Construction Updates
This construction/Permit tracker represents all Active/current Street permits, including Street opening, Street occupancies and Lead pipe replacements. This tracker is updated on a weekly basis. You can also find a particular permit and its details in our Permit Database.
If you have additional questions or difficulty using this map tracker, please contact Public Works at 617-466-4200.
Infrastructure + Transportation
Latest updates (as July 6, 2023)
The City has been awarded a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under their Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to reestablish the City's Quiet Zone. Supported by this grant, the City has now contracted with Dagle Electrical Corp to construct the new grade crossings.
Work for the Quiet Zone is expected to begin in mid-July at each of the 6 grade crossings (2nd St, 3rd St, Everett Ave, Spruce St, Arlington St, and Eastern Ave).
Utility, Road, and Traffic Improvements
The work consists of new water, sewage, and drainage utility installation and service connections on Central Avenue, Willow Street, Watts Street, and a small portion of Eastern Ave. Subsequently, sidewalks, roadways, and ramps will be rendered along the project limits. This project runs concurrently with the Innes Apartments Redevelopment Project.
Project Components
- Utility Work: Combined sewer separation, new gravity sewers, storm drains, and water main and service alterations.
- Road Work: Full width pavement reclamation and overlay, reset granite curb, curb extensions, new concrete and bituminous sidewalks, pedestrian curb ramps, and driveway aprons, new traffic signal at Central Ave. / Willow St., street lighting, new pavement markings and signs, decorative crosswalk markings and new street trees.
Latest updates (as of July 21, 2023)
As of July 19, 2023, final paving on Central Avenue and Watts Street has been completed. New traffic signalization has been installed at the intersection of Central Avenue/Willow Street. Over the course of the next few weeks, pavement markings (crosswalks, road lines, bus stop, bicycle priority lane markings) and signage will be installed to complete the new surface rehabilitation and traffic signal enhancements, along with the execution of miscellaneous tasks encroaching towards project completion on Central Avenue and Watts Street.
- Joshua Johnson, City of Chelsea, Department of Public Works, Construction Manager/Project Engineer, (617) 293-1799
- Jorman Mota, City of Chelsea, Department of Public Works, Assistant City Engineer, (857) 206-4750
After completing the water and sewer improvements in 2022, the City of Chelsea is pleased to announce the Upper Broadway Drainage and Surface Project, an effort to improve the safety and operations of Broadway between City Hall Ave. and Route 16. Funded through a $11 million federal grant, the project will include the reconstruction of drainage, sidewalk, roadway, and traffic signal infrastructure.
The project area extends down Broadway from Marlborough Street through Clinton Street to the Chelsea-Revere border. The projected completion date is April 2025. The State, through the Mass Department of Transportation (MassDOT), has hired Aqua Line Utility, a construction contractor, to carry out this work. Per federal requirements, MassDOT will administer the construction phase.
Existing issues such as bus stop spacing, insufficient rider amenities, narrow/congested sidewalks, accessibility challenges, and service delays will all be addressed during the construction. Project goals are improving intersection safety, reducing congestion, and enhancing pedestrian/bike/transit accommodations.
Improvements include new sidewalks, bus stops, bike lanes, parking areas, and appropriate turning lanes at intersections. Signal technology and equipment upgrades will be installed at the four signalized intersections in the project area. New pavement will be installed, new/reset granite curbing will be featured, and ADA/AAB-compliant sidewalks and curb ramps will be featured. New signage and pavement markings will be included. Damaged or unhealthy trees along Broadway will be replaced with new native tree species.
Community Meeting Presentation - April 11, 2023
For questions, please contact Joshua Sklodowska-Johnson at jjohnson@chelseama.gov or 617-466-4208.
- On-street parking is prohibited during the times and dates posted on the construction signage distributed throughout work zone.
- On-street parking is allowed once construction hours have finished.
- After work is completed on a respective street, construction signs will be removed and residents will be free to park in the available on-street parking spaces.
Latest updates (October 5, 2023)
The following is a three-week "Look Ahead" Schedule spanning the dates of October 9-27. All information and dates are subject to change. The following work and traffic updates are expected to be in place during the duration of this time:
- Installation of catch basins from Eastern Street to Stockton Street
- Installation of Drain main from Cabot Street to Webster Ave
- Paving of trenches weekly
- Westbound and Eastbound Lane closures daily; one lane of traffic will always be open
- Demolition of existing sidewalks
- Installation of granite curb
Carroll Street Update (As of July 21, 2023)
Work on the sidewalks between Washburn and Eastern Avenue is completed, and has begun between Washburn and Crescent Avenue.
