On August 1, Director of Transportation Planning Jenn Martin and Director of Planning and Development Barney Heath sent an update to the Newton City Council regarding the recently launched Washington Street Pilot project. Construction began in the spring and is expected to be completed in the fall.
The project, which runs from Chestnut Street in West Newton to Lowell Avenue in Newtonville, is slated to make major changes. When construction is finished, Washington Street — which previously had two lanes of traffic in each direction — will have only one travel lane per direction, with turn lanes, in-lane bus stops, a two-way shared-use path, and on-street parking.
Update from Martin and Heath
The Planning Department’s update outlined the project’s August construction schedule, addressed concerns, and presented new design refinements, among other things.
This month, Martin and Health said, the City will install:
- Raised bus boarding platforms;
- Painted crossworks to connect the north side to the parking, shared-use path, and accessible bus stops on the south side;
- Pedestrian refuge islands at each crosswalk,
- Vertical flexposts to better delineate the shared-use path;
- Additional signage; and
- Pavement marking and design refinements.
Those design refinements were made with input from residents and City Councilors in mind, Martin and Heath said. They include:
- Eastbound lane guidance at Lowell Street. Dashed lane lines will be added through the intersection to help drivers better align with the receiving lane.
- Parking space removal. One parking space in close proximity to Lowell Avenue will be removed in order to improve turn radius and visibility for drivers.
- Emergency response coordination. Some pavement markings will be adjusted in order to facilitate the operation of emergency vehicles.
Martin and Heath also addressed concerns regarding the project’s implications for Trader Joe’s customers. Once construction began, Martin and Heath said, some drivers found it challenging to exit the store’s parking lot, as interim parking regulations — which allowed vehicles to park in front of the store — had resulted in decreased visibility.
Now, they said, that space will be designated for MBTA pick-up and drop-off as planned. Additionally, one parking space to the east of the driveway will be removed. These changes, they said, will improve drivers’ visibility.
Finally, Martin and Heath addressed concerns about the intersection at Lowell and Washington Streets. Local officials, they said, had reported hearing from residents that turning left onto Lowell Avenue from Washington Street was challenging. Martin and Heath said that a new traffic signal would be installed at Lowell Avenue to address this concern, with a left-turn signal phase and, on the westbound side, a dedicated left-turn lane.
Mixed reviews
Since construction began, reactions to the project’s implementation have been mixed. Newton residents have posted comments expressing a range of opinions on online platforms.
Some, like City Councilor Tarik Lucas (Ward 2), are concerned about safety. On July 14, Councilor Lucas sent a memo to Heath and Commissioner of Public Works Shawna Sullivan, expressing concerns over the width of new parallel parking stalls.
City regulations, he wrote, require that parking stalls be at least nine feet in width. Councilor Lucas attached photos demonstrating that parking stalls on the north side of Washington Street measure approximately 6 feet 10 inches in width and that parking stalls on the south side of Washington Street in Newtonville measure approximately 6 feet 7 inches in width.
Councilor Lucas wrote that his findings were indicative of a “serious public safety issue.” His memo said in part, “The city should follow its own regulations at all times. It ensures the residents that we are not cutting corners to get desired outcomes. The parking stalls located within the Washington Street Pilot need to be adjusted to a minimum of 9 feet in width to ensure we are doing everything to protect motorists who travel on the road.”
In the August 1 update, Martin and Heath said that “some have asked about the parallel parking operations along the corridor” and that “parallel parking on the corridor follows typical on-street parking design.” They also noted that prior to the Pilot, “parallel parking was available on both sides of the corridor adjacent to two lanes of faster traffic.” The update included more detailed instructions for parallel parking and expectations for drivers.
City Councilor Julia Malakie (Ward 3) said that while Councilors have heard many different perspectives on the Pilot, it is important to observe traffic patterns over time before coming to a judgement.
“We’ve been getting a lot of emails, pro and con, but I think it’s way too early to say either ‘it’s great’ or ‘it’s going to be a failure,” she said. “I think we need to see what happens in a more normal traffic situation, when work is done and we’re back to normal with traffic volumes and school in session …We need more of a steady-state situation to judge whether or not we like it.”
In an August 5, 2025, newsletter, President and CEO of the Charles River Chamber of Commerce Greg Reibman voiced a similar perspective.
“My advice: Give it time. I can’t tell you how many emails we received last year about the changes at the Circle of Death in Newton Corner. Now most concede that it’s safer for drivers and pedestrians,” the newsletter said in part. “As for Washington Street, no permanent changes have been made. They’re making adjustments along the way. Yes, there are things that seem boneheaded. That’s the whole idea behind a Pilot.”
Visual history
These images provide a brief visual history of the Washington Street Pilot from one vantage point — on Washington Street looking east toward Armory Street:
Google StreetView, 2022: Two travel lanes in each direction
Planners’ concept rendering: Single travel lane in each direction provides room for shared-use path on the south side and dedicated lanes for left turns.
Current view: Pilot under construction in August, 2025 — to be completed in the fall.
Theo Younkin is this summer’s Fig City News managing student intern, a rising senior at Newton South High School, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the NSHS Lion’s Roar.
