Business owners on downtown Broadway are invited to an information session on the Downtown Broadway Reconstruction Project on Wednesday, December 2, from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, 308 Broadway. The City of Chelsea and the Chamber are holding it together, and a Spanish interpreter will be there.
The city says construction is expected to start in spring 2027 and last up to 24 months. The work covers new sidewalks, street trees, intersection improvements and roadway upgrades.
Streets on the list
The Chamber’s event page names four streets affected by the work:
- Broadway
- Washington Avenue
- City Hall Avenue
- Hawthorne Street
What the session covers
According to the Chamber’s listing, owners will hear about the planned improvements, get construction updates, ask questions and learn how to stay informed while the work goes on. Registration is through the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce events page at portal.chelseachamber.org, or by scanning the QR code on the city’s flyer. Questions go to the Chamber at (617) 884-4877 or [email protected].
Where the project stands
The rebuild is a MassDOT project. At the Planning Board in September, city housing and community development director Ben Cares said the design was finished, that MassDOT would advertise the job to contractors this winter, and that the corridor would not all be torn up at once. “That doesn’t mean the entire corridor is ripped up for two years,” he said. He also said the city would coordinate with businesses through the Chamber, which is what this session starts. Our explainer on what is being built covers the new signal at Bellingham Square, two-way traffic beside City Hall and back-in parking on Washington Avenue.
On November 2 the City Council voted 10 to 0 to take the easements and small strips of land the project needs. Most are temporary construction easements, and the order lists 82 cash awards to property owners totaling $249,500. Details are in our council story. The project’s cost and federal funding are covered in our September report.
The flyer does not say whether the session will be recorded or whether a second session is planned for residents.