Council Wants MassDOT to Clean Route 1 Overpass and Underpasses

The City Council approved a motion that requests MassDOT to paint and clean the overpasses and underpasses for Route 1 and Route 16 at Broadway, Dale Street, Park Avenue, and Mountain Avenue.

Councillor Patrick Keefe and Joanne McKenna sponsored the motion.

“All those areas are gateways into our city,” said Keefe. “And they all look terrible. If MassDOT is not able to take care of it in timely fashion, I would ask that Mayor Arrigo use some free cash to take care of it on our end and just show a little pride.”

McKenna called the condition of the embankments coming off the highways “just disgusting.”

The councilor said she has made frequent phone calls to state officials for the past month and her calls for action have gone unanswered.

Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino asked the two sponsors of the motion to add the Malden Street and Sargent Street underpasses to the original motion.

He credited DPW Supt. Paul Argenzio for his work in cleaning up the area on Malden Street, but “both of those underpasses could use a cleaning.”