McGrath Highway's Makeover: Two New Bridges Coming to Somerville

The road to redesigning McGrath Highway in Somerville continues as MassDOT prepares to replace a major bridge on the Somerville/Cambridge city line.

Last week, MassDOT held a public meeting where they shared updated plans to transform McGrath “Highway” into McGrath “Boulevard” with a replacement of the Squires Bridge over the MBTA Green Line and commuter rail tracks in the Brickbottom district.

According to MassDOT, Squires Bridge has been in a state of deterioration for 10 years, with parts falling off and requiring regular upkeep, frequent inspections, emergency repairs, and considerable financial investment.

The state is ready to turn the page to a more sustainable, multimodal, long-term solution.

Side-by-side comparison showing the current aerial view of McGrath Highway on the left and a proposed 3D rendering of the boulevard design with green space and multi-use paths on the right. — *Before and after: Transforming the McGrath Highway corridor into an accessible, multimodal boulevard.* MassDOT

Project staff from MassDOT, the Cities of Somerville and Cambridge, and consultant partner Greenman Peterson International (GPI) led the presentation and conversation.

The entire project extends from the 3rd Street intersection in Cambridge to just south of the Poplar Street intersection in Somerville.

From a highway to a boulevard

Planning for the project began in 2023, parallel with MassDOT’s planning for the adjacent McGrath Boulevard project.

This project’s improvements will tie into the plans for the larger McGrath Boulevard project, with upgrades to pedestrian, bicycle, and transit accommodations, “creating a truly multimodal corridor,” Howard shared.

A rendering of a wide multi-lane intersection with a city skyline in the distance and a bike path along the sidewalk on the left edge of the primary street. — *A rendering of the proposed McGrath Boulevard intersection with Washington Street in East Somerville, looking west toward Union Square. Courtesy of MassDOT.*

Bridges and right-of-way

The project will facilitate the development of two central bridges: the “Squire’s Bridge” that carries McGrath Highway over railroad tracks that carry the Fitchburg Commuter Rail Line and Union Branch of the Green Line in Somerville, and the Somerville Ave Extension bridge that will carry Route 28 north and southbound over a realigned Somerville Ave Extension (sometimes referred to as “Scary Way.”)

Squires Bridge

The plans for Squires Bridge is to have a 300-feet, single-span beam bridge with no intermediate support pillars, giving those working on the railroads below flexibility to engage in construction work without any bridge supports being in the way.

The lack of support piers will also allow for the possibility of developing a future connection for the future Grand Junction Community Path.

Considering how challenging construction could prove to be as the bridge is over railroad tracks at a “very acute skew angle”, the new bridge will be shifted slightly to the east of the existing bridge to allow for easier construction.

A technical diagram of Squires Bridge showing a total width of 98 feet 5 inches, with two northbound and southbound travel lanes, a 7-foot center median, buffered one-way bike lanes, and 6-foot sidewalks. — *The proposed Squires Bridge design will include space for two vehicle lanes in each direction, a central median, and wide, protected multi-use paths.* MassDOT

Both the north and southbound roadways will each have two lanes of traffic, raised and separated bike lanes, sidewalks, and buffers – all separated by a 7-foot median.

Construction will take place in two halves to keep the old bridge stable and traffic moving. First, crews will demolish and rebuild the northbound roadway, shifting traffic to the existing southbound roadway, temporarily accommodating a total of three lanes of vehicular traffic and a sidewalk.

Once the new northbound bridge is done, traffic will move there while the southbound bridge goes through demolition and construction. The project will also require coordination with the MBTA, whose Green Line – Union Square branch and Fitchburg Line tracks run beneath.

“Projects in urban environments are very difficult, and we endeavor to balance the needs of all the stakeholders with the understanding there’s going to have to be some give and take by all parties,” said GPI Engineer John Watters. The predicted timeline of this work will be roughly 3 to 4 years, with concurrent construction taking place on the McGrath Boulevard project.

Not-So Scary Way

Northwest of Squire’s Bridge will be a new, shorter bridge over a relocated Somerville Ave. Extension, sometimes referred to as “Scary Way.”

The new Scary Way will be relocated further away from the train tracks to meet Linwood Street at a “T” intersection. Plans call for a parallel, two-way bike path alongside a single one-way motor vehicle lane on the new street.

By moving the Somerville Ave Extension away from the train tracks and creating a more open, multimodal connection, Chris Howard of GPI believes this work will “make Scary Way not so scary anymore.”

A site map showing the realignment of Somerville Ave Extension away from the train tracks to form a T-intersection at Medford Street and Poplar Street. — *The realigned Somerville Ave Extension is designed to improve neighborhood connectivity and make “Scary Way” safer.*

Connected projects

The Squires Bridge replacement is connected to a number of nearby projects, requiring compatibility across these planned improvements both in design and in construction activities.

These projects include the Rutherford Ave reconstruction, Silver Line extension alternatives analysis, the redevelopment of 215 and one McGrath properties, the MBTA bus network redesign, the Brick Bottom neighborhood plan, the Poplar Street Pump Station and ArtFarm, the Grand Junction to Community Path Connection, and most importantly, the McGrath Boulevard project.

The Squire’s Bridge and the McGrath Boulevard project will meet each other just south of Poplar Street near the Medford Street intersection. The Squire Bridge project team says that they plan to stay faithful to that original proposal for the Boulevard proposed back in December of last year.

On the northern end of the Squire’s Bridge project at the Poplar and Medford Street intersection, the bridge work will end and seamlessly connect with the future McGrath Boulevard project, and also double as a connection between the newly-realigned Somerville Ave Extension back into the neighborhood. Some of the work taking place there will include new transit stops and raised bike lanes.

What’s Next for McGrath?

As the project continues on, MassDOT welcomes feedback to help further refine the project’s design ahead of the 25% design package required for MassDOT review this fall.

Following this, the project staff will continue to engage in public outreach with another design public hearing meeting in early 2027. Construction could begin in 2030.

Designs will proceed in coordination with both the City of Somerville and the City of Cambridge, ensuring lockstep with the various redevelopment projects in the area.