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Communication from Mayor Gary Christenson relative to the Safe Routes to School Project
Dear Council President Anderson:
I write to inform the Council that I do not believe we can move forward on the proposed Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Project at the Beebe School.
As you know, the proposal includes nearly $600,000 in pedestrian safety improvements in the Pleasant-Elm Street and Highland Avenue intersection. Residents in the area were primarily concerned about the impact closing Elm Street would have on the flow of traffic. For the past several weeks, I have worked with MassDOT in the hopes of realizing the benefits of the project while accommodating the concerns of the neighborhood.
We have tried up until today to salvage this project. However, after hosting two neighborhood meetings, conferring and hearing from MassDOT representatives and assessing the alternatives presented, I have notified the officials at MassDOT that the City will be withdrawing from the project. It is clear from the meetings and the response thereafter that even with possible adjustments, the number of residents opposed outnumbered those in favor of the project.
I want to thank MassDOT and the traffic engineers from the Engineering Corp that have put a lot of time and effort into this project. I also appreciate the Councillors who assisted me in trying to find a compromise.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with the Council to find other ways we can improve the City of Malden.
Sincerely,
GARY CHRISTENSON, Mayor