DCR vows more parking spots in Nahant

NAHANT – Department of Conservation Resident Engineer James Caputo said his crews were making it a priority to put even more parking spots in the Long Beach lot than planned.The DCR released a statement near the start of the summer that said parking spots in the lot would be reduced to 600 during construction, but the lot would include 900 spots once the project was completed. Just after a project update to Nahant selectmen on Thursday, Caputo said his crews were looking at plans to increase spots over the 900.”Parking is something that bothers people most, and what’s most important,” said Caputo. “A priority of ours is to make sure there is as much parking as possible.”Caputo said that effort includes keeping the old “free parking” spots closer to Tides Restaurant, about 40 spots.Currently, there are more than 600 spots, said Caputo, adding that 600 is only the minimum DCR needed. He reported that after counting them himself on Thursday, he found 627 spots, including handicapped parking, plus another 75 spots that attendants created while parking cars in a narrow line closer to the Lynn border. “We do everything every year to try to increase that,” said Caputo. “We go out of our way to make sure the convenience is still there while construction is going on.”Even with an increased amount of parking, Chairman Rich Lombard mentioned he would be informing state police about safety concerns stemming from beachgoers determined to get to the beach even when the parking lot is closed. Lombard said when the parking lot closed around 9 a.m. one hot day, cars were backed up to the halfway house, and drivers were dropping off passengers in the middle of the causeway.In his update, Caputo said utility issues had slightly delayed progress, but that the roadway would be completed by October or November.Caputo mentioned some changes had been made to the plans after Hurricane Sandy. Caputo’s crews measured the damage the surf made during Sandy, and decided to put the vehicular boardwalk, intended for emergency vehicles to access the beach, further down the beach instead of near Tides. Instead, DCR will put a large dune with beach grass on top on the beach to allow for natural protection.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].