Officials say MassDOT bridge work is altering signal timing near Sullivan Square; city will request review

The Somerville City Council Traffic and Parking Committee was briefed on increased congestion and altered signal timing affecting Lombardi Street, Mystic Avenue and Grand Union Boulevard during ongoing bridge reconstruction managed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Director Rawson said the Mystic Avenue–Mothell Way bridge reconstruction project has required staged construction and temporary lane reassignments; MassDOT has modified signal timing to handle changing construction phases. City staff are coordinating with MassDOT, the City of Boston and the MBTA and will ask MassDOT’s project team to review signal timing to address local congestion and safety concerns.

Councilor Wilson and other members described recurring pinch points where drivers exiting the southbound I‑93 ramp seek immediate left turns onto Broadway and create backups. Rawson said those ramp flows are “an endless supply” compared with other metered approaches and acknowledged the complexity of interconnected signals; he said immediate changes may be limited during active construction but promised to relay the committee’s concerns to MassDOT for further review.

Rawson said the contractor’s substantial completion target for the bridge work is the end of the construction season; punch‑list work could extend beyond that date. The committee marked the item complete and directed staff to follow up with MassDOT.