- Chester Avenue/Shawmut Street (Bounded by Bellingham and Central as well as Hawthorne and Shawmut)
- Lisa Lane
- Hooper Street
- Orange Street
Open Space & Resiliency
The cemetery, an important facet of the City's rich heritage, is a historic and cultural resource for the City, yet it has fallen into disrepair. Its original design represented a major step forward in the development of the modern cemetery design. Restoration has been historically deferred due to complexity and lack of resources. The 2018 master plan for the cemetery identified the components of a major rehabilitation project necessary to reopen the cemetery for public use and enjoyment. Restoration of this important historic asset will eventually enable public access to the cemetery.
Latest updates (as March 30, 2022)
Garden Cemetery (Phase III)
After completing Phase II of the restoration program, the City, in consultation with its landscape architect, CBA Landscape Architects, is undertaking the design of Phase 3. Phase 3 entails the restoration of crypts, 100 grave stones, and interior pathways, coupled with tree planting and landscaping. Presently, the City's historic preservation consultant is finalizing the gravestone restoration plans, after the City expanded the number of grave stones subject to restoration. Subsequently, a construction contractor will be procured, with a targeted construction start date of Fall 2022.
Chelsea Garden Cemetery Master Plan
Project Contact: Alex Train, Director, Chelsea Department of Housing & Community Development
(617) 466-4192
atrain@chelseama.gov
The Project areas in focus are:
- the small staircase and grassy area at the intersection of Forsyth Street and Lafayette Avenue;
- the historic staircase at Franklin Avenue and Spruce Street, connecting Franklin Avenue to Lafayette Avenue;
- and the historic staircase at Clark Avenue and Crest Avenue, connecting Crest Avenue to Broadway.
Additional impacts to residents include pedestrian detours around the working space between July 17th and the first week of September. No impacts to vehicular traffic are anticipated at this time. Police details will be present onsite during working hours to manage pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the work space.
Forsyth Project Park Update (as of July 31, 2023)
The Department is hosting a community meeting on-site, at the corner of Franklin Ave. and Sturgis St., on August 9th at 5:30 P.M. prior to construction beginning.
For more information, please contact Alex Train, AICP, Director of Housing & Community Development,
at atrain@chelseama.gov or Anna Bury, Senior Project Manager, at abury@chelseama.gov, or by calling
617-466-4180.
Latest updates (as March 31, 2022)
This quarter, the Department, in conjunction with La Colaborativa and GreenRoots, began the design and civic engagement process to comprehensively renew Bellingham Sq. plaza, in connection with the City's efforts around the Broadway Corridor. The City's landscape architect, Brown, Richardson, and Rowe composed a basemap, following the completion of the site survey.
As part of the City of Chelsea’s Redesign of Bellingham Square, students from Chelsea High School who are participating in La Colaborativa’s STEM program contributed a research project to aid the development of redesign proposals. The research project focused on five topic areas about Bellingham Square: History, Demographics, Businesses, Transportation and Safety. Within each project area, the team of students conducted their own research on the current functionality of Bellingham Square, and utilized existing data to support the report.
Additionally, a public visioning workshop, sensory walking tour, and discussions with abutters were held. Next quarter, the City will advance the schematic design process, culminating with the production of two schematic design options and cost estimates. The Dept. is planning to exhibit these design concepts at an upcoming community meeting later this spring.
Housing
On October 18 was the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Innes Redevelopment Project at 170 Central Ave. The City of Chelsea, in partnership with the Chelsea Housing Authority and the Joseph J. Corcoran Co., oversees this project which consists of 96 affordable public housing units, 40 middle-income units, and 194 market-rate units. In tandem with the housing redevelopment, the City is completing infrastructure improvements in the surrounding area.
Regular construction updates are available at https://info.chelseainnesapts.com/Residents that would like to receive the 60-day construction updates going forward are encouraged to sign up for the emails and/or paper postings by contacting jmc@jmcandco.com or calling (781) 849-7111 to provide their contact information.
25 Sixth Street offers 56 affordable apartments and six homes for sale in downtown Chelsea. The Neighborhood Developers is working with NEI General Contracting to create these new homes located just a few blocks from City Hall.
To stay up to date, visit the project webpage at https://theneighborhooddevelopers.org/25-sixth-street
For further project updates, visit www.VeteransHomeinChelsea.com