Dagle Electric have begun the removal of the poles that once held up the catenary electric system along Mount Auburn. This work is coming after the completion of the catenary line removal in August. The catenary system in Watertown was previously used to power the MBTA 71 and 73 bus lines.
The pole removal work is scheduled to take place during evening hours from 8:00 PM each night to 4:00 AM the following morning for approximately six weeks. Work began last week and will continue again tomorrow evening. The full schedule of work will be:
Wednesday, September 4, through Thursday, September 5
Tuesday, September 9, through Thursday, September 12
Tuesday, September 17, through Thursday, September 19
Tuesday, September 24, through Thursday, September 26
Tuesday, October 1, through Thursday, October 3
Tuesday, October 8, through Thursday, October 10
Workers removing the poles on Mount Auburn Street that once held up the catenary wiring system.
Where is it happening and are there any traffic impacts?
The pole removal will begin at the Cambridge line and move westward down Mount Auburn Street toward Watertown Square until all of the poles are removed. Work will be done on both sides of the street during this time, and we anticipate there to be lane closures in the areas of construction, but no significant traffic impacts.
Pre-Construction Work Continues
With the pre-construction work underway, there might be activity you notice happening along Mount Auburn Street. Over the coming weeks, you may continue to see the following along the corridor:
Tree wrapping for protection during construction
Drainage installation
Rodent control measures