[Ord. 2010-6, passed 2-9-2010]
(A) 
Curbing standards. To provide a barrier between the roadway and pedestrian sidewalk and its adjacent planting strip, all materials for curb installation shall conform to the following standards. In areas where curbing is installed, parking on any portion of the sidewalk or planting strip will not be permitted.
(1) 
All curbing hereinafter installed for full depth reconstruction roadway projects shall consist of granite curbing, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent of Public Works under § 55.01(D)(3) .
(2) 
Curbing for roadway resurfacing projects not included in division (1) shall consist of asphalt "bread loaf" curb, with a vertical face and non-mountable, except that sections of the curb at intersections and adjacent to handicap ramps and sections of existing granite curb shall be granite, unless otherwise directed by the Superintendent of Public Works under § 55.01(D)(3).
(3) 
When roadway improvement projects extend for less than a full block, the installation of new curbing will be at the discretion of the Superintendent of Public Works under § 55.01(D)(3).
(B) 
Roadway classification. Curbing will be installed when adequate lane width is available for each roadway component, based on roadway classification. Roadway classification shall consist of the following:
ARTERIALS
Roadways that "service statewide travel as well as major traffic movements within urbanized areas or between suburban centers" or "link cities and towns in rural areas and interconnect major arterials within urban areas".[1] "Arterials" have high or moderate mobility and limited points of access.
COLLECTORS
Roadways that "link arterial roadways and provide connections between cities and towns" or "connect local roads to major collectors and arterials.[2] "Collectors" have moderate mobility and moderate to high access.
LOCAL STREETS
Roadways with low speeds, a high degree of local circulation and access, and are not intended for regional connectivity.[3]
The following table contains a partial listing of Watertown roadways and their functional classification. Roadways that are not listed are assumed to be local roads. For purposes of this chapter, the Mass Highway classification shall be used, except as noted. Changes to the listed classifications shall be considered, based upon the classification criteria, and will be brought before the DPW Subcommittee of the Council with a recommendation from the Superintendent of Public Works.
Table 1: Functional Classification of Watertown Streets
Road
DPW Classification
AASHTO Classification*
Mass Highway Classification
Arsenal Street
Arterial
Minor Arterial
Principal Arterial
Belmont Street
Arterial
Minor Arterial
Principal Arterial
Galen Street
Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Greenough Boulevard - MDC
Arterial
Minor Arterial
Principal Arterial
Main Street
Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Mount Auburn Street
Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
North Beacon Street
Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Pleasant Street
Arterial
Collector
Principal Arterial
Watertown Street
Arterial
Principal Arterial
Principal Arterial
Arlington Street
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Charles River Road - MDC
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Common Street
Connector
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
Coolidge Avenue
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Howard Street
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Irving Street
Connector
Local
Minor Arterial
Lexington Street
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Nonantum - MDC
Connector
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
School Street
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Waverley Avenue
Connector
Collector
Minor Arterial
Acton Street
Primary
Local
Local
Bigelow Avenue
Primary
Local
Local
California Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Church Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Coolidge Hill Road
Primary
Local
Collector
Dexter Avenue
Primary
Collector
Collector
Grove Street
Primary
Local
Collector
Highland Avenue
Primary
Local
Collector
Nichols Avenue
Primary
Collector
Collector
Orchard Street
Primary
Minor Arterial
Collector
Spring Street
Primary
Local
Collector
Summer Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Sycamore Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Walnut Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Waltham Street
Primary
Collector
Collector
Warren Street
Primary
Local
Collector
*
Source: MassGIS Data
(1) 
Adequate travel lane width is deemed to be 11 feet on principal and minor arterials, and 10 feet on collectors and local roads. Adequate parking lane width is deemed to be seven feet in residential areas along all classes of roads, and eight feet within commercial areas.
(2) 
A principal or minor arterial, or a collector, with two-way traffic must have a minimum of two separate travel lanes.
(3) 
"Local roads," which are considered roads not having the DPW classification of arterial, connector or primary, may have a single shared travel lane for two-way traffic, provided there are periodic opportunities for passing.
(4) 
A minimum street width of 18 feet, curb to curb, shall be adequate for the following roadway configurations:
(a) 
A one-way street with one travel lane and with one side on-street parking.
(b) 
A two-way local street with one travel lane and one side of on-street parking, with provision for periodic spaces of restricted parking at least every 100 feet for vehicles to pull over to the side.
(c) 
A two-way collector or local road with two travel lanes and no on-street parking.
(5) 
The curb-to-curb pavement width will then determine if there is adequate room for on-street parking on one side or both sides of a street. Resulting parking issues shall be referred to the Traffic Commission for consideration.
