Transportation & Mobility

Transportation Demand Management Program: Watertown requires developers to provide a plan that reduces car trips in order to reduce congestion and carbon emissions. All new developments and additions over 10,000 square feet or 10 residential units must provide strategies to encourage their tenants to shift to alternative modes of travel-transit, walking, biking and carpooling. The goal is to aid in the citywide reduction of Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips by 20%. Methods might include charging separately for parking to discourage car ownership, improving access to transit, improving walking and biking conditions, and participating in the Watertown Transportation Management Association.
Bike/Ped Plan Implementation: Watertown encourages active transportation-walking, biking and transit-to help reduce congestion, and improve both air quality and public health. The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, adopted by City Council on February 9, 2021 helps achieve those goals by identifying and prioritizing improvements to the City's streets and walkways, making it easier for people of all ages and abilities to choose more active forms of transportation. The plan identifies new and improved bicycle and pedestrian connections in Watertown and to the region's larger active transportation network, to help people get where they want to go easily and safely, and car-free. Learn more about the plan and implementation here.
Complete Streets Projects: The City Council adopted a Complete Streets Policy, and approved a Complete Streets Prioritization Plan, submitted and accepted by MassDOT. A Complete Street is one that accommodates all users-Pedestrians, Drivers, Bicyclists, and Transit Riders. Ongoing projects include Mount Auburn Street and Arsenal Street.
Bus Prioritization: Bus improvements for the Number 71 and Number 73, include a dedicated bus lane on Mt. Auburn Street, starting at Cottage Street and going through Cambridge to Fresh Pond Parkway, to take the buses out of the traffic congestion during peak hours. It also includes a right turn/queue jump lane on Mt. Auburn Street at School Street and at Walnut Street. This will improve the speed and reliability of bus travel through Watertown.
Pleasant Street EV Connector Shuttle: The Watertown Connector, also known as the WATConnector, is an electric shuttle service that transports passengers along Pleasant Street to and from Watertown Square as well as Harvard Square during the AM and PM commute times. The WATConnector Pleasant Street EV shuttle service is available free to participating corporate and residential partners and the public. Learn more here.
EV chargers on municipal properties: City-operated EV chargers are available at several locations that residents can use. At this time all of them are free from cost, though that could potentially change in the future. Locations include:
- Watertown Free Public Library parking lot - 4 plugs
- Howard Street Parking Lot - 6 plugs
- Lowell Elementary School - 1 plug but restricted to school staff during the day
- Cunniff Elementary School - 3 plugs but restricted to school staff during the day
- Hosmer Elementary School - 6 plugs but restricted to school staff during the day
- Department of Public Works - 8 plugs
  
  Watertown Public Buildings is actively working on adding new public chargers at convenient locations in addition to these. A map of public chargers is available here.
Zero-Emission Vehicle Policy: Watertown has adopted a Zero-Emission Vehicle Policy that dictates all departments must consider EV and plug-in hybrid vehicles for fleet vehicle replacements as a priority instead of traditional gas-powered vehicles. With this policy in place, we will more quickly upgrade our City’s fleet to EVs.

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