Councilor Scott brought forward an order asking the directors of mobility and engineering to prepare a change order reverting the western Washington Street bike‑lane entrance to the original 100% design plans. Longstanding neighborhood advocates and parents described difficulty and safety concerns entering the new cycle track near Union Square and the Argenta/Argentina School route.

Ty Pearson said he bikes that way twice a day and runs a regular “bike bus” with children. “This entrance is really, really dangerous,” Pearson said. “If I'm doing this with a bike trailer and I want to do it legally, I've got to go when the light is green. I've got to merge with cars because there's no space for me and my bike trailer and the car.” Roberto Fisher said the turn is sharp, collects water and debris, and feels uncomfortable and unsafe enough that many cyclists bypass the lane. Both residents urged an urgent work order to correct the entrance and raised longer‑term concerns about inconsistent design standards across projects.

Director Brian Postelwaite (engineering) and Director Rawson (mobility) responded that the Western Washington project was delivered as an annual streets‑rehab project rather than a capital design‑bid‑build job; that process meant schematic plans went to bidders and final design evolved during construction. Postelwaite said staff reduced the curb radius in the field — from an earlier large radius in the preliminary design to a tighter urban intersection radius roughly in the 20‑foot range — to slow vehicle turns and shorten pedestrian crossing distances. Those trade‑offs, he said, may have created the current awkward merge condition for cyclists.

Postelwaite noted the project was not yet complete: final striping has not been painted and the current flexible posts are interim. Mobility staff said the striping and the planned replacement of temporary flex posts with more robust precast curb separators elsewhere on the corridor are intended to provide clearer travel paths and physical separation. Director Ross described a 5‑foot clear‑space standard used by DPW for plow clearance and said staff will build test fits that account for front‑loaded cargo bikes and trailers.

Staff told the committee they will undertake a post‑construction evaluation that includes on‑site observations, utilization counts and engineering judgment to assess safety once the final striping and separation elements are in place. Postelwaite said Somerville has altered projects after completion before when safety evidence justified reconstruction; he said if post‑construction observation finds a “drastic safety issue” staff will mobilize resources to fix the location, even if that requires returning to construction outside the original contract period.

Councilors emphasized listening to lived experience: Councilor Scott urged counting how many cyclists bypass the entrance as a utilization metric; Councilor Wilson recommended using NACTO design guidance and small waiting islands as possible design elements. Residents and councilors were skeptical that paint alone will resolve the problem; residents said they do not plan to use the entrance as currently configured. The committee directed staff to study the completed condition, gather observational data, and return with recommendations. No change order or reconstruction was authorized at the meeting.