[1]
Mass Highway, Project Development and Design Guide, p. 3-8.
[2]
Mass Highway, Project Development and Design Guide, p. 3-8.
[3]
Mass Highway, Project Development and Design Guide, p. 3-8.
(C) 
Accommodating a defined curb. In cases where curbing is proposed, but no curbing currently exists, and where the resulting street width is not great enough to allow both adequate travel lanes and parking shoulder widths per division (B), every effort should be made to accommodate a defined curb.
(D) 
Curb installation requirements.
(1) 
Whenever the owner of a parcel abutting a public way desires that curbing be installed abutting such parcel, the property owner may pay for and install granite curbing at their full expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works, and subject to the conditions as herein defined. Such installation shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as required.
(2) 
Any new development project shall include the installation of granite curbing and concrete sidewalk with planting strip, across the entire project's public street frontage at the property owner's expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works, and subject to the conditions as herein defined, including the rules and regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of Public Works.
(a) 
Such installation shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as required.
(b) 
As used in this section, "new development project" shall mean any project where there is a new building foundation, either because there was no preexisting building or the previous foundation has been removed.
(3) 
No curbing shall be installed under this section at those locations where the Superintendent of Public Works determines that the installation of curbing is not feasible due to public safety, site constraints, budget constraints, or conflicts with future plans for the area. In such cases, the Superintendent of Public Works shall receive the concurrence of the City Manager and provide written notice to the Council.
(4) 
The Superintendent of Public Works is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, consistent with the curb and sidewalks ordinance, which shall implement the provisions of this chapter.
(5) 
In addition to the provisions of this chapter, all curb installations shall comply with the rules and regulations of the Superintendent of Public Works.
[Ord. 2010-6, passed 2-9-2010; amended Ord. 2016-58, passed 9-27-2016]
(A) 
All materials for sidewalk construction or repair shall consist of concrete unless exempted under divisions (B), (C) and (E) below.
(B) 
In accordance with DPW regulations, the material used at street tree locations may include asphalt in order to address tree root issues.
(C) 
The material used as a temporary utility repair, where deemed necessary by the Superintendent of Public Works, may include asphalt. In accordance with DPW regulations, temporary repairs shall be permanently replaced with concrete.
(D) 
Sidewalks constructed hereinafter may extend the full length of the public way at the discretion of the Superintendent of Public Works, and shall have a preferred clear walking surface of five feet, not including curbing with a minimum of four feet, and shall conform to Americans Disability Act (ADA) and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB) guidelines, unless otherwise exempted under division (E).
(1) 
A minimum clearance of three feet shall be provided around obstructions in the sidewalk such as utility poles, street trees, and hydrants.
(2) 
In residential areas, the sidewalk width shall be a maximum of five feet.
(3) 
A minimum width of two feet shall be provided as a planting strip.
(4) 
Whenever the owner of a parcel abutting a public way desires that a sidewalk be installed abutting such parcel, the property owner may pay for and install concrete sidewalk at their full expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works, and subject to the conditions as herein defined and in compliance with other DPW regulations. Such installation shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as required.
(E) 
No sidewalks shall be installed under this section at those locations where the Superintendent of Public Works determines that the installation of sidewalks is not feasible due to public safety, site constraints, budget constraints, or conflicts with future plans for the area. In such cases, the Superintendent of Public Works shall receive the concurrence of the City Manager and provide written notice to the Council.
(F) 
Any new development project shall include the installation of granite curbing and concrete sidewalk with planting strip across the entire project's public street frontage at the property owner's expense, subject to the approval of the Superintendent of Public Works, and subject to the conditions as herein defined, including the rules and regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of Public Works.
(1) 
Such installation shall also include appropriate transition to adjoining curbing and walkways, including handicapped ramps and access as required.
(2) 
As used in this section, the term "new development project" shall mean any project where there is a new building foundation, either because there was no preexisting foundation or the previous foundation has been removed.
(G) 
The Superintendent of Public Works is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, consistent with the curb and sidewalks ordinance, which shall implement the provisions of this chapter.
(H) 
In addition to the provisions of this chapter, all sidewalk installations shall comply with the rules and regulations of the Superintendent of Public Works.
(I) 
In the case of selective sidewalk repairs, where there is no curb to create a barrier, and addition of a curb is not planned and where there is currently no grass planting strip, the default treatment is to create a planting strip, however, the Superintendent of Public Works shall have discretion on whether to plant grass or restore asphalt (or other similar treatment) as the border between the sidewalk and the street.