Pond Street residents up in arms over detour

LYNN – An ongoing sewer project that has closed Chestnut and Bowler streets has created a general unrest with Pond Street residents.
For the past five weeks, Lynn Water Sewer Commission Director Robert Tucker said he has received several complaints on the sewer separation project that has ripped up the roadway.
Expected to continue until Aug. 29, Tucker said the project is a continuation of the finalization that began two years ago.
?That is the target date of completion, but it has gotten held up and we did lose a little time because of heavy rains,” he said. “Because of that, the contractor brought in extra workers to move it along.”
In an effort to keep neighbors safe, Tucker said a police detail was hired to oversee the construction work, three stop signs were installed solely for the project, and several “Slow” signs were posted along the road to keep drivers from speeding.
Since the start of the project, Tucker said police have issued around eight citations for speeding.
?If people are not going to respect the rules of the road and the stop sings, then there is not much more we can do,” he said. “We hand delivered construction notices as well with my name and number on them, so anyone with a question can give me a call.”
Dissatisfied with Tucker?s response, Pond Street resident Eric R. Park said he is anxious for the project to come to a close, and is even considering moving out of the city because of it.
?When the police are off duty, the cars speed by going 50 mph in the middle of the night,” he said. “My neighbor?s car has been hit twice, my truck has been hit twice and it?s because I don?t have a driveway. It?s just unbelievable.”
Park said he spoke to a police officer on the street about his truck being hit, but didn?t pursue the issue.
?He basically told me that there was nothing that I could do because there wasn?t any evidence,” he said. “I still think there should be more citations being handed out because these cars just speed by. I even saw an 18-wheeler go down the street, which they?re not supposed to do, and it tore down wires. That?s ridiculous.”
Park clearly isn?t the only concerned resident, as many others have posted hand-made signs warning drivers to slow down. The concern also comes on the heels of Monday?s accident on Rand Street where 48-year-oldJohn Pappas of Lynn sustained serious injuries to his legs after being struck by an MBTA bus that had been detoured from Chestnut Street.
Tucker said he hopes to have the project complete before students return to school for safety precautions.