National Grid to replace Swampscott traffic light

SWAMPSCOTT – After almost a decade of problems with the pedestrian signal near 50 Humphrey St., National Grid has agreed to replace the signal light.The signal light is located on Humphrey Street between Eastern Avenue and Monument Avenue. Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the light has been a bone of contention between the town and the utility company.”It is a pedestrian crossing,” he said. “The light has basically been inoperable for 10 years. It has been a sporadic operation at best. It is significantly past its prime.”National Grid is not in the business of operating traffic lights,” he continued. “Of the 116 communities National Grid services this is the only one in which they own traffic lights. National Grid has been asking us to take over the light for years but we were not going to take over a light that doesn’t work.”After years of negotiation, Maylor said the utility company has agreed to replace the light.”We’ve been going back and forth with National Grid,” he said. “It wanted us to take over the light but our position is we’re not going to assume responsibility for something that isn’t working. National Grid has agreed to fund the replacement work then the town will own the light.”Maylor said the project has already been put out to bid and Tri-State Signal would be replacing the signal within the next few weeks.”They’ll replace that signal and make improvements on a couple of other signals in town,” he said.The inoperable signal at the intersection of Blainey and Ingalls Street, which is located on a light pole, will also be removed by National Grid and replaced with a freestanding signal.Maylor said he is pleased the negotiations, which took years, were successful.”I see this as a success,” he said. “It is a win-win situation.”