Templeton Parkway Will Remain a Two-Way Street

Templeton Parkway will remain a two-way street and the intersection with Belmont Street, which also includes Arlington Street, will remained unchanged in Belmont Street/Trapelo Road reconstruction project.

While Watertown residents told state and Belmont officials they do not want their streets altered, bicycle advocates approved of the changes to Belmont Street at a meeting Tuesday night at Town Hall.

With the opposition to altering Templeton Parkway, Belmont’s Director of Community Development Glen Clancy said that part would be left out.

“We are not going to force something that people don’t want,” Clancy said.

Harry Palmer, a Templeton Parkway resident who heard about the proposal, was glad to hear the proposal was dead.

“I hope Mr. Clancy wouldn’t give assurances if he didn’t get the go ahead from the (Mass Department of Transportation),” Palmer said.

Belmont and MassDOT officials presented details of the $14.6 million project, which fixes the roadway and adds bicycle lanes and turning lanes. The project runs from Trapelo Road at the Waltham line to where Trapelo meets Belmont Street, and continues on Belmont to the Cambridge border.

The project has been in the works since 2005, and the last public meeting was in 2008. While changes included making Templeton Parkway one way and taking of land at Arlington Street and other areas, Watertown residents were never informed of the plans.

Project engineer Peter Briere of BSC Group said the idea about making Templeton Parkway one-way was part of improving the intersection of Arlington Street and Grove Street at Belmont Street.

Changes to Arlington Street Will Not Go Ahead

Another plan was to add a left turn lane on both Arlington and Grove streets. That would require taking land from the owners of two homes on Arlington closes to Belmont Street.

The owners objected, because they would no longer be able to fit their cars into their garages.

“I am dead against giving up any space because I don’t have it,” said Peter Cruza, who lives two houses from Belmont Street. “I wish I could help you. If I had more land I would.”

Without the turn lanes and the change to Templeton Parkway, Briere said the situation would basically remain the same as it is now.

Improvements for Bicyclists

Maria Saiz, a member of the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, said she likes the changes she saw for Belmont Street, with bike lanes along both sides of the street the entire length of the project.

“I was at the meeting in 2008, and this is much better than that plan,” Saiz said. “It had bike lanes at some points, then none in others.”

She also liked the “bump outs” at the crosswalks, so pedestrians do not have as far to go to get to the opposite sidewalk.

“The pedestrian crossings are much safer,” Saiz said. “Today it is a harrowing experience.”