Politics & Government

See Some Changes That Could be Coming to a Major Watertown Road

Greenough Boulevard could be narrowed to allow a new path along the river.

State officials want to reduce the width of Greenough Boulevard to allow for a new path to replace the one along the Charles River. 

Greenough Boulevard was built in 1965 with four lanes, but the Department of Conservation and Recreation report said the parkway does not have the traffic to warrant four lanes.

"This broad roadway invites excessive speeds, is a threat to pedestrians and cyclists who try to use it, and crowds the riverbank causing erosion and runoff into the river," according to the DCR report.

The reduced width would allow for a new path to be built to replace the degraded path currently along the mile-long stretch of the river, according to the DCR. The roadway would be narrowed by about 30 feet, and the rusting guardrail would be removed. The new path would be setback farther from the river.

Preliminary cost estimates are in the $800,000 to $1.3 million, depending on the extent of the work, according to the DCR.

DCR officials will present the plans to the Town Council Tuesday night. The meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. Residents will not be able to comment at the meeting, but a neighborhood meeting where input will be welcome will be scheduled in the near future.


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