SOMERVILLE – In an effort to increase safety in one of Somerville’s busiest areas, new street signs are up and five spaces across Davis Square are now designated as passenger drop-off and pickup only zones. The pickup and drop-off zones are open to all users including the public, taxis, and rideshare services. Parking and idling more than five minutes in the designated zones are prohibited. The spaces are located at:

SOMERVILLE – The Cities of Cambridge and Somerville announced today that international health technology leader Philips will move its North American headquarters to Cambridge Crossing in 2020.

https://www.somervillema.gov/assessing

SOMERVILLE – Site preparation is underway for construction on the new Somerville High School project, which has resulted in a reduction in parking on the Central Hill Campus (which includes City Hall, Somerville High School, and the Somerville Public Library) and the need for increased staff parking the surrounding public streets. The City is seeking residents impacted by the changes in parking to serve on the Central Hill Campus Parking Working Group. 

SOMERVILLE – The City of Somerville along with the cities of Lawrence, Lynn, Medford, New Bedford, and Northampton filed an amicus brief Monday, January 22, in support of allowing the proposed “Fair Share Amendment” to appear on the 2018 ballot. Also referred to as the “millionaire tax,” the proposed amendment to the State Constitution would add a 4 percent surtax on income over $1 million. Funding from the surtax would be slated for transportation and education.

With site preparation for construction on the new Somerville High School building project underway, gradual changes to parking options on the Central Hill Campus (which includes City Hall, Somerville High School, and the Somerville Public Library) and the surrounding public streets have begun.

All interested residents are invited to attend public quarterly meetings where City staff will provide updates about parking changes, new data collection, and strategies for impact mitigation. 

Over the next few weeks, Somerville residents will be receiving the 2018 Annual City Census in the mail and we urge everyone to fill out and return theirs. High census participation provides an accurate population count and helps the City plan municipal services and adapt as the population changes. The Elections Department also uses the census to help keep voting rolls up to date.

Please join the Somerville Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development, Ward 2 Alderman JT Scott, and Alderman at Large Stephanie Hirsch for a community meeting on Monday, February 12, to discuss upcoming renovations to the Allen Street Playground. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 – 8 p.m. in the Community Room at the Public Safety Building at 220 Washington St.

The City of Somerville’s HeatSmart CoolSmart program ends soon, and residents and can sign up through February 15, 2018 for the program which could reduce utility bills and increase a building’s efficiency. This limited time program aims to increase awareness and educate residents about air source heat pumps, while encouraging adoption among Somerville property owners. Thursday, February 15 is the deadline to sign a contract to install the system at a later date.

SOMERVILLE- The Metro-Boston public bike share system, Hubway, is now available at a significant discount to income-eligible families and individuals. The City of Somerville along with Boston, Cambridge,  Brookline, the Department of Transitional Assistance, and bike share operator Motivate announced earlier this month the launch of the "SNAP Card to Ride" program.

"SNAP Card to Ride" provides $5 monthly memberships and $50 annual memberships to individuals over the age of 16 with their household SNAP/EBT card. The membership includes unlimited 60-minute trips.