Neighbors who stand to be affected by a massive renovation of Essex Street, from nearly end to end, will get their next chance to weigh in on the project Tuesday at the Ingalls Elementary School cafeteria.
The road is slated to be renovated from Joyce Street on one end to Eastern Avenue on the other. The project will include new roadways, signal equipment, sidewalks, enhanced streetscape, utility upgrades, curb ramps, and more — all with the goal of increasing safety, accessibility, and operations. The proposed rehabilitation plans will improve traffic and safety from top to bottom including underneath the roads and the drainage system, City Planner Aaron Clausen said.
The city is conducting several forums to allow those living and working in the vicinity of the street to discuss the $28 million project — which will be funded entirely by the state through the State Transportation Improvement Program. The next one, Tuesday at Ingalls, runs from 5 to 7 p.m.
At an interactive workshop at Ingalls Feb. 28, Clausen and Bill Mertz, the vice president of Tighe and Bond, a design and engineering firm working with the city to develop the project, presented project overview before leading an interactive discussion allowing for feedback by those who would be affected.
Mertz said there are a number of deficiencies with Essex Street that need to be addressed in the reconstruction project, including the possibility of bike lanes.
“The paramount item we’re looking to address is safety,” Mertz said.
Susan Panagakis, who has owned and operated Charlies Seafood at 188 Essex St. for more than 62 years, said it’s important for the city to “listen to the people that live there.” She said the street is very narrow and finds the need for bike lanes questionable. Her son Mark said they are both “team players,” but they want the city to use the money wisely.
Panagakis asked if abutters would need insurance if water leaks onto properties from drainage-system work. Clausen said there will be interaction with residents once the design phase progresses.
“I don’t want any surprises,” Panagakis said.
The proposed plans for the project include “making the sidewalk more inviting,” Mertz said, as well as new signage, plantings, benches, receptacles, bus stop locations and amenities. Certain walking areas need to be updated to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Mertz said.
Sunil Gulab, who lives near Goldfish Pond, voiced his ideas about improving the aesthetics of the streetscape.
“Right now, if I were to describe Essex, I’d say, ‘ok it is a main street in Lynn, its function is very important, but it’s not a beautiful street,'” Gulab said.
Mertz said the city might have to take out some parking lanes. On Fayette Street to Eastern Avenue, for example, Mertz said the corridor is “a constrained area (and) it is very tight.”
“There’s a lot of constraints on a corridor like this that we need to take into consideration,” Mertz said.
This area sees 10,000 vehicles per day, he said.
Kathleen McCarthy lives nearby, and she said she is concerned about safety and about parking if certain spots are eliminated.
“The lane is already narrow enough,” McCarthy said.
After the project presentation, the workshop participants were invited to share their comments on Post-it notes that they would post to project locations on different maps.
One Post-it read “Very busy, dangerous for pedestrians. A light would help.”
Another read, “Keep existing road structure from Chatham-Eastern.”
Clausen said community input is vital.
“It’s really helpful for us to take this back to the state,” Clausen said. “We also want to be thinking about impacts on businesses..that’s also a part of the conversation,” Clausen said.
Construction will begin in 2026 and the street should be ready for use in 2028, Clausen said.
