Community Corner

No Kidding: Trapelo/Belmont Corridor Reconstruction Begins Next Month

Largest roadwork project in recent memory to begin officially next month.

It's been a decade in the works but the state-financed reconstruction of Belmont Street and Trapelo Road from Cambridge to Waltham should see the official groundbreaking "probably in October," according to the State Sen. Will Brownsberger.

The $17.2 million Belmont-Trapelo Corridor project – which will also provide new traffic signals, sidewalks, landscaping and streetscape items – is the culmination of 10 years of work by residents, town officials (led by Town Engineer Glenn Clancy) and the state to plan and then obtain funding for the project, which will be one of the largest roadwork projects in the town's recent history.

The construction will take more than a year to complete.

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The extensive work – the roadway will be stripped and resurfaced that will also provide bicycle accommodation – was pushed back about six months after the state's Department of Transportation rebid its original request for proposal it released last August when it was discovered the overhead electrical wires that power the MBTA's Route 73 trackless trolley line would need to be relocated. 

According to Brownsberger, the first step of the project is removal of the overhead bus trolley wires to allow safe construction using large construction equipment. To allow this, the MBTA will be running diesel buses along one of its busiest routes. 

Find out what's happening in Belmontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"My understanding is that the cutover to diesel should be happening this weekend (Labor Day). That will be a true indicator that the project is under way. The diesel usage will be temporary and the trolleys will return when the project is .. complete[d]," said Brownsberger in a notice sent to Belmont Patch.


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