of Pleasant. The road is an obstacle course now,putting the cones around the raised manholes turned the road into a one lane road in several spots. Traffic backs up from the square to Howard a couple of days due to the cones. The employees are idiots, they step out of their trucks and just walk across the road with no regard for traffic.
Belmont has done Concord road in a matter of a couple of weeks and this should have been done
by now.
How come no stop light was put at the Howard and Pleasant intersection ? Newton Roof blocks all visiblity to the right.
What a nightmare..
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Final Construction Update:
Crews will be raising structures along Pleasant Street from Watertown Square To Howard Street until Thursday and also along Howard Street until Friday. Crews will also be removing asphalt driveway ramps that will make some driveway entrances hard to enter.
ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 18TH WEATHER PERMITTING crews will be paving Pleasant Street from Cross Street To Howard Street. Work is expected to be between 6AM-6PM. Pleasant Street will be CLOSED TO ALL THROUGH TRAFFIC. The following side roads will be closed during this process.... Conant Road, Green Street, Myrtle Street, Bacon Street & Howard Street. Residents are advised that access to driveways may be blocked for a short time to allow pavement to cool.
keith (Guest)
while this project has become increasingly frustrating as of late, i do appreciate your updates on this message board. this is truly the only information i receive.
but to correct you, I was rushed out of my driveway the morning of Wednesday, November 9th because they began cutting up the sidewalk, when i asked how I was going to access my driveway that afternoon, i was told they would fill it in with gravel...which they did. I then asked when they would replace the sidewalk, and was told Friday. Then the following MORNING, Thursday, Nov 10th, i was once again pushed out of my driveway with 10 minutes notice, so they could frame and grade the sidewalk. that was a whole extra day added to this, as i'm sure it doesn't take an entire day to frame about 10 feet of sidewalk. cement was poured on Friday...but no effort to fill in the large gaps was made until yesterday, the 15th. thats 5 days that should have taken 2 by my estimation. the length of the project didn't bother me nearly as much as the lack of notification. if cars are going to be trapped in a driveway for that amount of time, 10 minutes is clearly not enough time for a heads up, especially at 7:45 in the morning when a lot of people have already left for work for the day.
as for the paving, i'm still in the dark as to why the manholes have to be raised and left for weeks. is this on Verizon? Bridge Street still is not paved all the way across either.
the new developments are a nightmare, that i certainly agree with you on. the sidewalk in front of the Tocci construction site looks like it will be out of commission until that project is completed. Driving by the other construction site next to the River Loft apartments, it looks as though the newly paved road was recently marked up by some utility company, does this mean they are going to cut up that road again? unbelievable.
keith (Guest)
Dan (Guest)
this is the worst managed construction project that I've seen. no coordination, no consideration to the people who live here and pay their salaries. sidewalk in front of our place is ripped up for two weeks and the street light is still out after two+ years.
So Thursday and Friday, Watertown's finest will direct all traffic ( n between coffee and cell calls) down route 20 and into the square for one massive traffic jam.
agree with Keith, I see markings in front of both construction sites on pleasant, as soon as it's paved, they will rip it up. our tax dollars are work..
Dan (Guest)
Matthew, I am one for the few that follow the speed limit in this area.There is no excuse for dropping a trailer 4 feet from an intersection and putting cones on one side forcing everyone into one lane or stepping out of the vehicle without looking at the traffic, same street, Pleasant and Howard.
If the same contractor did the work in Belmont, then we should have expected the same experience in watertown. Not seeing that. whatever.
I know that you get the crap from all of us. ;-) It's almost over.. :)
Roland (Guest)
Thanks Matthew, I stand corrected on the time frame (why did I think it was 10 years? I guess the project was green lighted that long ago, even if construction didn't start until 2008.) But without blaming anyone, it's probably reasonable to say the project isn't well coordinated if it involves this many disinterested parties - verizon, developers, etc.) And I don't want to blame you for bad communication, while you're up here communicating. I do wish there was a way to look up the project status day to day without it falling on a volunteer, that's all. I'm sure we'll get a nice Pleasant St. in a matter of weeks, until the developments wear it down again next year.
My pet peeve is with the lack of signals or signs at Howard St. intersection, and everyone agrees with me on that, so my effort will go there. I mean, there's not even a stop sign at the end of Howard St, much less a visible crosswalk.
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Dan (Guest)
Kathy (Guest)
This is ridiculous! Since when is it Okay to mandate the residents may/may not be able to drive out of their OWN direway in a 13 hour period?
We pay our taxes by WORKING....which means we have to go to work....on time....not when it's convenient for the paving crews/DOT.
Matthew (Guest)
keith (Guest)
i was wondering where we could park though. i know that the road needs to be paved into the intersection at myrtle and green, but if i can park further down, shouldn't be a problem...as long as i can cross the street.
Matthew (Guest)
Dan (Guest)
keith (Guest)
good thing i made sure to park down around the corner last night.
what happened? was it too cold again? that happens sometimes when its NOVEMBER!
i'll temper my expectations for this getting done tomorrow.
Dan (Guest)
keith (Guest)
keith (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Roland (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Dan (Guest)
Thanks for your info. What happened on Saturday ? They got a late start due to the cold, started at Cross Street, only got as far as the entrance to the reservation. They told my neighbor that they would be at our building in 30 minutes, this was around 2:00PM. They never made it. Monday is supposed to be colder than Saturday. At this pace, they will be lucky to finish this week. Going to be a cold week.
Matthew (Guest)
keith (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
Matthew (Guest)
keith (Guest)
it seems like this is finally over...aside from part of my driveway being torn up and not replaced, and the painting of lines.
it looks like they still need to replace at least one piece of sidewalk down the street from me, not sure if there are others. are the traffic signals going to be functional soon?
unless there is anything else, from Matthew, i'll probably close this issue out.
thanks again for the updates.
Matthew (Guest)
Closed keith (Guest)