Saugus ramps up work

SAUGUS – Work has begun on installing handicap ramps along Main Street and soon the state should step in to make the overpasses on Main Street and Essex Street handicap accessible as well.Town Meeting member Al DiNardo, who sits on the Disabilities Commission, has spearheaded the drive to bring the town into Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. He got interested in the issue after receiving a number of complaints from handicap residents who were having trouble getting around. After taking a closer look at the town sidewalks, he realized that in most areas in town there were no handicap ramps at all.While he was glad to see the work around town getting started, DiNardo said one of his main concerns was still not being addressed and that was handicap access to the overpasses to the mall, which he said is heavily traveled by pedestrians.Since the overpasses are under that state’s Highway Department, DiNardo had to step up his drive for ADA compliance.He said he put a call into state officials last fall and initially he got a similar song and dance that he first heard from town officials – the sidewalks would only be addressed when the roadway was set to be repaved.After explaining how the town was installing the ramps along Main Street, however, DiNardo said the state promised it would try to do something. A second call a few weeks ago, DiNardo said, netted him a promise that the work would be done in the next week or so.”So it should dovetail nicely with the work being done along Main Street,” DiNardo said.DiNardo hopes to keep the momentum going with the ramp installations as well. He said he’s asked that the Department of Public Works notify him regarding the streets it plans to repave and when so the commission can plan on doing the sidewalks at the same time.”On top of that I’ve put together a master plan for Cliftondale Square, Saugus Center down to the Iron Works and other areas that need to be done,” DiNardo said.DiNardo said it’s gratifying to see the work getting done and he said it’s given him some insight on exactly how government moves, which is slowly.”I’ve learned that it does react when an individual gets involved but it does take a little pushing,” he said with a laugh. “It’s not that anyone was fighting us on this issue, it’s just the way government moves. It’s different than the business world – it’s slow.”