By Mia Lamar

Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan declared Washington Street “the most horrible in the city,” Thursday, with several of his fellow aldermen loudly supporting him and sharing their own grievances with the state over conditions on the street.

“Not only is Washington Street one of the worst in the city, it is one of the worst in the state,” said Alderman-at-Large Bruce M. Desmond. Alderman William Roche said the street “needs to be repaved and resurfaced, from curb to curb.”

Roche said he is only asking for what was promised almost “ten years ago” when the state opened a ramp off I-93 to allow access towards Boston. At the time, Roche said, it was estimated 70 percent of the traffic would be passing through Somerville. The state, both Roche and Sullivan say, then made a “commitment” to resurfacing the road curb to curb.

“That was part of the agreement,” said Sullivan.

Both Roche and Sullivan, who is president of the board of, claim to have asked the state delegation “several times” to allocate funding for repairs on the street, sending resolutions every four to six months.

Yet Washington Street remains plagued by potholes.

A spokesman for MassHighway, Adam Hurtubise, said the state has provided funding for Washington Street repairs, appropriating $208,000 in September 2001. Hurtubise said the City of Somerville has spent $165,633 of that funding on engineering and design planning.

Alderman Roche said he had ‚Äúno idea‚Äù of this funding, but found the news ‚Äúenlightening.‚Äù ‚ÄúI’ll be banging on a different door then,‚Äù he said.

There are indications that the state delegation is already working on new strategies for Washington Street funding and repairs. State Rep. Carl M. Sciortino, D-Somerville, said he did contact President and Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan over the weekend to “reassure him,” and “bring him up to speed.” Sciortino said he has been “working very hard” with Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the rest of the state delegation to include Washington Street repairs as part of a statewide transportation bond bill, “the same bill,” he said, that is to include MBTA Green Line extension planning. He said he expects the bill to be heard by spring.

Sciortino also confirmed that the city did receive a small amount of funding from MassHighway, but said that the money has been “pretty much spent” on primary design and engineering. An aide from his office, Daniel Glasser, confirmed the upcoming bill will request $3 million for grind, overlay and utility work on Washington Street. He said the bill will also request $1 million to redesign the interchange with Route 28.

Grim conditions exist along the route leading motorists from I-93 down Washington. Off Tufts Street, motorists, some approaching at near highway speeds, must slow considerably to clatter over a mishmash of repavings.

A passerby, Kevin Grund, lifelong resident of Somerville, said this particular stretch has been “like that forever.”

“This area is a mess,” he said.