Nahant Causeway plans met with concern at selectmen meeting

NAHANT – Keep the Causeway two lanes in each direction was the message residents sent to Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) offficials.DCR representative Julia O’Brien gave an overview of the Nahant Causeway rehabilitation project at the Board of Selectmen meeting Thursday evening, which was attended by more than 50 concerned residents, Sen. Thomas McGee and Rep. Steven Walsh.O’Brien explained the initial plan was to narrow the Nahant Causeway to one lane in each direction at the midway point on the inbound side from Lynn to Nahant, replace the jersey barrier in the middle of the Causeway with rumble strips and add a crosswalk at the midway point. She said the plan met with so much opposition from residents and town officials that the design was changed significantly.O’Brien said in the revised plan the outbound lane of the Causeway is one lane from the exit of town to the halfway house but there is a breakdown lane where it is one lane.O’Brien said the crosswalk at the midway point was scrapped because of public opposition and the median was changed so it would consist of granite curbing with a vertical barrier instead of just rumble strips.”Residents expressed concerns about the lack of a median,’ she said. “So we put that back in.”She said the goals of the project are to rehabilitate the roadway, make the Nahant Beach Reservation more identifiable and implement the best storm water management practices.More than one resident expressed concerns about emergency access and urged the DCR to keep the inbound and outbound lanes of the Causeway two lanes each.”We need two full travel lanes at all times so ambulances can get through,” one resident said. “We have to be able to use that Causeway safely. We need two full width travel lanes. Safety is our issue.”Many people who spoke at the meeting shared her sentiments and expressed concern over safety and lack of access.”I see little that addresses public safety and nothing that addresses public access,” another resident added.Selectman Robert Frary also spoke in favor of two lanes in each direction.”Spending $10 million to go from two lanes to one lane is like redoing your house and taking out a bathroom,” he said. “It creates an unnecessary bottleneck and I don’t think it’s safe.”When Frary asked who would feel safer with two lanes every hand in the room went up except a couple.Other concerns raised by residents during the meeting included lack of a bicycle lane and whether the DCR would maintain the roadway once the project is completed.The revised plans are available for viewing at the public library and Nahant Town Hall. The public comment period ends on July 15 and anyone who would like to submit a comment on the proposal should do so by sending an email to [email protected] or sending comments to Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114 Attn: Project #: 14268.