If ever there was a great example of where the state’s innovative Shared Streets and Spaces grant can make a difference, it is Cliftondale Square in Saugus.
The town has applied for the grant and, if it is approved by the state Department of Transportation, the money can help pay for new sidewalks, curbs, street repairs, bus stops, parking areas and other public spaces in the square.
“It could be a pretty big boost for Cliftondale Square if we get this grant,” said Cliftondale Revitalization Committee Chair Joe Vecchione.
Historically one of the town’s business centers, Cliftondale Square reeled from the staggering economic blow delivered 15 months ago by COVID-19’s social-distancing protocols that ground the economy to a halt.
The square had fallen into decline even before the pandemic, with a lengthening list of business closings which included North Shore Bank’s Cliftondale branch.
To his credit, Vecchione worked with town officials to begin mapping out Cliftondale’s revival. He won support for forming the improvement committee and pointed out that Cliftondale, like many other shopping districts modeled on 20th-century consumer habits, took a hit when shoppers started tapping a keyboard to shop and getting purchases delivered to their doorsteps.
Vecchione said Cliftondale is “pedestrian unfriendly.” He said the Shared Streets and Spaces grant can help pay for “traffic-calming measures, (and) temporary re-alignment of streets to test out traffic patterns.”
In April, Saugus was awarded $50,000 from the state to install flashing crosswalk signs in high-traffic areas, including in Cliftondale Square.
Transforming Cliftondale from a declining business district people drive through to a pedestrian-friendly “communal space” could spark the square’s revival. With a variety of attractions, including restaurants, easy-to-access parking, entrepreneurs and artists, the Cliftondale renaissance could give people from Saugus and other communities plenty of reasons to come to the square.
