Main Street on Road to Recovery

The project is just one big step in a series of steps to begin the momentum of revitalizing Downtown Peabody, according to city officials.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt told a sizeable crowd of local officials, project consultants and interested residents Tuesday morning outside the Main Branch library he was "thrilled" to stand there with them and celebrate the official groundbreaking on reconstruction of Main Street. Bettencourt said the project is one of the first building blocks toward revitalizing Peabody Square and the rest of the downtown. "For many years, Peabody Square has struggled to find its identity," he said. "Many people have referred to Main Street simply as a cut-through to Salem or Marblehead. That is not acceptable, and the city of Peabody is committed to the goal of making the downtown an attractive, bustling area for both commercial and residential." Former Mayor…

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: 'Main Street Corridor Project Will Benefit Peabody and Its Residents'

Peabody native and downtown business owner Tony Vargas says the end product for Main Street will only help his and other shops downtown and benefit residents as well.

I’m writing to express my support of Peabody’s Main Street Corridor project, which I believe will benefit the city of Peabody and its residents. Having substantially benefited from being a life-long resident of Peabody, I am committed to our city -- giving back to our community and investing in it. As part of that commitment, I give back to our city through my volunteer work with the high school’s vocational technical cosmetology program – a program from which I was the first male to graduate, and to which I owe my gratitude for providing my career training and livelihood. I’ve also honored my commitment to our community by choosing Peabody as the place to school my children and raise my family, and as a homeowner, to invest my real estate…

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2:49 pm on Friday, September 28, 2012

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You Ask...Patch Answers

What's Happening With Construction on Main Street?

We're glad you asked.

If you've wondering why construction on Main Street has appeared to be rather sporadic these past two weeks, it's because the bulk of the work hasn't actually started yet. Before the sidewalks can be redone and new curbing, bump-outs and aesthetic improvements are installed, there is some utility work that needs to be taken care of. "The primary focus for the weeks of Aug. 20 and 27 are completing all necessary street crossings before the start of school. This work includes the relocation of catch basins, drainage lines and electrical conduits," said Community Development Director Karen Sawyer Wednesday afternoon. School starts in Peabody Sept. 4 and Salem State University students head back to class Sept. 5. On Wednesday, with a police …

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Green Light for Main Street, Construction Begins Monday

Construction will start with the sidewalks on either side of the street and then tackle the lane reductions.

It's been six years in the making and it all starts Monday for Main Street. Mayor Ted Bettencourt announced this week that he has given the green light for construction to begin Aug. 13 on what will be a major realignment of Main Street. The project aims to increase safety for pedestrians and motorists, improve traffic flow, beautify the busy thoroughfare and in turn encourage commerce downtown. The most dramatic change that will occur is reducing the four travel lanes back down to two with a center turning lane from Washington Street intersection down to Howley Street. Proponents of the improvement plan generally argue that won't have a negative affect on traffic while skeptics are just that, strongly arguing that traffic will spill over …

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Main Street Still on Track for 2012 Finish

Project to overhaul roadway initially delayed because of higher price tag coming back on construction bids.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt says the overhaul of Main Street is still on track to be finished by the end of the year. Bettencourt said bids went out on the project in April, but came back higher than expected. The low bidder was AR Belli, Inc. out of Newton for $1.9 million, but the city had only allocated $1.5 million for construction, using a grant from MassWorks. Bettencourt appeared before the Community Development Authority on Thursday to ask for a $500,000 loan to fill that gap plus a little cushion and was unanimously approved on the request. City officials had hoped to break ground on Main Street in May, but despite the two-month setback, Bettencourt is still hopeful the work will start this summer and be completed in 2012. The City …

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