Battle Green Streetscape Project

Current Construction Update - November 30, 2023


Work on the Battle Green is winding down for the year. Line striping and sign installation is expected to be completed by the end of this week. The line striping work may cause short term detours and closures, but is being phased to minimize disturbance with early morning work and afternoon commuting hours. Expect inbound Bedford St to be detoured to Worthen Rd at times like it has been over the last several weeks. Detour map (pdf)

Remaining work for the year includes cleanup and a punch list items. Work on the street lights will be ongoing over the next few weeks as well. We anticipate only very minor traffic impacts during any of this work at this time. 

Next year we expect work to start soon after Patriot’s Day and will include the final paving of Bedford St as well as the roundabout, landscaping. With this type of work, the traffic impacts next year will be minimal.

Project Overview

The Battle Green Streetscape Project, in some respects, is an extension of the Center Streetscape Project currently under construction. The project limits fall just beyond the following three intersections around the Battle Green:

  • Bedford St. at Mass. Ave
  • Mass. Ave at Harrington St
  • Bedford St at Hancock St and Harrington Rd


Project OverviewProject Goals

The goals of the project include pedestrian and bicycle safety, vehicular safety, and improved connectivity and accessibility.

More About the Project

The project includes sidewalk improvements within the Battle Green, and sidewalk improvements along Mass. Avenue, Harrington Road, and Bedford Street including addition of a roundabout at the intersection of Bedford Street / Harrington Road / Hancock Street. This design feature is important to address the high accident rate at this location.

Additional improvements include, but are not limited to the three intersections, which will have geometry changes for:

  • increased safety
  • improved lighting
  • shortened and safer crosswalks
  • revised car and bus parking
  • landscaping enhancements while maintaining the character of the area
  • roadway resurfacing and pavement markings.

Addition of a Roundabout

Numerous intersection design options in the area of the Battle Green have been looked at over the years. The approved design includes a roundabout at the intersection of Bedford Street / Harrington Road / Hancock Street.

You may wonder if a roundabout is the same as a rotary. The simple answer is that it is not! In fact a roundabout is much different than a rotary. A roundabout is much smaller in diameter than a rotary, and drivers must yield to enter.

A roundabout operates at slower speeds (typically around 20MPH). The reason that they travel at slower speeds is that vehicles are 'deflected' as they enter. This deflection results in a natural slowing of vehicle speeds.

Crashes in a roundabout are less severe than a traditional intersection. This is in part due to the direction of the crashes which tend to be more angular.

Visualization aids for proposed roundabout:

Final Design

Plans of the final design PDF

Timeline

The intent is to have construction completed in advance of the 2025 celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington. To meet this deadline, Town staff requested and received construction funding at the 2022 Annual Town Meeting. The project has a scheduled bid opening of March 9th, 2023. Once the contract is awarded, construction can begin in the spring of calendar year 2023 allowing the anticipated  project completion to be ahead of the 2025 celebration.

Presentation to the Select Board


Town staff and consultant BETA Group, Inc. presented to the Select Board in December 2021 and February 2022:

Contact

For questions, please email Engineering