LYNN — The MBTA is currently at 30 percent of its design phase for the construction of a temporary MBTA platform at the Ellis Street municipal parking lot, Policy Director for the Mayor’s Office Danya Smith said in an interview last week.
In the months that followed the Lynn Commuter Rail closure Oct. 1, 2022, the T promised Lynn riders two forms of mitigation: a free shuttle bus service from Lynn to Swampscott Station, and a temporary platform.
While the Swampscott shuttle is currently in operation, the temporary platform, Smith said, is still a year to 18 months away from completion.
“They’re currently at 30 percent design now. They will be shooting for 100 percent by July,” Smith said. “They’re hoping to put this out to bid for the actual construction of the platform sometime in the fall. For the overall completion schedule, 12 to 18 months is what we’ve heard from the T.”
In a meeting last week between city and MBTA officials, City Attorney Jim Lamanna said that the city would have to work with the T to ensure that the site would not take valuable parking spaces away from those who use the lot.
“Right now we don’t have a commuter rail station, so I know that city officials want to collect that, but they also don’t want to simultaneously hurt any businesses that park in the Ellis Street lot,” Lamanna said.
The city, Smith said, is examining ways to re-stripe the lot in order to maintain valuable parking space. With the MBTA parking garage scheduled for demolition later this year, the city will ultimately be tasked with adding parking spots to downtown Lynn.
Smith said that the city intends to commission a parking study later in the year to thoroughly address the area’s parking needs.
“We’re trying to think about other ways that we can kind of better understand the supply and demand of parking in the downtown. We are looking at commissioning a parking study sometime this year,” Smith said.
Smith added that the city understands its constituents’ need for public transportation and parking, and is moving urgently.
“We’re trying to move with a sense of urgency and we understand the importance of public transit. I often go into Boston, and I would like the T to be active. I think the T also understands that sense of urgency,” Smith said.
