Somerville plans to spend more than $59 million on streets and sidewalks, over $25 million on school building repairs and more than $16 million on vehicles and fire trucks through 2031 under an updated five-year Capital Investment Plan the city released Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. The plan maps out the city’s biggest infrastructure spending and is updated every year.
What is in Somerville’s FY2027 Capital Investment Plan
The Capital Investment Plan (CIP) is a companion to the city’s annual operating budget. It covers long-lived assets such as buildings, streetscapes, parks and equipment, and is meant to guide spending on major improvements while protecting the city’s long-term finances, according to the city.
The three largest proposed allocations through 2031 are:
- Streets and sidewalks: more than $59 million to improve safety and accessibility.
- School buildings: more than $25 million for essential repairs and modernization.
- Vehicles and fire apparatus: more than $16 million to replace aging vehicles used to plow snow, fight fires and do other city work.
The city said projects chosen for funding in the FY2027 plan are those needed to keep its commitments to residents, improve services and pursue long-term goals, and those where putting off repairs carries the greatest risk. The plan also lists future priorities that are still being planned and could take a decade or longer.
Mayor Wilson on the plan
“It’s absolutely critical that we do this long-range planning for investing in our municipal infrastructure — from school and municipal buildings to our streets and sidewalks to our vehicles and fire apparatus — that improve the lives of our residents,” Mayor Jake Wilson said in a statement. “This means showing our work and sharing this plan with our community, so we are transparent and accountable with our investments.”
Wilson also referred to “the fiscal constraints of the financial moment we’re in,” and credited careful planning and financial management for allowing the city to keep investing.
Related projects on the calendar
Several capital projects are moving through public meetings this fall:
- 115 Sycamore Street school: The city is planning a new school building at 115 Sycamore Street. A community forum with Mayor Wilson, Superintendent Carmona and the project architects is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Highlander Forum at Somerville High School, 81 Highland Ave.
- Broadway and Magoun Square: The city will present updated plans to rebuild Broadway between Winchester Street and Central Street, including a redesign of the Magoun Square intersection at Medford Street, at an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The project would rebuild sidewalks and fully repave the roadway.
- Mossland Street neighborway: Since Oct. 15, Mossland Street has been closed to cars at Elm Street as part of the Elm-Beacon Connector safety project, with drivers entering and leaving from Somerville Avenue. Permanent signal upgrades are expected by November.
Labor agreement and other city business
The plan’s release came the day before the city announced a new contract with Unit A of the Somerville Municipal Employees Union covering fiscal years 2023 through 2025. The city said it includes wage increases, updated salary scales and expanded benefits.
How to read the full plan
The full CIP is posted on the city’s website. The city says it revisits the plan every year as community needs and circumstances change, and funding for individual projects still goes through the City Council’s budget and borrowing votes.
For more Somerville coverage and city resources, see our Somerville local news and city guide, the Local Towns hub and our Boston City Hall decisions tracker for what’s happening next door.
Sources
- City of Somerville, “Somerville Releases Updated Capital Investment Plan for FY2027,” Oct. 23, 2026
- City of Somerville news (SMEU Unit A agreement, Sycamore Street forum, Broadway Magoun open house)
- City of Somerville, Mossland Street traffic change, Oct. 13, 2026
- The Somerville Times, October 2026 coverage
Additional sources
- Somerville Capital Investment Plan page
- Somerville City Council
- Massachusetts Division of Local Services (municipal finance)
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