Bids are being accepted for improvements to the lighting on Somerville’s Community Path. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

By Jeffrey Shwom

The unlit stretches of the Somerville Community Path Extension on both sides of East Somerville Station may see a brighter tomorrow, as the City of Somerville closed solicitations by contractors to install nighttime lighting. According to the Closed Bids listed on The Procurement and Contracting Services Division’s website, solicitation for “Community Path Extension – Additional Lighting” along a half mile stretch is under review.

The estimated cost of the contract is $580,000. Work could commence as soon as March. As of print time, City officials had yet to respond, with city website stating “under evaluation.

From the Bid Package, the scope of work includes construction services to install “luminaires along approximately 2600 feet of the path to be attached underneath the existing rub rails along the fence separating the path from the railroad.” Heading towards Boston, the area starts on the Walnut Street side of the McGrath Highway overpass and extends to Poplar Street, near the start of the bridge that goes up over the Union Square Green Line (GLX) track, near the Brickbottom Artists Building. Some parts of the area are currently unlit at night, making travel hazardous and especially when the path has snow or ice.

— Photo by Jeffrey Shwom

“We need them so much!” exclaimed Rebecca, a Ball Square resident and frequent bike path commuter. “I feel safe walking alone except in the very dark spots and for biking, I slow down because I am afraid of hitting a pedestrian who doesn’t wear lights or reflective gear.”

The contract designs were prepared with engineer Arup US, Inc., the same firm who, according to their website, created the “assessment report providing recommendations that shaved 19 months off the (GLX) schedule and reduced the estimated project’s cost by $700m.”

As previously reported in 2022, the lights got value-engineered out of the MBTA project but Somerville city officials foreshadowed that once they took control of the Community Path post-completion of the Green Line station, lighting would be installed. Other items deemed too expensive when the project price tag dropped from $3 billion to $2.3 million included the glass structures for the stations.