The U.S. Department of Transportation will give $9.5 million to the City of Lynn to implement hundreds of speed humps, raised crosswalks, curb extensions, and other safety improvements aimed at reducing speeds on high-risk streets across the city.
According to a grant announcement from the USDOT, the projects will implement changes to four intersections and roughly 17 miles' worth of city streets.
Specifically, the funding will be used for:
- 20 raised crosswalks
- 75 speed humps
- 10 mid-block crosswalks
- 70 intersection daylighting projects to improve pedestrian visibility at crosswalks
- 48 curb extensions
- 12 rectangular rapid-flashing beacons
- 50 school zone lights
- 24 speed feedback signs
- street lighting improvements in 30 locations
- signal modernization at high-crash intersections
An accompanying map (below) indicates that the city aims to improve a few hazardous multi-lane arterials, like Western Avenue and Broadway, but most projects will focus on narrower streets in the city's more densely populated and racially diverse central neighborhoods.
Streets highlighted on the map include Union Street, a downtown street lined with small businesses, and Pleasant Street, which is home to several high-rise affordable housing complexes and a large Catholic school.
"It is our hope to begin on some of the countermeasures starting next construction season, and work out a phased implementation over the following years," wrote Aaron Clausen, the City of Lynn's Planning Director, in a Friday email to StreetsblogMASS.
The city will host a press conference on Monday to celebrate the award with an appearance form USDOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg.
The event will start at 9 a.m. at at Marsh View Park, where the Northern Strand Pathway crosses Boston Street.
