By Joseph Domelowicz Jr.
The owners of the former Wood Waste property in Everett, at 85-87 and 111 Boston Street, have once again had their Planning Board hearing continued, this time to May 8, as the City looks to have the developer show bicycle and pedestrian improvements to Vale Street on their plans as a way of ensuring better transit access for the new neighborhood that will be growing along the Everett-Chelsea line.
According to Michael Vivaldi in the Everett Planning and Development Department, the Everett Planning Board has asked the developers to bring back a “cross section’ or rendering of the improvements that are being proposed and planned for Vale Street on the Everett-Chelsea line, in order to ensure that the site will be accessible by different transportation modes.
Concern among the board members about the density of the development, 535-units are proposed for the Everett side along with several hundred more in Chelsea, and the resulting traffic has led the board to question the validity of claims by the developer that fewer vehicle trips will be necessary because of planned improvements to Vale Street.
“The Planning Board just wants to see what those improvements look like and make sure that people who want to use alternative transportation will be accommodated,” said Vivaldi.
In a memo from City Transportation Planner Jay Monty to the Planning Board and the developers, the City has asked that the developer consider wider sidewalks, ADA accessible ramps and crosswalks for people with disabilities, enhanced lighting and landscaping for walking commuters, as well as bike lanes, bike rack space and car share for those who wish to access those amenities in the development.
The developers are on the schedule to show the enhanced transportation plan at the May 8 meeting.
Florence Street Park to be completed this spring
Everett Planning and Development Director Tony Sousa told the Council last week that the Florence Street Park will be completed this spring, promising to see a project that has dragged out for nearly two years through to the final stages before the summer.
“All I can say is that it will be done this spring,” said Sousa last week.
The project began with much fanfare and high expectations in the summer of 2015, but various construction delays and other concerns have forced the project to drag out.