Nahant causeway project on schedule

NAHANT – The causeway project is still on schedule to be finished in Nov. 2013, said Resident Engineer James Caputo during an update on the project at the Board Selectmen meeting Thursday night.Despite minor holdups from the electrical companies, Caputo said next week is when the traffic going from Nahant to Lynn will move to flow through the beach parking lot as planned, so crews can get started on fixing the median on the actual causeway.Caputo said drivers need to be extra cautious driving on the new “road” in the parking lot Tuesday and Wednesday night next week because there are some areas that are still unpaved.?I know going 25 miles per hour is hard, but if you went 50 or 60, you would feel bumps,” said Caputo. “That?s why the speed limit is what it is. It?s not a real road, it?s temporary.”Vice Chairman Rich Lombard commended Caputo on having no major accidents or setbacks during the project. “It?s very difficult shutting down and working around the beach, especially having two lanes coming in and outbound,” said Lombard.?We haven?t had any problems,” responded Caputo as he knocked three times on the table, “because we have been extra vigilant. But we should be out of our critical phases by January. The odds are in our favor that we should be fine.”Caputo added that his crews should be done with the parking lot by beach season, but there could be some machines still in that area during the summer that he said wouldn?t “mingle with the people.”?Right now we are looking to keep going the way we are until we finish,” said Caputo. “Even though I hate to finish – it?s a great job working at the beach.”Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].