The Future of Endicott and Bigelow Streets

The goals of the Endicott and Bigelow Streets Project are:

• Increased safety for all modes of traffic.
• Improved sidewalks to provide better access to Crompton Park.
• Reduced heat and flooding using green infrastructure.
• Improved ADA access and accommodations.
• Improved neighborhood aesthetics.

Project Overview

Endicott Street and Bigelow Street provide vital links between the Green Island Neighborhood, Crompton Park and the rest of the City. However, a high number of crashes and a lack of trees along the streets can make these streets feel unsafe and uninviting. This neighborhood is also prone to both street flooding and intense summer heat, due to high amount of paved surfaces.

Incorporating input of our community, the City has developed design changes to make these streets safer, more sustainable and more accessible for everyone, whether they are driving, biking, walking or using a wheelchair.

On Endicott Street, we will install a bike lane next to Crompton Park, widen sidewalks on both sides of the street, plant shade trees along the non-park side of the street and create raised crosswalks so that walkers and bikers are seen more easily by oncoming traffic. The completed project will add 24 new native trees to Endicott Street, a net increase of 18 trees. Bigelow Street, which has no public shade trees within its right-of-way today, will receive five new trees and wider sidewalks.

Perpendicular parking spaces will be replaced with parallel parking on Endicott St. There will be 124 parking spaces adjacent to Crompton Park (down from current 133 for a net loss of 9). During the few events during the year where parking needs exceed supply, we will work with WRTA to share their parking lot.

The redesign incorporates strategies outlined in many municipal plans including the Worcester's Green Worcester Plan, Complete Streets Policy and the Urban Forest Master Plan.

Project Details

• Current Status: Finalizing design and environmental permitting tasks; plan to bid out the work in winter 2024-2025.
• Anticipated Start of Construction: We expect to break ground in the summer 2025.
• Project Team: This project is a collaboration between four city departments. It is led by Neighborhood Development Division and supported by the Department of Transportation & Mobility, Department of Sustainability & Resilience and the Department of Public Works and Parks.
• Community Feedback: The 2023 public survey of the neighborhood residents demonstrated that 87% of the respondents were in favor of the project and especially liked improvements in safety and accessibility.
• Past Community Meetings & Other Resources:
  • City Council Memo - December 10, 2024
  • January 6, 2025 - View Slides
  • May 11, 2023 - View Slides
  • January 5, 2023 - View Slides
  • November 17, 2022 - View Slides

Public Participation

Members of the public are invited to submit comments and questions via email to mobility@worcesterma.gov.