Report on the Spring Hill Urban Renewal Project and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Project Overview and Core Objectives

The City of Somerville is concluding a three-year infrastructure project in the Spring Hill neighborhood. The initiative was designed to address critical utility needs while simultaneously advancing multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a comprehensive redesign of the urban landscape.

Alignment with SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The project’s primary impetus was the replacement of antiquated 19th-century sewer pipes, directly contributing to SDG 6.

• Target 6.3 (Improve water quality): By replacing the outdated sewer system, the project mitigates the frequent overflows of wastewater into local waterways during rainstorms. This action directly reduces pollution, protecting local aquatic ecosystems and improving water quality.

Advancements in SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The necessity of street excavation provided a unique opportunity to redesign public spaces in alignment with SDG 11, creating a safer, more resilient, and sustainable urban environment.

1. Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport Systems): The project significantly enhanced infrastructure for safe and active transport.
   • Installation of curb-protected and sidewalk-level bike lanes on major thoroughfares like Summer Street and Central Street.
   • Implementation of traffic calming measures, including new speed humps and raised crosswalks, to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, which also supports SDG 3.6 (reduce road traffic injuries).
   • Reconfiguration of Central Street to prioritize bicycle traffic with two-way access, while motor vehicle traffic is limited to one-way.
2. Target 11.7 (Access to Green and Public Spaces): The project reclaimed urban space for environmental and public benefit.
   • Conversion of approximately 6,750 square feet of asphalt parking areas into new public gardens and green space.
   • These gardens improve the aesthetic quality of the neighborhood and provide new, accessible green areas for residents.

Contributions to SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 15: Life on Land

The redesign incorporates green infrastructure that builds climate resilience and protects terrestrial ecosystems.

• Target 13.1 (Strengthen resilience to climate-related hazards): The newly installed gardens are engineered to absorb stormwater runoff, mitigating localized flooding during heavy precipitation events. They also help reduce the urban heat island effect, adapting the neighborhood to rising temperatures.
• Target 15.1 (Conserve and restore freshwater ecosystems): By preventing sewer overflows, the project directly contributes to the health and restoration of local freshwater ecosystems, which were previously impacted by pollution.

Future Phases and Continued SDG Commitment

The city plans to extend this integrated approach to future infrastructure work, demonstrating a long-term commitment to sustainable development.

• A future project phase, scheduled for the 2026 budget year, will address sewer and utility upgrades on Highland Avenue.
• Consistent with the established model, this work will be coupled with the installation of new protected bike lanes, further advancing the city’s goals for sustainable transport and community well-being.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the Spring Hill sewer separation project in Somerville highlights several interconnected urban development issues that directly relate to multiple Sustainable Development Goals. The project’s scope extends beyond simple infrastructure repair to encompass environmental protection, public health, climate resilience, and sustainable transportation.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The project’s primary goal is to prevent sewer overflows into local waterways.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The project involves redesigning streets to be safer, more inclusive, and greener.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The new infrastructure promotes physical activity and aims to reduce traffic-related injuries.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The project incorporates measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as managing stormwater and reducing the urban heat island effect.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution. The article states the project’s primary goal was to replace “19th-century sewer pipes that frequently flooded and overflowed into local waterways during rainstorms.” This directly addresses the target of reducing pollution and minimizing the release of untreated wastewater into the environment.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety. The project addresses this by creating “protected bike lanes,” “raised crosswalks,” and “speed humps.” The article details the installation of “curb-protected” bike lanes on Summer Street and “sidewalk-level bike lanes” on Central Street, making active transport safer and more accessible.
• Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities. The sewer separation project is a fundamental improvement in municipal wastewater management, which is a key aspect of reducing a city’s environmental impact.
• Target 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces. The project achieves this by replacing “asphalt parking areas with new gardens.” The article specifies that these changes created “about 6,750 square feet of new green space for the city,” directly contributing to this target.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.6: By 2030, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents. The installation of traffic calming measures like “speed humps,” “raised crosswalks,” and physically “protected bike lanes” is explicitly aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists, thereby contributing to the reduction of traffic injuries.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters. The article mentions that the new gardens are “designed to absorb runoff during rainstorms” and serve to reduce the “heat island effect.” These are direct climate adaptation measures, strengthening the neighborhood’s resilience to extreme weather events like heavy rainfall and heatwaves.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides both explicit and implied indicators that can be used to measure progress.

Indicators for SDG 6 & 13

• Implied Indicator: Reduction in the frequency and volume of sewer overflow events. The project’s success in preventing overflows into “local waterways during rainstorms” would be a direct measure of progress towards Target 6.3.
• Explicit Indicator: Area of new permeable surfaces created to manage stormwater. The article quantifies this, stating the project added “about 6,750 square feet of new green space” in the form of gardens designed to absorb runoff, which serves as an indicator for Target 13.1.

Indicators for SDG 11 & 3

• Explicit Indicator: Amount of new green space created. The “6,750 square feet of new green space” is a direct indicator for Target 11.7.
• Implied Indicator: Length and type of new cycling infrastructure. The article describes the creation of “curb-protected” and “sidewalk-level” bike lanes on specific streets like Summer Street and Central Street. The total length of these new lanes would be a key indicator for Target 11.2.
• Implied Indicator: Number of new traffic safety features installed. The quantity of “speed humps,” “raised crosswalks,” and other traffic calming measures implemented would serve as an indicator for progress towards Target 3.6 and 11.2.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mass.streetsblog.org