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By Jason Mackey

Remember the “this car survived Highland Avenue” bumper sticker that circulated on Reddit last Spring? Initially, it was a humorous nod to our communal struggles with Highland Avenue’s deteriorating condition. But as seasons have changed, that fun joke is now overshadowed by the undeniable realities that Highland Avenue is an unmitigated disaster and getting worse by the day.

Highland Avenue, arguably the most prominent road in our city, is best described as a lunar landscape. It’s terrible. In fact, it’s so terrible, an 18th century cart path would suffice as an upgrade. And while our City Council is busy playing SimCity with mini roundabouts and trying to set the world record for the number of speed humps on a single street, our primary artery is crying out for some TLC. Despite promises of planned improvements, the necessary actions to address its condition are conspicuously absent.

Our City Council, brought to you by the Democratic Socialists of America, seems to have a vision for Somerville that’s more in line with a quirky board game than an actual city. Their focus on projects like tiny rotaries scattered throughout the city overshadows the immediate need to resurface Highland Avenue – or do something, anything at all to alleviate the pain. Their idealistic visions, while commendable in intent, miss the mark when it comes to pragmatic solutions. Infrastructure isn’t just about building; it’s about prioritizing. What Somerville needs isn’t a city that resembles a slalom course but one that prioritizes key infrastructure over what seems like the result of a “fun ideas” brainstorming session.

Highland Avenue represents more than just a thoroughfare; it embodies Somerville’s spirit and promise of a better tomorrow. However, under our City Council led by leftist idealogues more interested in boutique bike lanes, decorative crosswalks, and laissez-faire cycling policies than actual progress, it stands as a stark reflection of inattention and misplaced focus. While comically small traffic circles may have their place, they should not overshadow the imperative of revitalizing one of our city’s most heavily trafficked arteries.

Thankfully, the upcoming election shines as a potential turning point. The last thing we need are more socialists on the City Council. We need experienced, pragmatic leaders like Jack Connolly (Ward 6) and knowledgeable voices of the next generation like Jack Perenick (Ward 5) on the council to ensure our city’s limited resources are allocated effectively and that safety and functionality is prioritized in all public works projects.

I hope our current leaders read this and take action. We can’t wait for 2026. It’s understandable that things won’t be perfect while sewer and other infrastructure projects are ongoing, but this is ridiculous.  Most of us lean to the left but demand more than just talk; we demand tangible action. We need our City Council to prioritize pivotal infrastructure over partisan projects. Let’s build a Somerville where Highland Avenue stands as a testament to progress and efficiency, not of neglect.