Nahant to implement new causeway traffic plan

NAHANT – Police Chief Robert Dwyer and the Department of Conservation and Recreation have worked out a new traffic plan that everyone hopes will resolve traffic flow problems at the newly renovated Nahant Beach Reservation.”It’s a work in progress,” said Selectman Chairman Perry Barrasso. “I don’t expect it will be fixed tomorrow.”DCR recently completed a four-year, $20 million project to rehabilitate the causeway and beach parking lot. The project resulted in a loss of about 300 spaces and reconfigured the beach entrance and exit among other things.Last weekend’s beautiful weather brought the first real test of the new landscape and it did not hold up well according to some.”It was a horror show,” said Selectman Richard Lombard.Nahant Police were forced to call in State Police Sunday afternoon after the parking lot filled but hopeful beachgoers continued to pour into town.Dwyer said the basic idea going forward will be to try and shut down the beach parking lot sooner rather than later. If the lot is nearly full and there are 15 cars in the queue waiting to get in, they will close the lot, he explained. Dwyer said he also plans to send two detail officers down on the weekends, which DCR will pay for, to help move things along.He is also working on getting signs installed both on the road itself and at the rotary. Dwyer said he believes the most important sign would let drivers know as soon as they hit the causeway that the left lane is for beach traffic and the right lane is for through traffic.”Another issue is the U-turn,” he said.Dwyer said the entrance is designed so drivers take a left into the lot and if the parking area is full they are supposed to be redirected back around the parking lot and out by Dunkin Donuts onto Wilson Road. Instead, drivers would circle the small entrance area a second time hoping someone had left, causing more traffic to snarl, he explained.Barrasso said there is also talk about pushing back the curbing that marks the outside of the entrance back, which would allow cars to make a U-turn without entering the lot at all.Dwyer said he doesn’t think traffic will be an issue today but Sunday’s forecast may put the new changes to the test.”We’re hoping for better results,” he said. “It’s been a rough couple of weeks.”Not everyone is convinced the plan will work.”It was a horror show and it will continue until they close (traffic) at the rotary,” Lombard said. “Once you cross the causeway there is nowhere to go ? you have to stop it at the rotary.”Selectman Michael Manning said the town needs to monitor the situation on the next nice beach day and, if the changes don’t work, send a firmer letter to DCR and the State Police. Lombard said he felt that would be inevitable.”The chief is doing a good job, but the Tides (Restaurant) was jammed, Wilson Road was jammed ? I’ve never seen such a mess,” he added. “Praise to the Nahant Police Department.”